“Going to vending is an archetypal situation, as camera café”: an exploratory qualitative analysis on vending machine users’ behavior

Although historically speaking, the evolution of vending channels started in ancient times with the first coin-operated dispenser of holy water (Segrave, 2015), it is only recently that vending channels have started to regain popularity in the business landscape as retail providers of customer convenience (Bolton, 2019). However, recent reviews highlight the lack of adequate literature on many aspects concerning consumer behavior in the vending sector (Stoyanov, 2021). The present study aims to fill this gap by investigating the relationship between new technologies integrated into the vending machine (VM) landscape and the impact on consumer behavior. Methodology Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews by developing an extensive interview guide based on a literature review. Although it provided some structure for the interviews, participants could share other issues and ideas that were not included in the interview questions (Gioia, 2021). The sample was collected through a snowball approach and consisted of 20 users (students and workers), aged between 20 and 35. The inclusion criteria for the study were: working/studying in a place with access to a VM and using it at least once per week. The analysis of verbatim transcripts involved three coding phases based on Gioia et al. (2013) method. In each phase, the authors closely collaborated to align and discuss coding structures, aiming to agree on code definitions and quantities before moving to the next phase (Gioia, 2021). Results In this study, four different profiles of VM users emerged and we describe each of them through some of the stories we collected during the interviews. Tech-explorers: They frequently use vending machines and are keen to enhance their vending experience with the aid of new technologies. First, they are interested in improving the VMs, starting from the assortment. Leonardo (27), would like to find local food, because: “The fact that the product is presented as local and it would not come from the other side of the continent, personally, is important for me.” On the other side, Andrea (25) would add also ethnic food “They could sell for example Japanese mocha or Reese's”. Then, another aspect that arose during the interview with Leonardo was the possible implementation of olfactory feedback. Finally, they would react positively to messages sent through the mobile app even if the message has been sent by a machine or an AI system. As Serena (27) said “You know it's a machine. But still, it's something, tailor-made for you. Tech-early adopters: Tech-early adopters are loyal to VMs, they mostly use them and prefer buying a snack or, when possible, other food for a real meal. They often go there because they feel free to choose the products they want, without feeling judged by others, considering it a kind of safe zone, “…for example, even when I'm out with friends, we often go there during the winter”(Arianna, 25). In the end, considering their attachment to VMs, it is necessary for them the chance to geo-locate VMs, using GPS and knowing the assortment of each VM available in the area: “It would be very useful to know how many units of each snack are left, for example, in each location” (Arianna, 25). Tech-skeptics: For tech-skeptics what matters is availability, ease of use and convenience. Then, during interviews, we explored the possibility of using VMs to display health-promoting messages on the screen and they stressed the importance of delivering objective messages, as Rocco stressed: “It should be a general message that encourages people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, perhaps also providing objective data” (Rocco, 34). In the end, tech-skeptics are not affected by out-of-stock because, if it happens, they just buy something different, as Martina (27) told us "If I'm going to have a snack, it means I want it, and usually if I am going there, I buy something". Tech-avoiders: Generally speaking, they are reluctant to change and to the adoption of new technologies. From the VM’s side, they don’t like smart VMs and prefer traditional payment methods. Moreover, they are not interested in trying new products at all and are not sensitive to any communications, both digital (messages, video on the VM’s screen) or traditional (i.e. banners inside VMs). “Honestly, these are things that don't affect my purchasing decision” (Tommaso, 28). Conclusions and implications Thanks to this research, we have shed light on different aspects of the shopping experience of VM users. First, we discovered that consumers spend an important part of their day time over there, which means that VMs and smart VMs could be used for promoting products, marketing research (i.e., surveys), or testing the appeal of new products. Then, there is a rising demand for fresh products and alternatives to a fast meal (i.e., ready-to-go meal). Moreover, although many users seem interested in having a more engaging experience, there is still a group of consumers who are reluctant to the adoption of new technologies. Retail managers should plan different communication strategies and marketing initiatives to build a relationship with these different segments. In the end, the shreds of evidence that emerged from the interviews may help to know better VM users, and their expectations to plan how to improve their customer experience in the new technological environments.