ATM
Despite the economy still being in some pretty hot water, we’ve seen some massively indulgent things these last few years. Money and jewels are typical fare, but it looks like baked goods are getting in on the action too. Cupcake shops are posh and cool. Regular sized cakes are so last year. Now to help people satisfy their cravings 24 hours and 7 days a week, famous shop Sprinkles has created an ATM for their sugary treats.
There are a lot of things we’ve come to expect from vending machines--toys, food, drinks, and stickers, mostly. Automated machines were built for people on the go and bored kids at grocery stores. Lately, however, they’ve begun to serve a more decadent purpose around the world. A few years ago, a gold bar dispensing machine came into existence. Today, the gold bar machine has been one-upped by the jewelry dispensing machine created by the The Gitanjali Group.
Mumbai just became the first city in the world with its own diamond-dispensing machine thanks to the jewelry manufacturer’s invention. Gitanjali calls it the first “ATM for jewelry”, but users can choose from an array of jewelry styles and price ranges much like that of a vending machine’s. There are 36 jewelry options in total, including pendants and medallions. Prices range from 1,000 to 30,000 rupees, or from about 20 to around 650 dollars. The purchases can be made with credit, debit, or cash, and The Gitanjali Group hopes to place vending machines like these in malls across India.
The purpose of these vending machines isn’t wholly an exercise in fast and opulent spending, however. The machines are more for last minute important purchases. For auspicious occasions, it is tradition to purchase a token such as some of the pieces featured in the vending machines. The machines are also a place where customers can find a quick last minute gift--the Hallmark of jewelry-related occasions. Forgotten birthdays or Valentine’s Days are a few clicks on a touchscreen away from being mended.
To see more, check out CNBC’s write-up here.
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