In China, app enables discounted mobile payments at vending machines

The Ubox app enables users to pay for snacks at vending machines using their phone, awarding a 10 percent discount on all purchases made this way.

If a vending machine that accepts mobile payments isn’t the pinnacle of consumer convenience, it’s hard to imagine what is. Sure enough, that dream is also now a reality in China, thanks to the new Ubox mobile app for Android, iPhone and Java-based phones. Users of Ubox begin by signing up for the service and adding funds to their Ubox account via a UnionPay bank card or Alipay, according to a report on Penn Olson. Then, when they come across a participating vending machine, they simply make their snack selection by phone. The transaction takes place through the app, which also awards a 10 percent discount on all purchases made this way. Ubox also grants users RMB 5 upon signing up with the service. The video below (in Chinese) demonstrates the app in action: Mobile payment capabilities may be increasingly common, but they’re still far from ubiquitous. How can your brand help pave the way for this convenience in your neck of the woods? Spotted by: Katharina Kieck