Sex toys, incense sticks, oxygen canisters: These are just a few of the growing list of products you can purchase from vending machines in Chinas major cities.
For more information, please visit Unique Anime.
Unmanned retail has had its ups and downs in China over recent years, but the humble vending machine is taking off in a big way.
The biggest hit has been machines dispensing blind boxes a trend inspired by Japans gachapon culture, where people buy a capsule containing a mystery toy. Pop Mart, a leading blind box company, had over 1,300 vending machines in 77 Chinese cities as of the end of , nearly 39% of which were installed that year.
Chinas roughly 300,000 vending machines now account for 80% of total sales in the unmanned retail sector, according to Wei Ting, a researcher at market research firm Forward Industrial Research Institute.
In this video explainer, Sixth Tone examines whats driving the rise of the vending machine in China, why the technology is performing better than other unmanned retail concepts, and where the industry may be headed.
Editor: Dominic Morgan.
The vending market in Asia, especially China, has exploded in size over the last decade. From to the unattended vending market In China grew from $250 million (USD) to over $4.5 billion (USD). In that same period dozens of new vending manufacturers were founded in China that have now become some of the largest producers of vending machines in the world.
To say that China is now the worlds leading manufacturer in unattended vending machines and kiosks would be an understatement.
For more information, please visit China Vending Machine.
Video courtesy of Sixthtone.comTrust us, we have scoured the North American market for vending manufacturers on par with contemporary Chinese vending technology, and we havent been able to find a viable option. Whether we are considering touchscreens, contactless payment/ordering systems, interactive displays, or elevator/conveyor delivery systems, Chinese manufacturers are years ahead of everyone else. They have become the innovators in unattended kiosks and vending systems.
There are often concerns about quality regarding Chinese manufactured parts and equipment, and we initially had those same concerns that is until we looked around our offices and saw the vast majority of electronics and appliances we currently owned were manufactured in Chinese factories for American brands: HP, AT&T, Apple, General Electric, and Xerox just to name a few.
Bottom line, if you want the most innovative, eye-catching, and convenient technology for your customers, considering Chinese manufactured vending technology is a must.
Many U.S. customers exploring the vending machine market will inevitably discover Alibaba in their online searches, and many consumers will ask, Should I buy from Alibaba or a Chinese manufacturer, or buy from a distributor in the U.S?.
The answer is more nuanced than a simple black-and-white either/or scenario. There are circumstances in which it would make perfect sense to buy direct from Alibaba or a Chinese manufacturer. There are others in which it might be extremely detrimental to not buy from a U.S. manufacturer or distributor.
In short, if you have the experienced vending team and parts inventory to support your own machines, buying from Alibaba or a Chinese manufacturer can make a lot of sense. BUT, if youre just starting out or you dont want to have to develop the support team and inventory, let our support team and our parts inventory take all of that load off your growing business.
The reality is, even some of our largest customers with their own teams of service technicians still chose to do business with a U.S.-based machine distributor like the Discount Vending Store because we offer that extra layer of support, parts and service that Chinese manufacturers simply cant provide.
If your machine is not customized for your product, youre not making maximum profit. If your machine is broken down, you arent making any money. Having your machines customized exactly how you want them, and keeping your machines running in a timely fashion is the advantage of sourcing your machines from The Discount Vending Store.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Custom Vending Machines.