January 1st, 2021 Vending Technology News
By Jeff Adair, Editor

AMS Vendors is rolling out a machine which it says enables operators to sell items with a higher profit margin.  KlearView20 has 18 doors that are 4.7 inches high and 14.2 inches wide plus two doors that are 11.5 inches high and 14.2 inches wide. The compartment size allows an operator to sell larger items or industrial supplies which AMS says may offer higher margins than candy, drinks, or other snacks.

The machine is fully customizable allowing an operator to sell items anywhere.  If an operator owns an existing AMS machine, the KlearView20 can be partnered with it or mounted to a control module. It’s a fully customizable machine that enables a vending operator to sell items anywhere. 
The world has changed in many ways since Covid-19, and one of the biggest changes has been how food is sold in offices. 

Since the onset of Covid-19, many companies have been eliminating office pantry services and replacing the service with micro markets. Office pantry services typically hold snacks, food bins, and refrigerators from which employees can buy the food and beverages they need without leaving the building. Micro markets eliminate the common company refrigerator, enabling companies to offer the same amount of food and beverage with less personal contact, thus eliminating the spread of viruses and keeping employees safe. 

According to a recent study, micro markets generated over $7 billion in revenue in 2020, a 99.2% growth rate from 2012. More than 50,000 micro markets are expected to open in the next five years, proving that micro markets are here to stay. 

With Covid-19 making it necessary for consumers worldwide to have a contactless shopping experience, more retailers are exploring options.  One of the options being explored is global AI-powered checkout.  With AI-powered checkout, stores don’t need employees to help customers check out any longer. Image recognition technology and cameras track customers from the moment they pick up items from the shelves to when they check out.

Even though some analysts have said that businesses like supermarkets would return to normal after Covid-19, the virus has taught us that most consumers are adapting to the “new normal” and are embracing AI–powered checkout.

Recent data from researchandmarkets.com indicates the global AI–powered checkout market was valued at $97.88 million in 2019 alone and is predicted to grow by 37.2% CAGR by 2027.

Growth Of AI-Powered Technology Is Strongest In North America

North America (US and Canada) has been one of the top regions in the world where AI-powered checkout has seen the strongest growth.

Global AI-powered checkout is here to stay, especially since Covid-19 is expected to continue being a factor in day-to-day life for at least another year.  
Since 1990, every business in the United States, including micro markets, must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
For micro market owners this means that a consumer who is visually or hearing impaired should be able to order the beverages or foods that they want without asking for assistance.

Failing to comply with ADA regulations can be costly to a vending operator.  Sheryl Byrne-Haber, a disability advocate, said in an October blog that 2020 accessibility lawsuits at that time were on track to be close to 50% higher than either 2018 or 2019. The total value of one year’s annual revenue for organizations sued in one week, she said, was $33 billion.

According to Byrne-Haber’s research, an average of over 80 federal ADA cases are filed per week in federal district courts, where ADA cases are filed, and California state courts, because of California’s tougher ADA laws. Her research further indicates over 90 percent of ADA cases are resolved in favor of the plaintiffs.  
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