Vinh University holds the 'record' for the most vending machines.

(Baonghean.vn) – In Vinh City, within just the past three weeks, 15 vending machines have appeared, mainly concentrated in high-traffic areas such as the train station, Vinh University, and Nghe An Oncology Hospital. Vinh University has the most vending machines with 9.

"Vending machines replace the canteen at Vinh University."

Fast, convenient, and inexpensive.

Nowadays, in major cities across the country such as Saigon and Hanoi, the appearance of vending machines is no longer unfamiliar to the people. In some new pedestrian zones in Hanoi, vending machines have been well received and used very effectively by the people, gradually becoming an indispensable convenience service.

Students at Vinh University were delighted that vending machines offered many practical benefits.

In Vinh City, within just the last three weeks, 15 vending machines have appeared, mainly concentrated in high-traffic areas such as the train station, Vinh University, and the Nghe An Oncology Hospital. These machines offer bottled drinks like mineral water, soft drinks, coffee, milk, and some fast food items like chips, sausages, and corn. These are popular and well-received items among a wide range of customers.

Purchasing items through this vending machine is quite simple. Customers just insert the specified denomination of money, press the product code, and after a short while, the chosen product will fall into the slot below. Customers then simply take the purchased product and use it.

You must insert banknotes of the correct denominations as specified by the machine (5,000, 10,000, or 20,000 VND) for the machine to process the transaction.

Vinh University has the most vending machines, with 9 in total. Having vending machines installed in student dormitories has made it more convenient for students, as they don't have to travel far to buy food and drinks during short breaks between classes.

Nguyen Thi Van Oanh, a student in the K55 Journalism program at Vinh University, said: “After each class, we don't have to go far to buy food and drinks; we just go down to the lobby of the university building and there are plenty of things available for students. Furthermore, the food and drinks in the vending machine are all from reputable companies with clear origins, so we feel very secure using them. In addition, the vending machine clearly displays prices, so we can buy with confidence without fear of being overcharged like when buying outside the campus.”

The machine has made it more convenient for students during their breaks between classes.

Hoang Thi Linh Chi, a student in the K55 A1 English Education program at Vinh University, happily shared: “My house is quite far from the school, so many days I don't have time for breakfast. Luckily, this machine allows me to quickly grab a snack during each break, such as milk or sausages, from the refrigerator. I feel this machine is very convenient for students like us who live far from school.”

To minimize errors, customers should carefully read the instructions printed on the machine before use.

The prices of food and drinks are clearly indicated on the products in the cabinet.

Many types of food and drinks are available in the vending machines, however, many customers still want to add some of their favorites such as bread, unsweetened milk, etc.

The vending machine is not only convenient for students, but at places like train stations and hospitals, where large crowds gather, it has created many practical conveniences for the general public.

Nguyen Ba Anh, a staff member at Vinh station, said: "Before this machine was installed, many nights we were thirsty and hungry while working, but there were no shops selling drinks or food at the station in the middle of the night, which was very inconvenient. Since the machine was installed, it has been very effective in serving train passengers and staff on duty like us."

"Stuck, jammed," and many other issues need fixing.

Despite the undeniable benefits, there are still some limitations that make many shoppers hesitant to buy from these vending machines.

Nguyen Thi Van Oanh, a student in the K55 Journalism program at Vinh University, said: “This vending machine is very picky about the money. The money inserted must be flat, not folded, and must have the denomination specified by the machine. One day, I bought some snacks, and halfway down, it got stuck and I couldn't get it out. I had to put more money in to buy a bottle of water before I could get my snacks out.”

Customers encountering issues such as not receiving change or having products stuck and unable to retrieve them are advised to contact the phone number listed on the machine. However, in reality, many people choose to add more money to the machine to receive both items.

The newly installed vending machines in Vinh City are capable of returning change to customers. When customers insert banknotes of denominations specified by the machine (5,000, 10,000, or 20,000 VND), if they purchase a product and have change left over, they will receive their change back, but only in 5,000 VND denominations. However, according to Mr. Nguyen Ba Anh, an employee at Vinh train station: "Many days the machines cannot return the change because the amount of 5,000 VND in the machine is insufficient. Some customers have 10,000 VND left over but have to accept it."

Many students also commented that the items in the vending machines were quite limited and monotonous, so adding more products like bread and other fast food items would attract more customers.

Older people, who have limited access to technology, are still quite hesitant to use this new online shopping service. They only dare to ask someone who understands how to use it to make a purchase for them. This is feedback from patients at Nghe An Oncology Hospital.

Duc Anh - Phan Minh