No Charge vending machines
“Moraeru Jihanki” doesn’t need money, only costs a little of your time. Moraeru Jihanki, translates loosely to the “You Can Have What’s Inside Vending Machine.” At first glance, you might think it’s a machine that only works with cashless payment apps. There’s no slot in which to insert bills or coins, and there’s an illustrated diagram of a smartphone-involved process of some sort on the right side of the machine’s housing. Being mechanical and filled with products, the new vending machine at the Tokyu Department Store in Tokyo’s Kichijoji neighborhood looks like a “vending machine.” Actually, though, it doesn’t vend, because you don’t have to spend any money to get your hands on the items inside, since the machine gives them away for free. You will need a smartphone in order to obtain items from the machine, but you won’t have to spend a single dime.
Using the “Line” messaging app, you friend the official Morearu Jihanki account. Then you take a look at the items the machine is stocked with, pick out what you want, and send its product code to the cellphone address. The account will then message you back with a URL to a short survey, and once you’ve filled it out the survey, you’re given a QR code. Bring up the QR code on your phone’s screen, place it in front of the vending machine’s scanner, and it’ll spit out the item you wanted, completely free of charge. It’s the survey that’s the key to all this, since the purpose of the “Morearu Jihanki” isn’t to earn money directly, but to aid with marketing research, helping companies determine the demographic makeup and wants of potential customers who are interested in their wares. The machine just went into service at the end of October, and right now it’s stocked with items from grooming and beauty product company Kose Cosme Port, offering samples of the company’s shampoo, conditioner, and facial skincare products even free Hello Kitty facial masks.
It’s actually a pretty clever idea. Offering free samples through the mail to gauge consumer interest and determine the core market for a product is a strategy that companies have been using for years. This system saves sampling cost and delivery fees. Customers get their samples in a matter of minutes and with no charge and they do not even have to open the mail. This helps companies identify the demographics and needs of potential customers interested in their products.
Vending humor
Tomorrow is a big day for me at work. They are refilling the snack vending machines.
A man walked up to a vending machine, put in his money and pressed the button labeled, “Coffee, double cream, sugar.” No cup appeared. Then two nozzles went into action, one sending forth coffee, the other, cream. After the proper amounts had gone down the drain where the cup should have been, the machine turned off. “Now that’s real automation,” the man exclaimed. “This thing even drinks it for you!”
I always used to think air was free…
then I bought a bag of Potato Chips from a vending machine.
What’s the difference between congress and a vending machine.
One accepts change but doesn’t give dollars, one accepts dollars but doesn’t give change.
January 29th Birthdays
1953 – Oprah Winfrey, 1986 – Isabel Lucas, 1975 – Sara Gilbert, 1971 – Giovanna Fletcher
1982 – Adam Lambert, 1978 – Justin Hartley, 1945 – Tom Selleck, 1880 – W. C. Fields