Choices at Vending Machine: More Than Salty vs. Sweet

The choices offered by today’s payments technology can be found everywhere – even at the vending machine.
Sure, you can still find machines where you can insert and reinsert that dollar bill with the bent corner. But an increasing array of options is making paying for the snacks more convenient for consumers and managing the machines easier for operators.
This week, Mastercard announced a new relationship with PayRange, a company that provides mobile payments solutions for vending machines.
Masterpass will be integrated into the PayRange mobile app, enabling its users to choose Masterpass as an option when they buy snacks and drinks at a PayRange-enabled machine.
“Convenience is as important to consumers as personalization and customization,” Betty DeVita, chief commercial officer, Digital Payments and Labs, Mastercard, said in a press release. “Paying with a mobile phone seems like such an obvious answer to a pain point that has existed for decades. Whether it’s a physical card or a tap of a phone, as mobile usage becomes a way of life, consumers will expect all retail touchpoints to be as mobile-friendly as possible and all commerce experiences to be frictionless.”
Mastercard also said that it offers APIs that enable developers to incorporate vending capabilities into their mobile apps. It also provides a simulator for developers to test their apps without having to use a machine.
Vagabond Vending, a commerce solutions provider for the vending industry, also recently launched its vīv platform for unattended retail.
Vagabond’s new mobile app allows users to view a vending machine’s inventory, as well as make and pay for a selection, all on their smartphones.
The platform also gives the operators access to vending management software and telemetry hardware, which enables them to monitor their machines remotely.
And finally, payment facilitator USA Technologies and payments terminal supplier Ingenico Group said that they are teaming up to go to market together. Their joint offering would combine Ingenico’s PCI-certified and EMV and contactless-enabled hardware and USAT’s cashless payment platforms for self-serve retail.
“By going to market with a global leader and trusted brand like Ingenico Group, we are able to offer vending and other unattended retail merchants with the best-in-class payment solutions, that accept new and emerging forms of payments like EMV, with USAT’s ePort Connect suite of cashless payment, consumer engagement and loyalty services,” Michael Lawlor, chief services officer, USA Technologies, said in a press release.