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In accordance with one or more embodiments, a promotion redeemable at a vending machine is determined. The promotion comprises an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices. The promotion is output (e.g., via an output device of a vending machine,

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a promotion redeemable at a vending machine is determined. The promotion comprises an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices. The promotion is output (e.g., via an output device of a vending machine, an output device of a peripheral device of a vending machine, an output device of a customer device, or a combination thereof). In some embodiments, the promotion may be determined such that it satisfies the goal of increasing the profitability of the vending machine and/or the goal of conserving an inventory of coins in the vending machine. In some embodiments, determining a promotion may comprise constructing a promotion instance by populating a parameter of a promotion type with a value selected based on one or more rules.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices, wherein the determining comprises: selecting the promotion from a plurali

What is claimed is: 1. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices, wherein the determining comprises: selecting the promotion from a plurality of available promotions, wherein the selecting comprises: selecting, based on data associated with transactions completed at the vending machine, the promotion from the plurality of available promotions; and causing the promotion to be output. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data associated with transactions completed comprises: data indicating products purchased from the vending machine. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data associated with transactions completed indicates, for each product of a plurality of products, a rate at which the product has been selling; and further comprising: determining, for each product of the plurality of products, a rate at which the product should be sold; and wherein the selecting of the promotion further comprises: selecting a promotion for the product of the plurality of products for which the rate at which the product has been selling is the furthest away from satisfying the rate at which the product should be sold. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data associated with transactions completed comprises: a balance of coins currently available for dispensing from the vending machine. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the data associated with transactions completed further comprises: data describing an amount of change dispensed from the vending machine during a period of time. 6. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices, wherein the determining comprises: selecting the promotion from a plurality of available promotions, wherein the selecting comprises: selecting, based on data associated with a transaction currently initiated at the vending machine, the promotion from the plurality of available promotions; and causing the promotion to be output. 7. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices, wherein the determining comprises: selecting the promotion from a plurality of available promotions, wherein the selecting comprises: selecting, based on data associated with transactions completed at the vending machine and on data describing a transaction currently initiated at the vending machine, the promotion from the plurality of available promotions; and causing the promotion to be output. 8. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices; selecting a type of the promotion from a plurality of types of promotions, each type of promotion including at least one parameter, wherein the selecting comprises: selecting, based on at least one of data associated with transactions completed and data describing a transaction currently initiated but not yet completed at the vending machine, the type of promotion; populating the at least one parameter of the selected type of promotion with a value, thereby creating an instance of the promotion; and causing the promotion to be output. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting a type of promotion is further based on a goal. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the goal is a goal of profit to be realized by the vending machine. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the goal of profit is a goal of profit to be realized by the vending machine for a particular product and during a predetermined period of time, the product being a product sold by the vending machine. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the goal is a preservation of an inventory of coins available for dispensing from the vending machine. 13. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices; selecting a type of the promotion from a plurality of types of promotions, each type of promotion including at least one parameter; populating the at least one parameter of the selected type of promotion with a value, thereby creating an instance of the promotion, wherein the populating comprises: selecting, based on at least one of data associated with transactions completed at the vending machine and data associated with a transaction currently initiated but not yet completed at the vending machine, the value to be at least one value from a plurality of available values; and causing the promotion to be output. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining a list of the plurality of available values from which the value for the at least one parameter is selected. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the plurality of available values comprises: selecting a subset of values from a set of available values based on the at least one of data associated with transactions completed at the vending machine and data associated with a transaction currently initiated at the vending machine. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the selecting of the value is further based on a goal. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the goal is a goal of profit. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the goal of profit is a goal of profit to be made by the vending machine for a particular product during a predetermined period of time, the product being a product sold by the vending machine. 