Facing a long flight from Pearson airport without your iPod, ear buds or headphones? Maybe you left the recharger for your cellphone at home?
No problem. There are 24-hour vending machines for that.
Best Buy announced Monday it has six vending machines operating at Pearson International Airport, selling electronics from USB cables to the iPad 2, for the same prices available online or in the catalogue.
"Our goal is to be present in every major airport in the country, by the end of the year," said Best Buy merchandise manager Ken Sorhus.
Best Buy in the U.S. has 150 vending machines selling electronics.
Theft and vandalism are not an issue for the machines at the airport, said Sorhus.
"Being an airport, there's a certain level of security built in. There are cameras all over the place watching what people do. We haven't had a single incident of theft."
The machines accept Visa, Master Card and American Express.
Sorhus says he's not worried about competition for now.
"It's still a very new space in the market, automated retail. There's a lot of trust in the Best Buy name and in the price you get. We think it has a big future for us."
Neil Madden, president of the Canadian Automatic Merchandising Association, says selling electronics in a vending machine requires sites with a high level of security.
"You couldn't put it anywhere, everything would be smashed and grabbed," said Madden.
He added that new technologies have made it possible for operators to check vending machine inventory remotely and accept credit card payments and mobile phone payments.
New vending machines are being used to sell groceries 24/7. And there are 17 remote dispensing pharmacies in Southern Ontario, operated by Touchpoint Pharmacy.
The machines scan prescriptions which are then filled by a pharmacist remotely. The drugs are dispensed by the machines in less than five minutes, says Elizabeth Young, director of corporate affairs for Patient Care Automated Services Inc.
Copyright 2012 Toronto Star Newspapers Limited
