Google Market-Entry Call on Vending: Run Machines, Partner or Stay Out

Google is considering a move into the vending machine business. Decide whether it should, and give a clear recommendation. When asked what entering the business would mean, the interviewer leaves the choice to you: Google could own and run machines itself as an operator, or it could team up with an existing vending operator. Choose the model you would pursue, explain why, and make the case for your answer. ```hint Start from what Google would bring Set what it takes to succeed in vending, from good locations to restocking routes, next to what Google already does well. The size of that gap should shape both the choice of model and your final answer. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - What would Google want from the move: a new source of revenue, growth for an existing business such as payments, cloud or advertising, or a showcase for its hardware and AI? - Which geography and placements are in scope at first: one country or several, and offices, campuses, transit hubs or public spaces? - What level of investment and time horizon should the recommendation assume? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A goal for Google, tied to its existing businesses, used as the yardstick for the decision. - How the vending market works: shoppers, location hosts, operators and product brands, how operators make money, and where they struggle. - A reasoned choice between operating and partnering, weighing economics, capabilities and risk. - A clear recommendation with a staged entry plan, success metrics and conditions for stopping. - Risks to brand, privacy, regulation and focus, and how the plan limits them. ### Follow-up Questions - A pilot shows that operators value the forecasting software but ignore the advertising screens. How does your plan change? - What would have to be true for Google running its own branded machines to be worth it? - A large payments rival signs up the biggest vending operators before Google launches. Do you still enter, and how?