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the goal is a preservation of an inventory of coins available for dispensing from the vending machine. 20. The method of claim 13, wherein each value of the plurality of values represents a product of a plurality of products sold by the vending machine, and wherein the data associated with transactions completed indicates, for each product of the plurality of products, a rate at which the product has been selling; and further comprising: determining, for each product of the plurality of products, a rate at which the product should be sold; and wherein selecting the value from the plurality of values comprises: selecting a value representing the product of the plurality of products for which the rate at which the product has been selling is the furthest away from satisfying the rate at which the product should be sold. 21. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices; selecting a type of the promotion from a plurality of types of promotions, each type of promotion including at least one parameter, wherein selecting the type of promotion is based on a goal; populating the at least one parameter of the selected type of promotion with a value, thereby creating an instance of the promotion; and causing the promotion to be output. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the goal is a goal of profit to be made by the vending machine. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the goal of profit is a goal of profit for a particular product during a predetermined period of time, the product being a product sold by the vending machine. 24. The method of claim 21, wherein the goal is a goal of preserving an inventory of coins available for dispensing from the vending machine. 25. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices, wherein the determining comprises: determining, at the vending machine and based on at least one of data associated with transactions completed at the vending machine and data associated with a transaction initiated at the vending machine, the promotion to be output via an output device of the vending machine; and causing the promotion to be output. 26. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices, wherein the determining comprises: selecting a type of the promotion from a plurality of types of promotions, each type of promotion including at least one parameter; populating the at least one parameter of the selected type of promotion with a first value, thereby creating a first instance of a promotion; populating the at least one parameter of the selected type of promotion with a second value, thereby creating a second instance of a promotion; and selecting one of the first instance of the promotion and the second instance of the promotion for output via an output device associated with the vending machine, wherein the selecting of the one of the first instance of the promotion and the second instance of the promotion comprises: selecting, based on at least one of data associated with completed transactions at the vending machine and data associated with a transaction initiated at the vending machine, the one of the first instance of the promotion and the second instance of the promotion for output via the output device associated with the vending machine; and causing the promotion to be output. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the selecting one of the first instance and the second instance is further based on a goal. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the goal is a goal of profit to be realized by the vending machine. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the goal of profit comprises a goal of profit to be realized by the vending machine for a particular product, the product being a product sold by the vending machine. 30. The method of claim 27, wherein the goal is a preservation of an inventory of coins available for dispensing from the vending machine. 31. The method of claim 27, further comprising: determining the goal. 32. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices, wherein the determining is performed in response to an initiation of a transaction at the vending machine; and causing the promotion to be output. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the causing comprises: causing the promotion to be output to a customer associated with the initiated transaction before a completion of the initiated transaction. 34. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices, wherein the determining is performed based on a current time; and causing the promotion to be output. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the determining is performed if the current time is within a predetermined time of a previous determination of a promotion to be output. 36. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices, wherein the determining is performed in response to a predetermined event; and causing the promotion to be output. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the predetermined event comprises at least one of: an addition of inventory to the vending machine; a dispensing of a product from the vending machine; a dispensing of currency from the vending machine; a receipt of a response to a previous promotion output via the output device of the vending machine; an update of a price of a product sold by the vending machine; a selection of an item to be purchased from the vending machine; a receipt of an instruction to determine a promotion; an audit of inventory of the vending machine; an audit of transactions completed at the vending machine; an audit of an inventory of coins available for dispensing from the vending machine; and a request for a promotion. 38. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices; and causing the promotion to be output, wherein the causing comprises: causing the promotion to be output such that the promotion is presented to all viewers of the vending machine. 39. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices; and causing the promotion to be output, wherein the causing comprises: causing the promotion to be output constantly until it is determined either that the promotion is no longer to be output or that the promotion is to be replaced by another promotion. 40. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices; and causing the promotion to be output, wherein the causing comprises: causing the promotion to be output in response to an initiation of a transaction at the vending machine. 41. A method, comprising: determining a promotion redeemable at a vending machine, the promotion comprising an offer distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices; causing the promotion to be output; receiving a response to the promotion; and storing an indication of the response in association with the promotion, for use in determining another promotion. 42. A method, comprising: determining an occurrence of a predetermined event; constructing, in response to the occurrence of the predetermined event, an instance of a promotion, the instance of the promotion being distinct from a general offer to sell products from the vending machine at posted prices, wherein the instance of the promotion is constructed based on (i) at least one of data associated with transactions completed at the vending machine and data associated with a transaction currently initiated at the vending machine; and (ii) a predetermined goal stored in a memory of the vending machine; and outputting, via an output device associated with the vending machine, the instance of the promotion. 43. The method of claim 42, wherein the predetermined event comprises at least one of: an addition of inventory to the vending machine; a dispensing of a product from the vending machine; a dispensing of currency from the vending machine; a receipt of a response to a previous promotion output via the output device associated with the vending machine; an update of a price of a product sold by the vending machine; a selection of an item to be purchased from the vending machine; a receipt of an instruction to determine a promotion; an audit of inventory of the vending machine; an audit of transactions completed at the vending machine; an audit of an inventory of coins available for dispensing from the vending machine; an initiation of a transaction at the vending machine; and a request for a promotion. 44. The method of claim 42, wherein the data associated with transactions completed at the vending machine comprises at least one of: data indicating products purchased from the vending machine; a balance of coins currently available for dispensing from the vending machine; and data describing an amount of change dispensed from the vending machine. 45. The method of claim 42, wherein the data associated with a transaction currently initiated at the vending machine comprises at least one of: an amount of currency inserted into the vending machine; a product selected for purchase; and a current time. 46. The method of claim 42, wherein the predetermined goal comprises at least one of: a goal of profit to be realized by the vending machine; and a preservation of an inventory of coins available for dispensing from the vending machine. 47. The method of claim 46, wherein the goal of profit is a goal of profit to be realized by the vending machine for a particular product and during a predetermined period of time, the product being a product sold by the vending machine. 48. The method of claim 42, further comprising: selecting a product to be the subject of the instance of the promotion. 49. The method of claim 48, wherein the data associated with transactions completed indicates, for each product of a plurality of products, a rate at which the product has been selling; and further comprising: determining, for each product of the plurality of products, a rate at which the product should be sold; and wherein selecting a product comprises: selecting a product of the plurality of products for which the rate at which the product has been sold is furthest away from satisfying the rate at which the product should be sold. 50. The method of claim 42, wherein constructing an instance of a promotion comprises: determining, based on at least one rule, which types of promotions are eligible to serve as a basis for the instance of the promotion; constructing, based on at least one rule, at least one instance of a promotion for each type of promotion determined to be eligible; and selecting, based on at least one rule, at least one of the constructed instances of a promotion. 51. The method of claim 50, further comprising: outputting one of the selected at least one of the constructed instances of a promotion. 52. The method of claim 50, further comprising: outputting each of the selected at least one of the constructed instances of a promotion. 53. The method of claim 50, wherein selecting comprises: selecting the one constructed instance of a promotion that is expected to yield the highest profit margin. 54. The method of claim 50, wherein selecting comprises: selecting at least one of the constructed instances of a promotion based on at least one of: an expected profitability of each constructed instance of a promotion; a likelihood of acceptance of each constructed instance of a promotion; an inventory of coins available for dispensing from the vending machine; an inventory of products available for sale from the vending machine; and a determination, for each of a plurality of products that are the subject of at least one of the constructed instances of a promotion, a difference in a rate at which the product is being sold and a rate at which the product should be sold. 55. The method of claim 50, wherein selecting comprises: selecting at least one of the constructed instances of a promotion based on a profitability of a product selected for purchase, as indicated by the data associated with the transaction currently initiated at the vending machine. 56. The method of claim 42, wherein outputting comprises: visually outputting, via a display device associated with the vending machine, the instance of the promotion before the completion of the transaction currently initiated at the vending machine; and ceasing to output the instance of the promotion upon receiving one of an acceptance and rejection of the instance of the promotion. 57. The method of claim 42, wherein outputting comprises: visually outputting, via a display device associated with the vending machine, the instance of the promotion such that the instance of the promotion is viewable by any customer of the vending machine; and continuing to output the instance of the promotion until a determination of one of a desirability to cease outputting the instance of the promotion, and an instance of another promotion. 