Not Enough Quarters!!
by Gary Woods

When I think of vending machines I think of cool big boxes you put a couple of quarters in and you get a can of soda pop or candy. I was shocked the other day to see that it costs more than a dollar to get a soda from one of these boxes. Well at least a pay phone call is still a dime. Isn't it?? Okay, I don't get out much but I was really amazed to find a vending machine that doesn't even take quarters. It sucks the money right out of your credit card.

A company called Zoom Systems (http://www.zoomsystems.com) has machines in places like the Las Vegas Hilton and San Francisco International Airport and these machines wouldn't be caught dead dispensing anything as mundane as Soda Pop.

Each vending machine which the company calls a Zoom Shop sells a variety of high-tech items, including various iPod models, noise-canceling headphones at $300 a pop as well as items for the business traveler such as cell phone batteries and headsets, wireless products and blank media.

They also have Sony PSPs, Nintendo Game Boys, and Sirius and XM portable satellite radios. You pick what you want and swipe your credit card, and a robotic arm delivers it to you.

There are currently about 130 Zoom Stores in malls, hotels, airports, retail environments, and grocery stores in California, Colorado, Georgia, and Nevada. They're trying to have about 10,000 stores in place in the next fives years.

If you have any suggestions or questions for me please drop me a note at garyandlaury@santabarbaraproperties.com or see my column on the Internet at http://www.santabarbaraproperties.com or call me at (805) 729-0910