MonCasierFrais's smart vending machines were developed to help you reach new types of customers and diversify your income. They come in several models suited to many trades, including farmers, livestock breeders and food trade artisans. So, what products can you put in this automated locker sales system? Together, we'll see that our solution lets you distribute a huge variety of food and other items, while also creating the perfect self-service point of sale for your profile and goals.
What is a smart locker vending machine, this innovative sales system?
Looking at how our smart locker vending machine is built and how it works will help you understand, at a glance, which products it lets you sell.
A chilled cabinet made up of automated lockers for self-service
MonCasierFrais's self-service points of sale are made up of at least one cabinet fitted with lockers (15 or 24 depending on the model). Being chilled, the cabinet keeps products at the right temperature until they're sold.
Everything happens automatically: the customer selects the product or products they want to buy via the touchscreen kiosk, and pays by card or meal vouchers. Once payment is accepted, the locker(s) matching the purchase open and the customer collects their products.
This locker-based sales system is often called self-service lockers because the solution is entirely automated. It doesn't require any staff or seller to be on site.
Sturdy, sealed modules
Our lockers are made from stainless steel and meet the health standards needed to sell food products. On top of that, an anti-fog solution means the contents of the lockers are always clearly visible.
Being sealed, our chilled lockers stop any smells from a product seeping into neighbouring modules. The result: you can sell a wide variety of products in a single locker cabinet without any risk of odour transfer.
A high-performing refrigeration system
All our smart locker vending machines are fitted with an 850W positive-temperature refrigeration system (0°C to 20°C) with hot-gas defrost. The internal temperature of each compartment can be adjusted remotely from our Locker Management Application, our management software. This wide temperature range also lets you sell a large variety of products, whether perishable or not.
Chilled vending machines: the ideal equipment for selling fresh food
Through the experience and hands-on feedback of our many chilled vending machine operators, we've found that our self-service points of sale are perfect for selling fresh, seasonal food.
For food from farming and livestock
The efficiency of our refrigeration technology, combined with our digital expertise that boosts our operators' sales, lets them:
- Sell seasonal vegetables with no intermediary;
- Sell seafood and oysters through a short supply chain.
Want to know more about the different types of operators using our self-service lockers? Visit our blog and follow our latest updates!
For food trade artisans' creations
It's not just farmers, livestock breeders and market gardeners who know how to make the most of our chilled vending machines to boost their revenue. Many food trade artisans can also finally sell their culinary creations directly.
Chefs and caterers
Caterers and chefs, like Stéphane Caloone from La Ferme des Weppes, enjoy selling their ready meals using chilled lockers. With these, they increase their margins and can make a proper living from their trade. Starters, mains, desserts and full meals are kept at the ideal temperature until a customer comes to buy them.
Pastry chefs
Some bakeries and patisseries have wanted to break free from traditional opening hours, in order to sell more and boost their profits. Independent pastry chefs have also wanted to find a solution to sell their event cakes directly, or via Click & Collect. For all these needs, chilled lockers stood out as the best solution.
Can you sell any item in a smart locker vending machine?
This locker-based sales method now lets you offer far more than just food. Aside from the size limits of the different locker modules, which rule out bulky parcels, you can in fact sell almost any product with no intermediary. Let's take a look at what's happening in the retail world.
Direct sales of products needing careful storage
Forget fruit and vegetable food lockers for a moment, room is opening up for modules that let you sell fragile, artisan-made or even luxury items! The most striking example is probably Jacquemus, a French fashion designer. The brand teamed up with a vending locker company to sell designer bags from lockers, right in the centre of London. Sounds impossible? It certainly was, just a few years ago, but it's now entirely feasible.
☝️ Did you know? MonCasierFrais has fitted its lockers with anti-tamper doors and equips its kiosks with a CCTV system.
Manufactured products available to buy 24/7
Manufactured products, sold in physical shops and online, can also be sold using smart locker vending machines. Naturally, these are kept at room temperature and don't need to be chilled. The company Piscinéa, which sells swimming pool products, is a great example of selling items through non-refrigerated lockers. This new approach has let the company:
- Increase its revenue without opening a new shop.
- Break free from usual opening hours.
- Attract new customers who weren't used to visiting their shops.
- Improve customer satisfaction by offering a service that's proving popular.
How do you choose which products to sell through your smart vending machine?
The choice of products depends above all on your expertise, your customers and their buying habits. It's essential to plan ahead for stock turnover and seasonality: some items will sell better in summer (like cold drinks, ice cream and aperitif kits), while others will be in demand in winter (dishes to reheat, winter vegetables, gingerbread, etc.).
To go further and discover a detailed method for investing wisely in a food vending machine, check out our full guide.
Optimising sales through a chilled vending machine
Beyond the choice of products, the success of a smart locker vending machine also rests on its management and visibility. A good location for automated points of sale, clear signage and regular restocking are all essential for attracting and retaining customers.
Solutions also exist to track stock in real time and improve the shopping experience (contactless payment, loyalty programmes, special discounts).
On that note, discover the various features of our management software, which brings together all the essential tools for any chilled locker operator.
In short: the smart locker vending machine, a solution for every kind of product
MonCasierFrais's smart locker vending machines offer a flexible, self-service solution for selling a huge range of products. Thanks to their high-performing, sturdy and sealed chilled cabinets, they can distribute fresh food from farming, livestock rearing or food trade artisans alike.
Beyond food products, these vending machines also adapt to selling fragile, manufactured or specialised items, available 24/7. This opens up new opportunities for a wide range of trades, from local producers to fashion designers.
Their success rests mainly on choosing the right products and taking your customers' shopping habits into account. Note that effectively managing visibility, restocking and the customer experience is just as important for the success of direct product sales, food or otherwise.
In short: a smart locker vending machine is built to measure to meet your needs. Any type of product can be sold, as long as it fits inside the lockers. Got a project in mind? Contact us to talk it through!
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