58. The method of claim 42, further comprising: receiving a response to the instance of the promotion, the response indicating one of an acceptance and a rejection; and storing an indication of the response in association with an indication of the instance of the promotion, for use in constructing another instance of a promotion. 59. A vending machine, comprising: a processor, and a storage device that stores a program for directing the processor; the processor being operative with the program to: perform the method of claim 42. 60. A computer readable medium encoded with instructions for directing a processor to: perform the method of claim 42. 61. A control system operable to: determine, based on a stored goal associated with a vending machine, whether a promotion should be output; determine, in the case that it is determined that a promotion should be output, a plurality of eligible promotions; determine, for each of the plurality of eligible promotions, at least one promotion instance; select a one or more of the promotion instances to be output; and output the selected one or more promotion instances. 62. The control system of claim 61, wherein the control system is further operable to: determine a receipt of an acceptance signal associated with a customer of the vending machine, wherein the acceptance signal is indicative of an acceptance of one of the outputted one or more promotion instances; and process a transaction at the vending machine in accordance with the accepted one of the outputted one or more promotion instances. 63. The control system of claim 62, wherein the processing comprises: processing a payment associated with the customer's purchase of one or more items in accordance with the accepted one of the outputted one or more promotion instances; and causing a dispensing mechanism of the vending machine to dispense the one or more items. 64. The control system of claim 61, wherein the outputting comprises: broadcasting an indication of the selected one or more promotion instances within a pre-determined range of the vending machine. 65. The control system of claim 61, wherein the outputting comprises: determining an electronic address associated with each of a plurality of customer devices; and transmitting an indication of the selected one or more promotion instances to a set of the plurality of customer devices via the respective electronic addresses. 66. The control system of claim 65, wherein the set of the plurality of customer devices is determined based on Global Positioning System (GPS) information associated with each customer device of the set of the plurality of customer devices. 67. The control system of claim 61, wherein the stored goal comprises a profit target. 68. The control system of claim 67, wherein the determining of whether a promotion should be output is further based on a forecast indicative of whether the profit target will be achieved by the vending machine upon an expiration of a time period. 69. The control system of claim 61, wherein the stored goal comprises an inventory target. 70. The control system of claim 69, wherein the determining of whether a promotion should be output is further based on a forecast indicative of whether the inventory target will be achieved by the vending machine upon an expiration of a time period. 71. The control system of claim 61, wherein the determining of the plurality of the eligible promotions is randomly triggered. 72. The control system of claim 61, wherein the determining of the plurality of the eligible promotions is based at least in part on a comparison of current vending machine data and one or more stored eligible promotion rules. 73. The control system of claim 72, wherein the current vending machine data comprises one or more of: (i) data from a vending machine sensor; (ii) data from a vending machine temperature sensor; (iii) data indicative of an amount of coin deposited into the vending machine; (iv) data indicative of a product inventory of the vending machine; (v) data indicative of an amount of time remaining in a current sales period; (vi) data indicative of a current product velocity; (vii) data indicative of a minimum product selling price; (viii) data indicative of a marginal cost of an item; (ix) data indicative of a full price of the item; and (x) data indicative of a product category associated with the item. 74. The control system of claim 61, wherein the determining of the at least one promotion instance for each of the plurality of eligible promotions comprises: determining, based on one or more stored rules, a value for a parameter that defines each promotion instance; and populating the parameter defining each promotion instance with the value. 75. The control system of claim 74, wherein the parameter defines a product associated with each promotion instance and wherein the value comprises a product identifier, and wherein the one or more stored rules comprise a rule for selecting the product identifier based on a product velocity associated with the product identifier. 76. The control system of claim 61, wherein the selecting of the one or more of the promotion instances to be output is based at least in part on one or more stored promotion instance selection rules. 77. The control system of claim 76, wherein the one or more stored promotion instance selection rules comprise one or more of: (i) a rule associated with a profit margin of each promotion instance; (ii) a rule associated with a take rate of each promotion instance; (iii) a rule associated with an expected promotion profit of each promotion instance; (iv) a rule associated with a coin inventory state of the vending machine; (v) an override rule; (vii) a priority rule; (viii) a weight rule; and (ix) a rule associated with a product velocity of each product associated with each promotion instance. 78. The control system of claim 61, wherein the control system comprises a control system of the vending machine. 79. The control system of claim 61, wherein the control system comprises a control system of a peripheral device. 80. The control system of claim 61, wherein the control system comprises a control system of a central controller.