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, for each of a plurality of products offered for sale via a vending machine, an actual product velocity and a target product velocity;    determining a set of products of the plurality of products that are associated with actual product velocities that are lower than the respective target product velocities; and    outputting an offer for a customer of the vending machine to purchase a subset of the set of products for a package price, wherein the package price is lower than a sum of retail prices associated with the subset of products.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving an indication of a defining, by the customer, of the subset of products.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 prompting the customer to define the subset of products.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 providing a visual indication of the set of products.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the visual indication comprises an activation of one or more LED devices associated with each product of the set of products.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 prompting the customer to define the subset of products by selecting one or more of the products indicated by the activated LED devices.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the product velocities and the determining of the set of products are conducted by a peripheral device in communication with the vending machine.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the product velocities, the determining of the set of products, and the outputting of the offer are conducted by the vending machine.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the outputting of the offer is based at least in part on a determination as to whether a pre-defined criterion associated with a goal of the vending machine has been satisfied.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the outputting of the offer is based at least in part on a determination as to whether an override flag has been activated.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the outputting of the offer is based at least in part on a determination as to whether a pre-defined criterion associated with a number of times the offer has been presented has been satisfied.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the outputting of the offer is based at least in part on a determination as to whether a pre-defined criterion associated with a count of the products comprising the set of products has been satisfied.  
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising: 
 determining, for each of a plurality of products offered for sale via a vending machine, an actual product velocity and a target product velocity;    determining a first product of the plurality of products that is associated with an actual product velocity that is lower than the respective target product velocity; and    outputting an offer for a customer of the vending machine to purchase the first product and an additional product selected by the customer for a package price, wherein the package price is lower than a sum of retail prices associated with the first product and the additional product.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 receiving an indication of a selection, by the customer, of the additional product.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 prompting the customer to select the additional product.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 providing a visual indication of a set of products from which the customer may select the additional product.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the visual indication comprises an activation of one or more LED devices associated with each product of the set of products.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 prompting the customer to select the additional product by selecting one of the products indicated by the activated LED devices.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the determining of the product velocities and the determining of the first product are conducted by a peripheral device in communication with the vending machine.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the determining of the product velocities, the determining of the first product, and the outputting of the offer are conducted by the vending machine.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the outputting of the offer is based at least in part on a determination as to whether a pre-defined criterion associated with a goal of the vending machine has been satisfied.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the outputting of the offer is based at least in part on a determination as to whether an override flag has been activated.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the outputting of the offer is based at least in part on a determination as to whether a pre-defined criterion associated with a number of times the offer has been presented has been satisfied.  
     
     
         24 . A method, comprising: 
 querying a database to determine a set of products offered for sale via a vending machine that are: (i) each associated with a certain product category, and (ii) each associated with a current to projected inventory ratio indicator that is greater than a pre-defined threshold;    determining an amount of package promotion product units associated with the product category; and    defining a package promotion as any selection of the amount of package promotion product units from the set of products, for a package price.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising: calculating the current to projected inventory ratio indicator, for each product of the set of products offered for sale via the vending machine, by multiplying any reserved inventory amount associated with a product by a weight factor to define a reserved inventory metric, subtracting the reserved inventory metric and an amount of projected inventory of the product from an amount of current inventory of the product to define a numerator, and dividing the numerator by the amount of current inventory of the product.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 calculating the amount of package promotion product units by subtracting a desired profit amount from a target package price to define a numerator, and by dividing the numerator by a minimum selling price associated with the product category.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the target package price and the package price are equivalent.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 determining that the package price is less than a sum of retail prices associated with the package promotion; and    causing, based on the determining that the package price is less than the sum of retail prices associated with the package promotion, an outputting of an offer for the package promotion.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 determining an acceptance of the offer for the package promotion by a customer of the vending machine;    determining a selection, by the customer, of a subset of the set of products, wherein the subset is equivalent in quantity to the amount of package promotion product units associated with the package promotion; and    causing the subset of the set of products to be dispensed to the customer.    
     
     
         30 . 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 24 .    
     
     
         31 . A computer readable medium encoded with instructions for directing a processor to: 
 perform the method of  claim 24 .    
     
     
         100 . 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 13 .    
     
     
         101 . A computer readable medium encoded with instructions for directing a processor to: 
 perform the method of  claim 13 .    
     
     
         102 . An 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 .    
     
     
         103 . A computer readable medium encoded with instructions for directing a processor to: 
 perform the method of  claim 1.