News

Floral eKiosk to offer fresh deliveries 24 hours a day

September 7, 2003

SYDNEY, Australia -- An automated self-service vending machine that will provide access to fresh flowers any time of day recently won a YellowPages Business Ideas Grant Award for 2003.

According to an article on gizmo.com, Lisa Hayden's Floral eKiosk is designed to fill a niche in a marketplace that is driven by impulse buying. The system will let customers purchase flowers and send personal messages electronically. See related story,"1-800-FLOWERS testing VCom kiosk sales."

A prototype kiosk will be ready by April 2004, the article said. Pollination P/L, the company behind the "Flowers All Hours" application, has plans to market the product in Australia and overseas, targeting such locations as hospitals, train stations, supermarkets airports, casinos, convenience stores, clubs and retirement villages.

The customer will use a touchscreen interface to purchase flower arrangements directly from a machine or arrange to send an order anywhere worldwide. The kiosk will accept cash or credit-card payments and issue a receipt. Users will be able to register for reminders about special occasions.

Overseas floral orders will be sent immediately and local Australian orders will be organized for same-day delivery.