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Online shopping may enable instantaneous, impulse purchases, but there is nothing as seamless and immediate as the vending machine. Working on that principle, Netshoes, the Brazilian sporting goods e-commerce site installed vending machines in subway stations and universities in Sao Paulo, in the hope of encouraging impulse purchases of the official Brazil national soccer team shirt. The sports-kit is available alongside items such as snacks, hot drinks and bouquets of flowers — which are regularly purchased from such machines.

The shirt costs 229,90 Brazilian Real — approximately USD 72 — and can be bought with cash, credit or debit card, with the option for the buyer to pay in installments. What other mid-level retailers can benefit from vending machines?