PopCom Local Unveils Openings, Dubbed ‘iPhone of Vending Machines’
Retail solution firm PopCom said it has deployed its PopShop Local concept, a digital pop-up shop hybrid between e-commerce and local brick-and-mortar storefronts, at seven new locations in the U.S.
Born out of PopCom, a “future-facing” solution firm known for its vending machines that enable in-person sales for e-commerce brands, its digital pop-up shops offer shoppers the opportunity to purchase local goods through an automated system and simultaneously offer e-commerce brands discoverability in local markets.
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Its new PopShop Local pop-ups are located at The Beverly Center in Los Angeles and The Metreon in San Francisco; John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Columbus, Ohio; Windward Mall in Kane’ohe, Hawaii; Tower City in Cleveland; Concord Mills in Concord, N.C., and The Hilton Midtown in New York.
Founded by tech entrepreneur Dawn Dickson, PopCom’s mission is to help equip both entrepreneurs and brands with future-ready retail solutions to promote rapid retail expansion, gather useful sales data for retailers and provide memorable shopping experiences for customers. Its PopShop Local Program takes aim at connecting brands with high-spending consumers already on the hunt for local goods in high-traffic areas such as hotels, convention centers, airports and malls.
Referred to as the “iPhone of vending machines,” PopShops uniquely utilize facial recognition technology to capture consumer demographic information; machine learning to help deliver targeted content, and blockchain technology to enable identity verification and the sale of regulated products, the company explained.
PopShop Local has partnered with a slew of Black-owned brands and products, including Flat Out of Heels, known for their roll-up flats; The Brow Dr’s Brow Growth Elixir; Soulflower’s 100 percent pure natural bath products; Jelcie’s gel nail stickers, and Brew and Feed’s tea flavors and spice blends. Other collaborations include New York-based feminine hygiene company Ruby Love, who partnered with PopShop to dispense its period protection apparel line.
Robert Moreland, founder at Brew and Feed, said, “We are excited about the energy and innovation that PopCom has in their go-to market strategy, as well as the potential for further innovation their software can bring with integration with other platforms.”
Last month, PopShop Local dispensed physical art and digital NFTs at The Hilton Midtown in New York, selling out in less than an hour. Its partnership with artist Christopher “Knxtti” Green and Disrupt Art took form in an event that touted an art collection focused on famous New Yorkers — and each purchase came with a print of the artwork and a QR code to mint a digital NFT.
PopShop’s future endeavors include a partnership with Angela Yee, a globally syndicated radio media personality, to dispense Drink Fresh Juice, Yee’s wellness juice company; an NFT launch in Los Angeles in collaboration with Qatari-based artificial intelligence firm Ooredoo, and a venture with Goodr, an Atlanta-based eco-friendly tech company.
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