The craft shop challenged the idea of selling snacks in a vending machine as the first craft kit vending machine in Cardiff launched.
A craft shop launched a craft kit vending machine as the first of its kind in Cardiff last Friday.
The craft shop can profit even without anyone being present in the shop thanks to the machine and a neighbouring business.
“What’s worked out really well is the bar. So people come in the evening, have a few drinks, and then they get the vending machine,” said Charlotte, the owner of the craft shop.
Charlotte believed people, including those after drinking, can benefit from doing craft. “It’s a very good thing for mindfulness and wellness, and just giving people an opportunity to not be at home, and not be at working, be thinking about something different,” said Charlotte.
Twin Made, the craft shop, is one of the five small businesses that have been residing in the newly-opened Corp Market for around three weeks.
“(The vending machine is) more popular than I thought,” said Charlotte. It took Twin Made a lot of effort to find a vending machine company to allow them to sell craft kits. Most of the companies just sell snacks on their machines.
According to Charlotte, the vending machine would stay for at least two years in the Canton market.
As the Christmas season has arrived, the Christmas craft kit was popular, however, it’s not the bestseller.
The bestseller machine came not from Charlotte, but her husband. Charlotte said: “I should say one of mine, but it’s one of his.”
Her husband’s Mystery craft kit has been a success. “I think it’s very nice because you can’t see what they are, so it’s a surprise,” said Charlotte.
Amid the issues including sale limit and card payment problems, Charlotte said the machines were working well after she had communicated with the provider.
The innovation of having a craft kit vending machine appeared three years ago when Charlotte watched a video showing an old lady selling her craftwork in a vending machine in Taxes, US.
Doing craft is essential for Charlotte as she said: “If I don’t have seven projects on a go, I’m in a nightmare.”