New electronics vending machine stocked by third parties

Mass High Tech: Vigix Inc. in Cambridge, Mass., has created a vending machine that enables consumers in airports or malls to buy MP3 players, cell phones or related accessories without having to walk into a retail store. Its model is different from competitor kiosk startups such as California-based Zoom Systems Inc., which has deployed more than 780 of its ZoomShops —large vending machines selling electronics such as Apple Inc. iPods — around the globe since 2004. While Zoom Systems has a traditional vending model, which requires the manpower to restock machines, Vigix allows its kiosk to be restocked by third-party courier services such as UPS, eliminating the need for a dedicated workforce for filling machines. Depending on the size of the product being sold, each cartridge can hold dozens of units, and can be remotely managed through an Internet connection.

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