Automatic Age

T h e A u t o m a t ic A ge
8
The Automatic Age
T H E N A T IO N A L M A G A Z IN E O F T H E V E N D IN G M A C H IN E
IN D U S T R Y
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0 . C. L IG H T N E R ,
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C O R P O R A T IO N
J. M. B U C K L E Y . A d v e rtilin s Manager
E xecu tive Office, 2721 South M ichigan A ven ue, C hicago, 111.
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W e Have
Harbored an Idea
that we would like to see tried out.
That is a machine to vend penny prizes, such as are usually given
away in boxes of Cracker Jack. These prizes would have to be
vended in little boxes, but could be done at a good profit fo r one
cent. In protected places five cent prizes could be vended in boxes
as small as the average match box.
The idea conveyed in a surprise package is that the consumer
would not know what would be in the box. They could be filled
with rings, miniature lanterns, celluloid roses, stick pins and many
other articles that could be bought for seven or eight dollars a
gross. A five cent surprise package could contain articles of much
greater flash and often of real merit, such a s ; a string o f beads,
collapsible aluminum cups, jewelry, silk flags, artificial flowers and
many other attractive novelties, which would cause another nickel
to be dropped.
These machines would be especially good in penny arcades, as
the curiosity to see what would be in the next package would keep
the nickels pouring in. People who go into penny arcades go there
for entertainment. They will spend money anyhow and are not
particularly looking fo r values. They will get their money’s worth
out of curiosity. The idea is free, let somebody try it out.
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