Marketing System Employing Vending Machines
According to an embodiment, a device provides an offer, via an interface ( 130 ) at a vending machine ( 100 ), for a benefit in exchange for an email address. An email address is received via the interface ( 380 ). After receiving the email address, a promotional message ( 260 ) is transmitted to the received email address.
1 . A method comprising:
providing an offer, via an interface at a vending machine, for a benefit in exchange for an email address;
receiving, via the interface at the vending machine, an email address; and
after receiving the email address, transmitting a promotional message to the received email address, in which the promotional message includes
a code that is redeemable for a benefit at the vending machine.
2 . The method of claim 1 , in which receiving, via an interface at a vending machine, an email address comprises:
receiving a plurality of email addresses via the interface at the vending machine.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
validating the received email addresses.
4 . A method comprising:
providing an offer, via an interface at a vending machine, for a benefit in exchange for an email address;
receiving, via the interface at the vending machine, an email address; and
after receiving the email address, transmitting a promotional message to the received email address, in which the promotional message includes
a message promoting the vending machine.
5 . The method of claim 4 , in which receiving, via an interface at a vending machine, an email address comprises:
receiving a plurality of email addresses via the interface at the vending machine.
6 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
validating the received email addresses.
7 . A method comprising:
receiving a set of email addresses;
identifying at least one vending machine to be associated with the set of email addresses;
determining at least one rule defining restrictions on when a message may be sent to at least one of the email addresses; and
sending a message via email transmission to each of the set of email addresses in compliance with the restrictions on when a message may be sent,
in which the message includes content that promotes the vending machine.
8 . The method of claim 7 , in which sending a message via email transmission to each of the set of email addresses comprises:
sending the message to a predetermined address;
determining whether approval has been received; and
sending a message via email transmission to each of the set of email addresses only if approval has been received.
9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving data representing a preference of a customer;
determining an email address from the set of email addresses that corresponds to the customer;
determining a second message according to the preference; and
sending the second message via email transmission the email address that corresponds to the customer.
10 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
generating a promotion for the vending machine; and
in which the step of sending a message comprises:
accessing a database of consumer preferences;
determining, from the database, a set of recipients that have preferences corresponding to the promotion; and
determining a respective email address for each of the set of recipients; and
sending a message via email transmission to each of the respective email addresses, in which the message indicates the promotion.
11 . The method of claim 10 , in which generating a promotion for the vending machine comprises:
generating a promotion for the vending machine based on at least one revenue management factor.