02 Apr Gym Vending Machine changing the game

Melbourne, Australia

Your local gym vending machine usually has a bad reputation. It’s faulty, it’s clumsy, and it always seems to be half empty. It’s a frustration that we share when we forget our must have pre-, instra- or post-workout supplement, but one Melbourne based company is trying to change that.

Meccamino is trying to change the poor reputation of vending machines by using mobile technology, industry leading gym products and stock level monitoring.

The company was established in 2015 after two health and fitness enthusiasts noticed the difficulty in getting healthy and nutritional foods at times that were convenient to them. They noticed that sugary, salty and nutrition-less treats were always accessable, but the products they loved help keep them healthy were always confined to health-food stores.

At present, the vending machines are featured across 10 locations has already received great feedback from the gyms and crossfit box’s that have piloted the service.

Discounts straight to the vending machine

Unseen in this industry is smartphone technology that works with the vending machine. The Meccamino apps works on both iPhone and Android. Regular discounts and promotions are sent directly via Push notifications to App users and can be claimed instantly on the Meccamino vending machine. How does it work? The vending machine is programmed with secret codes. These codes are not visible anywhere on the machine, even if you were to accidentally enter the codes, you would not know which product(s) are being vended. When you download the App, you get the full catalogue of the promotions and they change regularly.

Vending machine jams and faults

Australians are skeptical with automated retail, and sometimes jams can happen (which is super frustrating). Meccamino states that they extensively tests each product before adding it to the machine to avoid jams and errors, but in the off-chance that it does jam, the App allows you to reclaim your money. Meccamino claims that in most cases, refunds are issued into customer’s bank accounts within 24 hours.

“Trust has been a big issue with our perception of vending machines” says Moe from Meccamino. “By giving you a means of communication in your pocket, it makes the interaction more personable, more seamless”.

Pay by phone or Pay-wave

Although cashless payments are nothing new to vending machines, the refreshing difference is that Meccamino accepts Visa and Mastercard without any additional surcharges.

Eventually, when Mastercard and Visa comes to Apple Pay and Google Wallet, Meccamino says that their reader will allow you to pay straight from your smart phone; which is perfect as it reduces the need to bring your wallet to your workout.

Meccamino’s are rare, but they are growing and many 24×7 gyms and Crossfit boxes are switching over to the service. You can find your closest Meccamino on the smartphone app or by visiting the locations page.