Inky T O D - Would You Buy Your Ink From A Vending Machine?

[wallylynn]

Perhaps, or it could be like those wine dispensers that require stored-value cards.

 

 

 

Now there's a thought. Perhaps the JustWrite people could stock it with Toucan Inks in 30 ml pouches?

I think you missed my joke.

 

The snapple vending machines dispensed *glass* bottles of drink. you put your money in and you could watch it, the glass bottle, FALL to the retrieval bin. If you chose the upper most shelf, the fall was about 3 feet. Kerthunk! Here's a picture:

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2055/623/1600/08-10-06_1245.jpg

[Beckwith]

Logistics aside, I'd be happy to buy most of my inks from a vending machine. Generally when I purchase ink I do my research beforehand and know what I want when I go in. Certainly I could restock the inks I know I like from a machine.

 

My second most common ink buying experience is when I need a cheap bottle because I'm somewhere where I'm out of ink. Then I always feel like I'm wasting the clerk's time going to the store, asking for a blue ink, having them try to upsell me on $30 GvFC ink, and going with something else for $7. That's another experience I would be happy to replace with a vending machine.

 

The only time I wouldn't be happy with a vending machine is when I want to compare inks. That process is always easiest in a store where they've done swabs of all their inks.

[ac12]

How cool, I remember seeing those pen machines when I was a kid.

[zaddick]

I would buy ink if it was from known manufacturers. The machine would have to take credit cards though, because i am not hauling around $12 in quarters.

[legitimate3]

I'd be afraid of the bottle breaking or something

[mikeschu]

I think you missed my joke.

 

The snapple vending machines dispensed *glass* bottles of drink. you put your money in and you could watch it, the glass bottle, FALL to the retrieval bin. If you chose the upper most shelf, the fall was about 3 feet. Kerthunk! Here's a picture:

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2055/623/1600/08-10-06_1245.jpg

 

Not at all. If bottles were being sold I would expect them to be sold like that - I'd hate for an 80ml Diamine bottle to crash to the bottom and break on impact.

 

I was just thinking it would be cooler to use a stored value card and get a touch of ink - or a full bottle, depending on how much you want to spend.

[Bookman]

In a region without bricknmortar inksellers, vending machines would be hard to resist, especially if they had precisely what one wanted, the bottles were packaged with plenty of cushioning, etc. To buy staples like Aurora Black and Visconti Blue I have to make a 200-mile round-trip or buy online and pay a shipping charge. Would I walk a few blocks to buy Aurora Black out of a vending machine? You betcha.

Edited May 29, 2014 by Bookman

[wallylynn]

 

Not at all. If bottles were being sold I would expect them to be sold like that - I'd hate for an 80ml Diamine bottle to crash to the bottom and break on impact.

 

I was just thinking it would be cooler to use a stored value card and get a touch of ink - or a full bottle, depending on how much you want to spend.

 

my bad. you mean like a fountain soda machine? That would be fun too!

[SujiCorp12345]

I would buy from it assuming the prices aren't completely inflated, like they usually are for pop, chocolate, etc.

[Beckwith]

So now that we've ironed out all the kinks, who wants to help me get some start-up capital going?

[dcwaites]

I now remember that somebody contributed pictures of pen refilling machine to the FPN. You put in your money and ink was dispensed into a well that you could refill your pen from.

Perhaps somebody with more time on their hands can find it.

[Buzz_130]

I currently live in Tokyo and have been to many of the most popular fountain pen and ink stores. I'm always amazed at the number and diversity of vending machines everywhere in Japan. You can buy just about anything from these machines (some of which will take your bus/train card as payment), and the amazing part is that even airports or other controlled places, the prices are exactly the same as everywhere else. Regretfully, I have not seen one that dispenses a bottle of Iroshizuku or nano ink!

 

Stationery stores here carry a good range of Western and Japanese cartridges, and many keep a small selection of bottled ink (easy to find Pelikan, Pilot, Platinum, Mont Blanc, and Parker inks). I think there could be a small market for the vending machine here, but I really like the idea of being able to sell cartridges.

 

Buzz

[Algester]

I have some whack out idea the ability for vending machines to refill your empty bottles of ink... LOL I mean brick and mortar shops could be able to have it right? I'm not sure if this system will work on Akkerman bottles of ink because of the marble but I think you can just easily remove the bottle and adjust the flow so there will be no flowback also I'm not sure about montblanc... the boot design despite it actually looks good may have flowback issues with it's secondary reservoir when filled

plus cartridges I guess office buildings would probably have them at most

Edited May 31, 2014 by Algester

[Newjelan]

If they had one for the Diamines? Cripes, I'd be broke every time I walked past it!

Me too!

[dcwaites]

I now remember that somebody contributed pictures of pen refilling machine to the FPN. You put in your money and ink was dispensed into a well that you could refill your pen from.

Perhaps somebody with more time on their hands can find it.

Here it is

[SeeksAdvice]

Three words from the land of the North:

 

Perpetual Frozen Ink.

If I can ever find out how to attach photos, I'll show the results of Polar Blue outside overnight this last winter.

No, I would not purchase ink from a vending machine as who knows what conditions it has endured since being installed in that machine.

[amberleadavis]

Here it is

 

WOW

 

[amberleadavis]

BTW, SeeksAdvice, I'm confident you should NEVER buy ink from vending machine.

 

I went looking for a video... I can just picture you wearing a white shirt when the vending machine attacks and suddenly you're wearing blue. Lots and Lots of BLUE.

[SeeksAdvice]

BTW, SeeksAdvice, I'm confident you should NEVER buy ink from vending machine.

 

I went looking for a video... I can just picture you wearing a white shirt when the vending machine attacks and suddenly you're wearing blue. Lots and Lots of BLUE.

 

Steven King's "The Tommyknockers" movie adaptation with the vending machine ...

[stephensmith]

I would buy ink if it was from known manufacturers. The machine would have to take credit cards though, because i am not hauling around $12 in quarters.

I will prefer buying inks from vending machines because it's very easy way to refill the pen.You just have to place the pen into the machine and it will refill it very easily.