May 24th 2024.
As we approach the looming shutdown of 3G networks, it's not just our phones that will be affected in Australia. What many people may not realize is that unattended retail sites, such as vending machines, parking stations, and car washes, also rely on the 3G network to function smoothly.
Quality Vend's founder and managing director, Robbie Allison, recently shared with 2GB's Ben Fordham the issues his vending machines have been facing in the past couple of months. The problem seems to stem from the 3G network not properly supporting the card payment system. This poses a significant challenge as the 3G network is set to be shut down in August.
In fact, Fordham himself experienced this issue when trying to purchase a snack from a vending machine in their own building. It's not just a matter of replacing the card reader either. According to Allison, it costs about $650 per vending machine to replace the parts and labor, which is more than half of the desired profit for the year on a $10,000 machine.
"I would have preferred to invest that money into growing my business, but instead, I'm now using it just to maintain the status quo," Allison expressed his frustration.
And it's not just the cost that's a concern. With the rise of tap-and-go payments at unattended retail sites across the country, there's also a shortage of the new card readers. Allison predicts that this will become a bigger issue in the next couple of months.
"I've already seen a five to 10 percent decrease in my sales compared to last year, and these outages are to blame," he shared.
The impact of this 3G shutdown is not limited to just vending machines. It's also affecting other unattended retail sites that rely on the network for smooth operations, such as parking stations and car washes. It's a challenging situation for businesses like Quality Vend, who are now forced to divert their resources towards managing this issue rather than investing in growth opportunities.
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