iPods Available in Vending Machines

Pop sales took off when people were able to put some change into a vending machine and get a nice cold drink. Apple has decided that if it worked for pop, it could also work for iPods.

iPod vending machines first started popping up a couple of years ago in airports. Although intuitively the idea of selling a big ticket item in a vending machine seems odd, the concept has actually proven successful. iPod vending machines now exist in airports, universities, military bases and department stores. (Source: ajc.com)

Mark Mullins, Executive Vice President of Zoom (a company that makes the vending machines), says the iPods are selling fast. "We put in some iPods and found we couldn't keep them in stock. We found no customer resistance to swiping a card and buying a $300 item from a machine." (Source: wired.com)

In fact, Atlanta's airport has gross sales of about $55,000 in one month -- and that's just for the machine on Concourse A. (Source: macdailynews.com)

Why the immense popularity? Certainly, vending machines have many advantages. Unlike stores, they never close. They can be strategically positioned, since the machines are small (measuring seven feet by seven feet). They are very user friendly, operating via a touch screen and delivering your iPod with a robotic arm, not by dropping it into a slot. And not only are the machines popular with customers, they are a favorite of airports as well. After all, profit on a $349 iPod surely beats profit on a $2 beverage. (Source: ajc.com)

Besides being an attractive product for travelers, the iPod vending machines also offer an easy way to purchase a last-minute holiday gift. The company reports doing 30 to 40 percent of its business during the Christmas season. (Source: macdailynews.com)

Although iPods and vending machines may not seem like a natural fit, reality has proven otherwise. I suppose if you're going to get your snack out of a machine, you might as well get a music player while you're there.