초록 ▼

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for automatically testing, monitoring and managing the pricing and other sales information associated with products sold by vending machines. A price or other sales information associated with a product is initially adjusted at one or more initial vending machines

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for automatically testing, monitoring and managing the pricing and other sales information associated with products sold by vending machines. A price or other sales information associated with a product is initially adjusted at one or more initial vending machines, before automatically and progressively expanding the new price or other sales information to additional vending machines, upon verification of a successful change. Successful test results are thus automatically propagated to additional vending machines for further testing in the market. The sales information that can be tested includes price, product placement instructions, new advertising or promotional instructions, and packaging instructions for the sale of a group of products at a single price. Vending machines can thus be configured in progressive "layers" of vending machines so that adjustments to price or other sales information can be initially evaluated by one or more vending machines in a small group, before progressively expanding the new price or other sales information to one or more additional vending machines.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.]1. A method for automatically adjusting sales information associated with a product in a plurality of vending machines, the method comprising the steps of:determining an adjustment to said sales information;evaluating said sales information adjustment in at least one of said plurali

[ We claim:] [1.]1. A method for automatically adjusting sales information associated with a product in a plurality of vending machines, the method comprising the steps of:determining an adjustment to said sales information;evaluating said sales information adjustment in at least one of said plurality of vending machines; andautomatically propagating said sales information adjustment to at least one additional vending machine of said plurality of vending machines if said evaluating step determines said sales information adjustment meets predefined evaluation criteria.