Method and apparatus for managing vending machine offers

Abstract

Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for providing promotions at vending machines, such as by providing vending machine subscriptions to a category of products, are disclosed.

1 . A method, comprising: 
 determining that a subscription promotion offering rule is satisfied, at least by: determining that a proximity to a goal associated with a vending machine is less than a pre-determined goal proximity threshold;    constructing, in response to the determining that the subscription promotion offering rule is satisfied, an instance of a subscription promotion, wherein the instance of the subscription promotion defines a subscription to a category of products offered for sale via the vending machine, and wherein units of product from the category of products are redeemable at a rate of one product per period of time; and    causing an output of an offer for a customer of the vending machine to purchase the subscription to the category of products.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining that the subscription promotion offering rule is satisfied, is further conducted at least by: determining that an override parameter is null.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining that the subscription promotion offering rule is satisfied, is further conducted at least by: determining that an amount of money provided by the customer is greater than or equal to a minimum category subscription purchase price.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining that the subscription promotion offering rule is satisfied, is further conducted at least by: determining that a number of category subscription promotions output via the vending machine is less than a pre-determined maximum number of offered category subscription promotions.  
     
     
         5 . A vending machine, comprising: 
 a processor, and    a storage device that stores a program for directing the processor, the processor being operative with the program to: 
 perform the method of  claim 1 .  
   
     
     
         6 . A computer readable medium encoded with instructions for directing a processor to: 
 perform the method of  claim 1.