Selecta Switzerland is one of the first international operators to take advantage of Abbeychart’s bespoke refurb service as a way to prolong the lifespan of the company’s classic red vending machines whilst improving operating efficiency and driving additional sales revenues.
Many operators are choosing to refurbish rather than replace vendng machines
Over a three-month period, Abbeychart designed, refurbished and tested 2,800 Selecta machines, sourcing unique components and introducing optical LED lighting to create ‘next generation’ stock. The project included a deep clean, an aesthetic facelift; new outer skins; a new lighting scheme for the top cap, product display area and collection point. It also included a bespoke telemetry system to enable increased functionality across payment options such as a new Selecta ‘Find and Pay’ app.
“Our main focus was to bring energy efficient retail quality lighting into the vending space as a way to attract more customers,” said Mark Taylor, managing director, Abbeychart. “The impact of high-performance lighting cannot be underestimated in terms of showcasing the product and increasing the opportunity for that all important impulse purchase.”
The restyling of the ‘cult’ Selecta machines was timed to coincide with the company’s 60th anniversary and with other promotions to mark the milestone year planned, high visibility amongst consumers was envisaged. “The machines are used in high traffic public vending areas such as airports, train and bus stations and often exposed to hostile external elements, so as well as looking good, a robust design was critical,” said Mark.
Bettina Kypke from Selecta explained: “We are very grateful for Abbeychart’s involvement in the development and implementation of our public vending refurbishment project. The new lighting solutions provide ultimate visibility, reliability and help us to increase the attractiveness of our points of sale.”
According to Selecta there has been a 10-30% increase in sales revenue since the upgrade. As importantly, the life span of the machines has been extended by five years. “The investment has reduced spend on new equipment and protected revenue streams for an additional period,” said Mark.
