Automatic Age

AUTOMATIC AGE
12
of the coin-device conveniences
we know today; forerunners of
the greater “automatic age” of
tomorrow.
Coin Chute Creates Sales
Vending machines have not
yet reached the stage of accept­
ance and distribution which
would permit giving greater
value for the money than is
offered by standard retail out­
lets. Eventually this will be pos­
sible. But even today, vending
machines may be considered an
important factor in the distri­
bution of goods. They are selling
a considerable volume of certain
kinds of merchandise that would
not otherwise be sold — the
“quick-impulse” purchases of
goods that are used or consumed
at the time of purchase. Con­
veniently-located vending ma­
chines figuratively “take the
merchandise to the customer,”
whereas, if the machines were
not available, this merchandise,
edibles particularly, would not
be sold. Figures are not available
to prove how great this volume
of “quick-impulse” sales of mer­
chandise really is; yet we know
that such sales provide a sub­
stantial market for producers
and salters of nuts, and for
manufacturers of confections
and chewing gum; and we know
that such sales not only stimu­
late employment in these and
associated industries, but pro­
vide jobs for the men who make
vending machines, provide out­
lets for materials which go into
the machines, and, last but not
least,, provide livelihoods for sev­
eral thousand operators and
their families, and contribute
revenue to the thousands of lo­
cations where the machines are
displayed.
The Coin Chute Distributes
In the fields of service and
amusement, the coin chute is al­
so an important factor of distri­
bution. Considered from any
angle, the coin chute is purely
an instrument of distribution.
July, 1939
Already it has accomplished ume of mail would require thou­
significant and far-reaching re­ sands of additional workers in
sults in making familiar services sorting and delivering the let­
conveniently-available, in reduc­ ters, occasion the employment of
ing the cost of such services, and workers to manufacture and
in stimulating employment in service the equipment, and stim­
the manufacture and servicing ulate business for the suppliers
of equipment. We might well of materials.
Coin Chute Speeds Business
consider what the nickel tele­
Let us consider what coin-op­
phone has meant in terms of
convenience and business-value erated parking meters will come
to the American Public — what to mean as a factor of distribu­
it has contributed to the eco­ tion and a contributing factor
nomic and industrial expansion to business. Parking meters are
of the entire country — what it distributors of parking space in
has meant in terms of employ­ retail districts of cities. Their
ment of factory workers, serv­ use means that shoppers can find
icing personnel, telephone oper­ a place to park. It means that
ators and office help — what it shoppers have a great deal more
has done for the producers and time to devote to buying if they
processors of raw materials can park near the point of pur­
which make up the modern tele­ chase instead of wasting time
phone system—a net-work which looking for a place to park, and
reaches every town and hamlet having to walk blocks to the
in the nation, and nearly every store after they do park their
cars. Meters speed the tempo of
home.
The perfection of a coin-oper­ retail business and should in­
ated telegraph unit will go far crease its volume. Tourists, who
toward making the telegram a would otherwise drive right on
much more commonplace factor through a town, will learn that
in business and in our daily there is plenty of parking space
lives, just as the coin chute has available. This will occasion
made the telephone so necessary m any “quick-impulse” purchases
and popular. A coin-freed dis­ that might not otherwise be
patching unit will undoubtedly made. Add to these benefits the
reduce the rate of telegraph fact that parking meters really
service, greatly stimulate the represent a new industry, one
use of telegrams, and eventually which will employ increasing
require thousands of additional thousands of workers to manu­
workers to manufacture, main­ facture and maintain the equip­
tain and service the equipment, ment, and which will stimulate
as well as to deliver the millions the materials market.
of extra messages and to main­
Creates New Business
tain the additional offices which
Even toilet locks—millions of
serve the public.
them must now be in use—have
The “Mailomat” is undoubted­ no small place in the distribution
ly destined to speed the distribu­ of public benefits. Without coin
tion of mail and perhaps to re­ locks which provide a revenue
duce the cost of postal service. to the managements of buildings
With no stamps required, no used by the public, the public
clerks needed to sell them and would not enjoy the clean, sani­
no cancelling operation neces­ tary toilets that are available
sary, it stands to reason that today. Disease might be much
government costs will be less­ more common if there were not
ened. Lower cost to the public pay-toilets which guard healthy
might conceivably multiply the people from the thoughtlessness
volume of mail. This greater vol­ and infections of others, and
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