AVT Begins Automated Retailing Initiative For Hair-Care Industry

LOS ANGELES -- AVT Inc. wants to provide vending systems to the hair-care services market. The company said it is seeking a leading salon-industry software partner to assist in integrating AVT's inventory-control unit into scheduling and other salon management systems.

"Our automated retailing system will give salon owners total control over product sales, without any oversight or shrinkage," said AVT president Wayne Salvino. The vending machine technology will allow both customers and employees to access products by using an interface that can be programmed to play music, videos and promotional announcements, he explained.

The company cited research conducted by SBDC.net, which reported that the U.S. hair-care services market includes about 86,000 establishments, with combined annual revenue of about $20 billion. That market is growing, SBDC claims, with revenue growth expected to improve over the next five years, rising at an average annual rate of 3.2% to $58.7 billion by 2019.