System and method for communicating vending information

1. A system for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising:

a first vending apparatus at a first location having a first vending inventory;

a second vending apparatus at a second location having a second vending inventory; and

a control center in communication with the first and second vending apparatuses, configured to receive a vending request to obtain a vendible media product at the first location, wherein upon a determination that the requested vendible media product is not present in the first vending inventory, the control center selects the second vending apparatus based on the proximity of the second location of the second vending apparatus to the first location, configured to determine whether the vendible media product is present in the second vending inventory, and configured to transmit an electronic message to a user-specified address indicating whether the vendible media product is in the second vending inventory.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second vending apparatuses comprise user interfaces for receiving an identifier of a user who requests the vendible media product.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein each user interface comprises a card reader for receiving the identifier of a user who requested the vendible media product.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first and second vending apparatuses further comprise an article transfer opening for vending the requested vendible media product to a user who requested it.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control center is configured to determine the second location based on a location identifier received from a user.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vendible media product is a digital video disc.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vending request is received from a user interface generated at a user client computer at a remote location.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail message.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic message is an instant message.

10. A system for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising:

a plurality of vending apparatuses, each containing a vending inventory comprised of vendible media products; and

a control center in communication with the plurality of vending apparatuses configured to receive user information, including a vending request for a vendible media product and a location identifier, configured to select a vending apparatus from the plurality of vending apparatuses based on the location identifier, configured to determine whether the requested vendible media product is in the vending inventory of the selected vending apparatus, and configured to transmit an electronic message to a user-specified electronic mail address upon determining that the requested vendible media product is in the vending inventory of the selected vending apparatus.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a central database containing information corresponding to the vending inventories of the plurality of vending apparatuses.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the vending request is received from a user interface generated at a user client computer at a remote location.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail message.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein each vending apparatus further comprises a vending controller configured to generate a signal to deliver the requested vendible media product.

15. A system for communicating vending information for a vendible media product having entertainment content therein, comprising:

a plurality of vending apparatuses each containing a vending inventory comprised of vendible media products; and

a control center in communication with the plurality of vending apparatuses and configured to receive user information, including a vending request for a vendible media product and a location identifier, configured to determine whether the inventories of more than one of the plurality of vending apparatuses contain the requested vendible media product, configured to identify the closest vending apparatus containing the requested vendible media product in its inventory based on the proximity to the location identifier, and configured to transmit an electronic message to a user-specified electronic mail address identifying the closest vending apparatus that contains the requested vendible media product in its inventory.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the control center is further configured to transmit an electronic message to the user-specified electronic mail address identifying the second closest vending apparatus that contains the requested vendible media product in its inventory.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the vending request is further configured to receive a user request to reserve the requested vendible media product at the closest vending apparatus that contains the requested vendible media product in its inventory.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein each vending apparatus further comprises a vending controller configured to generate a signal to deliver the requested vendible media product.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the control center is further configured to send a signal to the vending controller reserving the vendible media product upon receipt of a user request to reserve the requested vendible media product at the closest vending apparatus that contains the requested vendible media product in its inventory.

20. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a central database containing information corresponding to the vending inventories of the plurality of vending apparatuses.