AnyWhere Self-Serve Lockers And Machines Take Vending Out Of The Box

MASON, OH -- Apex Supply Chain Technologies is rolling out its AnyWhere vending machines and self-serve lockers. They allow brands to establish "omni-channel" relationships with consumers by enabling them to order from, ship to and pick up anywhere, 24/7.

AnyWhere solutions are purpose-built to accommodate virtually anything that can be sold -- from items as small as a cup of coffee to lumber, drywall and cement bags, electronics, sporting goods and auto parts. They also support tool and equipment rentals, and are available for both indoor and outdoor uses.

"Apex AnyWhere systems allow retailers to open new channels for their customers to make and pick up purchases," said Apex chief executive Kent Savage. "We are removing the limits of time and location so that consumers can buy and pick up their merchandise whenever, wherever and however they want. It allows retailers to provide a new and better customer experience that is perfectly aligned with the expectations of today's on-the-go consumer."

The Apex Trajectory Cloud is the smarts behind the machines, serving as a unified transaction platform. It manages secure transactions, providing real-time data on inventory levels at every position in the supply chain. It integrates with retailers' existing systems to provide analytics and insights into buying behaviors, trends and loyalty preferences.

AnyWhere self-serve solutions are said to enable scenarios to make real-time retail work across multiple channels. For example, customers can use smartphones to place coffee orders on their way to work. The drink is prepared and placed into a temperature-controlled, Apex smart locker system. When the customer arrives, they can skip past the line, grab the drink from the locker and be on their way.

Or a customer may make a clothing purchase online and click to indicate where to pick up the item at their convenience from an Apex smart locker system. A contractor or do-it-yourselfer may need multiple supplies from a home improvement store. After the order is submitted through the store's online shopping cart, the store places the merchandise outside in an Apex AnyWhere locker, ready for pickup.

The company is also rolling out an easy-to-integrate, secure payment-processing platform for its automated retail solutions. Called Apex Cashless Shopping, it includes both card and mobile payment options. It integrates with Apex AnyWhere lockers and cloud-based vending machines. Customers can select an item and pay with a credit card or the Apex Pay mobile wallet app.

After the payment is made, the AnyWhere locker door opens for the customer to retrieve the merchandise or the product is dispensed from the cashless vending machines.

The Apex Trajectory Cloud records the transaction and provides real-time inventory information. Trajectory can also be set to automatically reorder replenishment stock. The customer can choose to have a receipt sent instantly via email. The cloud technology integrates with loyalty programs, and point-of-sale and enterprise resource planning software, providing an enterprise-wide analytics platform.