There Has Been An Stunning Collapse In Vending Machine Revenue

[FarCenter]

Vending machine industry revenue plunged to a 10-year low in 2011, according to a new industry report.

The industry generated only $18.96 billion in sales, down from a peak of $23.21 billion in 2007.

This is an ominous collapse for the rest of the economy.

First of all it's a sign of how many fewer Americans are working. The collapse was most pronounced in manufacturing, which represents 31 percent of all vending machine locations:

While the manufacturing sector recovered somewhat in 2010 and 2011, vending operators were quick to point out that the workers in these locations were not as willing to spend money as they were prior to 2008. Like workers in other locations, manufacturing employees were less confident about their long-term employment security. In many cases, factories that recalled workers did so at lower wages than in years past.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/there-has-been-an-ominous-collapse-in-vending-machine-revenue-2012-7

[RagAss]

1. Who among us does not enjoy a $1 can of soda?

[lpbk2713]

8. Or a stale packet of cheese and crackers.

The main reason I hardly ever buy food items from vending machines
is I have no idea how long they have been in the machine.

[hughee99]

18. Where can you get it for $1?

Even inside my office building, soda is $1.50. Bottled water is $1.25, which is weird because they have free water stations all over the building. They make up for it, though. Coffee is free.

[wordpix]

2. may be "a sign of how fewer Americans are working" but may be the crap food, too

Vending machines sell super sweet candy, soda and super salty chips. I can't even eat those things, they taste so bad.

[southernyankeebelle]

10. Prices are up and quality is down. I stopped buy a long time ago. Unless am in the ER hospital.

[Arkana]

3. My Cheetos!

[SoCalDem]

4. Or it could be that people are tired of getting a sweet/salty

handful of junk for a buck.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

5. If the vending machine merchandise isn't moving

it will only serve to enhance the finely-aged vintage flavour of the chips and snack cakes already there.

[KurtNYC]

6. Grammar police: "First of all it's a sign of how many fewer Americans are working."

Fewer Americans working as editors apparently.

[Iggo]

14. "...how many fewer..."?

No, I think that's right.

[LiberalEsto]

16. Better:

First of all, it's a sign fewer Americans are working,

Still better:

First, it shows fewer Americans are working

[HiPointDem]

17. nothing grammatically wrong with "how many fewer".

[Marrah_G]

7. I can't remember the last time I used one.

[Initech]

9. Or it could be a sign that people are getting thriftier and don't want to waste money on junk.

[Auntie Bush]

11. Could also mean the American people are becoming smarter eaters/consumers and not buying

the crap MOST of them sell. Good for America!

[GarroHorus]

12. I avoid vending machines as much as I avoid convenience stores

Both over charge for crap merchandise.

[WhollyHeretic]

13. I've noticed a lot of hotels have cut out vending machines and just sell stuff at the front desk.

Less people carry cash now and I've only seen a couple of vending machines that take credit cards.

[thelordofhell]

15. Depends on the vending machine

This one's doing real well

http://www.redbox.com/

[hunter]

19. USA doesn't have a decent micropayment system, our coins are bulky...

... and our jobs are crappy.

I used to work in places with vending machines, but the pay was high enough and the working conditions pleasant enough that you never thought "Wow, I just suffered fifteen minutes in this hell for a cookie."

[BumRushDaShow]

20. How about

more and more realizing that alot of what is dispensed from vending machines is over-priced and unhealthy?

If anything, I've noticed fewer and fewer of them around - at least here in the city. I remember there was a period when many money-strapped school systems were installing them in the schools in exchange for chunks of badly needed funding. Now there is more and more push-back and even removals, so I expect that is contributing to the downturn.

[Meiko]

21. If you want

state of the art vending machines with the best selection and highest quality, go to Japan. They have it down to an art form. Admittedly it's quite a trip for a can of soda.

[Igel]

22. I've often wanted to use the vending machine at work.

It takes coins and $1 bills.

In a year, never once have I wanted to use the vending machine when I had coins or dollar bills on me. Come to think of it, out of 10 months there's perhaps 10 days when I had cash on me.

Perhaps this is a factor?