It seems the days of vending machines being used for things like candy, chips, beverages, condoms and movies are far behind us. Now THE MANE VENDOR vending machines also will be the easy solution to buying hair! YES hair! When I first saw the article I was more than turned off for many reasons the biggest being that I find it rather insulting that there is even a market for something like this, the other being that apparently the testing phases are over and women everywhere are just gobbling up vending machine hair like 99 cent burgers at Mcdonalds!
I remember when I was 14 the thought of going to the supermarket and buying maxi pads and tampons was mortifying. I didn’t see it as my first huge step into womanhood or adulthood I didn’t think of it as a ticket to the cool girl’s club in the girl’s bathroom at school. I thought ugh I’m bleeding from my vagina and everyone is going to know! At that age I didn’t want to think about much less even talk about my vagina and the idea of walking around a grocery store in view of everyone holding that bright blue box with wings on it screaming that just screamed “hey everybody we got a bleeder” was not my idea of a good time. But then those were the days that people had dignity. There were some things that you just didn’t talk about or make public knowledge and even then buying hair was something you kinda did discreetly. I mean yeah everybody knew it wasn’t yours, and they knew you had to have at some point walked into a store and paid cash for it, but it was one of those things that just wasn’t the topic of discussion.
I suppose because it’s just expected that every woman you see is wearing fake hair, nails and boobs buying it from a vending machine isn’t much of an issue when it comes to privacy or discretion. Just when natural hair is starting to really take off BOOM weave vending machines swoop in and make buying fake hair as easy (however much more expensive) as buying a bag of peanut M&Ms. Sorry Beyonce looks like your “big chop” didn’t change the world or wigs and weave as I had anticipated. These women just don’t have sense enough to be shamed!
Now I do realize that my crazy vision of weave machines being placed at random places like the movie theaters, the gym and gas stations is reaching a bit, in fact from what I have read they are mostly going to be offered in salons to replace the need for owners to buy hair from vendors and to help cut costs on of having someone who is paid to keep track of the weaves coming and goings and also take out the middle man and hair suppliers.
These machines aren’t your average high school lunch room vending machines either! They offer real time text message updates on sales, alert the owner when the supply is low, and even come equipped with security surveillance and alarm system capabilities should someone get a little desperate and go on a weave heist!!! It seems like they have thought of everything in terms of practicality, and looking at it from a business standpoint I honestly can not argue that this will be a huge money maker not only in the cost cutting, but it offers anyone interested in going into business for themselves an opportunity to become licensee and earn what seems like unlimited income considering the market there always was and probably always will be for hair, so no qualms there.
I get it, it’s a business that will revolutionize the way people spend their money on hair. I should also mention this was developed and distributed by an african american woman so by all means get ya money honey! At the very least a black woman is making some money off this fake hair obsession so I’m not hating!
I think that my biggest issue really is simply that they exist. Do we really need new and more advanced ways to spend our money on superficial things that add to a false sense of self? Are Jordans not enough? The fact that I can get weave from a vending machine and can’t get fresh fruit. Can a sista get a apple? Some leggings? A disposable cell phone battery, healthy baby snacks, something I can use on the go that makes sense! I don’t need hair readily available when I am out and about.
Even in a salon, hair in a vending machine is the least of my concerns. When I am in a salon (which I never am) the one thing that I need most is headphones to drown out the ramblings of baby daddy drama, how drunk home girl next to me was last night at the club, and how the customer that just walked outs edges were snatched to the gawds! But then thats just me because apparently these vending machines are an amazing idea that stand to make a shitload of cash. Mmmmk girl…I guess!!!
What are some more important things YOU would like to see in vending machines besides hair? I can think of more than a few myself!
Till Next Time… Stay PRESSED!
PamPressed 