Abstract: One variation of a method for controlling access to products from a vending machine includes: locking a door of the vending machine; recording an initial inventory of products arranged within the vending machine based on signals received by a radio antenna arranged within the vending machine and read by a radio frequency identification reader; initiating a transaction in response to receiving a cashless payment mechanism from a patron; unlocking the door in response to authentication of the cashless payment mechanism; in response to closure of the door, recording a final inventory of products within the vending machine based on signals received by the radio antenna and read by the radio frequency identification reader; and initiating a payment with the cashless payment mechanism for a difference between the initial inventory and the final inventory to complete the transaction.

Abstract: One variation of a method for dynamically pricing vended products includes: identifying a purchase pattern of a user at a vending machine; in response to an approaching sell-by date for a unit of a product loaded into the vending machine and based on the purchase pattern, setting a discount rate for the unit of the product for the user; transmitting an electronic communication to an account associated with the user, the electronic communication indicating the discount rate for the unit of the product; identifying the user in a transaction initiated at the vending machine; and in response to selection of the unit of the product from the vending machine during the transaction, initiating a payment with a payment mechanism supplied by the user according to the discount rate.