To start with, a micro market is a supermarket version of vending machines. It’s a small space with snacks and beverages with a self-checkout-kiosk. Unlike the original vending machines, however, micro-markets also have healthy lunch options available. This is why they’re often thought of as miniature convenience stores more than expanded vending machines.
Past the Point of No Return to Traditional Vending Machines
Micro markets are rapidly exploding all over large businesses and even some small ones. This is due to increased expectations in company productivity to maintain success and stay on top of the competition. As a result, an increasing number of employees often don’t have time to stop for a proper lunch.
This trend doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. As a result, neither are micro markets. The self-check-out kiosk also makes them extra convenient since employees don’t have to spend time waiting in a line and then another two minutes exchanging cash or a card and a receipt with a cashier. The only things that could go wrong are the kiosk machine lacking in cash or shutting down altogether.
Micro-market food delivery is expected to keep growing and become a billion-dollar industry within the next decade.
Here are some other quick pointers as to why the industry is snowballing the way it is:
- Depending on the location, micro markets tend to attract about one percent sales to every 0.7 percent of traditional vending machine sales.
- Micro-market inventory is usually exclusively web-based. This makes inventory errors much rarer and restocks and updates much faster.
- They’re capable of adapting to any space limitation.
- The pricing flexibility allows for operators to collect some sales tax. In contrast, traditional vending machines have exact pricing only.
- Customers can set up prepaid accounts. That means that the customer can deposit funds in his or her account ahead of their purchases.
- If the workplace has a healthy eating program, that can also be partly used for micro-market purchases.
Here are some more good points on this topic.
Check out this video to get a glimpse into why Micro Markets are trending so much:
The Only Downside of a Micro Market
So far, the only disadvantage of micro-markets seems to be the prices being up to 20 percent higher than traditional vending machines. This is to cover the cost of thefts, spoilage, extra equipment, and supplies.
Other Attractive Features
The superficial reasons that micro-markets are so successful include:
- That they have more attractive options available. People are becoming increasingly health-conscious, with some going vegetarian or vegan. Almost no one says no to fresh food options that are restocked on a daily basis.
- They know how to fit into the layout neatly without crowding up any space regardless of how small it is. They are always designated for any area with an electrical wire connection for the coolers and a strong internet connection for the checkout kiosk.
- Unlike traditional vending machines, micro-markets don’t have the hazardous disadvantage of the product getting stuck and the customer tilting the machine to try to get it out. Unfortunately, some people sustained severe injuries and even fatalities in that process. Traditional vending machines have caused roughly twice as many deaths as sharks.
- Unlike the traditional vending machine, customers can also use coupons with purchases at a micro-market.
Extra Features of the Self-Checkout Kiosk
As far as the self-checkout-kiosk programming goes, all it takes is connecting with a bank or a utility company. Kiosks also have additional features such as payday loans, check deposits, and bill payment options. This allows employees to get more personal financial business done without leaving the office and leaves more time to relax at home.
Conclusion
Above all else, what makes micro-markets so attractive is their transparency.
Micro-markets are so obvious in their high respect for healthy eating habits. Customers can take that small but significant step to stay healthy and balanced while super busy, thanks to their existence.
It looks to me like micro-markets are not only not going away anytime soon. They may be the next step in the evolution of handling personal financial matters. It will be very interesting to see the effect that they may have on brick-and-mortar banks and other financial institutions.
It’s very interesting to learn that micro-markets are already preventing at least 13 fatalities from machine tilting every year. Unfortunately, it seems that people are bad at estimating the weight of a vending machine against themselves. Hunger can also make people do very bizarre and even dangerous things.
Almost no one would be caught dead tilting a self-checkout kiosk. Traditional vending machines prevented most thefts. Though dying by suffocation from a vending machine is much worse than theft. Unlike deaths, thefts can be corrected.
So far, the micro-market business is showing to have far more advantages than disadvantages. It will be interesting to see how they will affect brick-and-mortar banks and how they will affect life in general.
For example, some employees may choose to bring dinner home that way. If they do, it will be interesting to see what kind of effect that will have on the grocery and supermarket business.
Unlike traditional vending machines, micro-markets are very life-promoting. They can seem like a fantastic break and a deep breath of fresh air during a chaotic day.
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Charles Vallena is the founder and managing editor of Cuppabean.com, a coffee blog that helps people make better coffee by providing expert insights, recipes, and in-depth reviews on coffee makers. Follow Cuppabean on Facebook here.
