Patent ID: 8131595

Claim:
A method comprising: determining, by a vending machine equipped with a processor, an internet connection and a visual display device and based on demand for a first product stored in the vending machine, a term of an offer to establish a membership at the vending machine; providing, by the vending machine and to a customer of the vending machine, the offer via the display device; receiving, by the vending machine and from the customer, an indication of an acceptance of the offer; determining, by the vending machine, an amount of payment that is required to establish the membership; determining, by the vending machine, whether the amount of payment has been received; generating, by the vending machine and in the case that it is determined that the amount of payment has been received, a membership identifier that includes a plurality of alphanumeric digits; storing, by the vending machine, the membership identifier in association with the term of the membership; receiving, by the vending machine, from the customer, and after the storing of the membership identifier, the membership identifier via an input device; determining, by the vending machine and based on the received membership identifier, the term of the membership; receiving, by the vending machine and from the customer, after the determining of the term of the membership based on the received membership identifier, a selection of a second product that the customer intends to purchase from the vending machine; determining, by the vending machine, a product having a sales velocity that is less than an ideal sales velocity thereof; and selling, by the vending machine and to the customer, after determining that the product has a sales velocity that is less than an ideal sales velocity, the product at a discount.