Snapchat Spectacles Vending Machines are Popping Up Everywhere

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Snapchat is releasing their first product through Spectacles vending machines. The machines are popping up in cities across the U.S. with little warning. Snapchat fans are waiting for hours in line hoping to snag a pair of Spectacles.Snapchat spectacles

 

The first Spectacles vending machine appeared in Venice Beach, California, on November 10. Since then, the machines have also popped up for one day only in Big Sur, California, Catoosa, Oklahoma, and Santa Monica, California.

Snapchat releases the locations of the Spectacles vending machines through a locator page on their website. The page usually has a yellow screen with question marks indicating a time. The timer counts down from 24 hours when a new vending machine will appear.

spectacles vending machines countdown timer

Snapchat Spectacles vending machines countdown page, without a set release

Why the Spectacles vending machines?

Snapchat is learning from Google’s mistake. Google released their Google Glass in 2014, and they weren’t met with much excitement. Google first released their Google Glass to bloggers and tech geeks for testing. If you’re trying to make wearable technology fashionable, maybe getting the least fashionable people in the world to model them isn’t the best idea.

 

The thrill of the catch is another reason for the Spectacles vending machines. Posts about the vending machine locations and predictions about future locations are all over social media. Snapchat fans post on all their social media pages when they are able to snag a pair of the glasses. Great idea Snapchat, let the followers do the marketing for you!

 

Another reason for the Spectacles vending machines is to create an artificial scarcity of the glasses. With a fixed number of Spectacles being released at a time, people who are able to get the glasses are part of an exclusive group. While there are no restrictions as to who can buy the glasses, the limited number and release method make the glasses that much cooler. Case in point, Spectacles are being resold on eBay for around $1,000, while they only cost $130 through the vending machine.

 

 

Check out spectacles.com/map to see when the next Spectacles vending machine will be released.

Liz Farrar
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