# Are 'open the box' newspaper vending machines really common in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 26, 2006, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264 "2006-09-26T20:40:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ryobserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@ryobserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryobserver)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/21 "2006-09-26T23:50:12Z")
Has anyone mentioned yet that the name for this type of machine is “honor box”? People do steal from them; I once stopped to buy a paper and the guy already buying one asked, “Want one?” (I declined and bought the paper after he left). Later, a nearby machine was marked with handwritten (in marker) instructions to call a certain number if you saw anyone stealing from the machine; it wasn’t clear though if they were referring only to papers, or to people breaking into the coin box. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/22 "2006-09-27T00:44:26Z")
When my Uncle visited from England, he was really amazed to see those here in the States. He also was amazed that we have several coffee shops where you pay and make your own change for coffee with no one really watching. I’ve also never seen one that didn’t work on the honour system. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/23 "2006-09-27T00:49:05Z")
In Florida they’ve been steadily disappearing. You see, Florida charges sales tax on newspapers- except when they are sold out of the boxes. I think: SOMEONE pockets the extra 4 cents from say a USA Today purchase in a store: now whether the vendor, store, or the state gets the 4 cents is unknown to me, but the disappearing boxes undoubtedly are a way for _someone_ to make an extra 7% profit. At any rate I have the now rare locations of boxes in my neighborhood memorized so I can avoid the extra charge (post offices in particular are good places to find some). ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/24 "2006-09-27T02:12:08Z")
Some of the business district groups in NYC have been combating newspaper-box-bloat by erecting gigantic multi-paper boxes on the sidewalks and selling the rights to a box to the various papers. [Here’s a picture](http://www.jimlowney.com/mt-archives/newspaper%20box,%20nyc,%201-1-04.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/25 "2006-09-27T03:08:16Z")
They do appear in big cities, but not in smaller ones; the bigger the city, the more of them you see. I have seen boxes that do only allow you to take one paper, but not for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![tashabot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tashabot/32/6250_2.png) [@tashabot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tashabot)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/26 "2006-09-27T03:14:09Z")
They’re everywhere here, and they exist on the honor system. I know because sometimes the newspaper I work at runs out of copies (we have a short press run) and we don’t have the papers we need for the newsroom, so my boss sends me out with fifty cents to steal back a stack of them. I know that when I was in high school, my parents would occasionally take two or three copies out if I happened to be in the paper for ROTC or something. I have seen the few homeless people here take more than one, I’m assuming for insulation purposes, or to burn. For the most part they’re there so that people have easy access to the paper. Most of our money comes from advertising, not sales or subscriptions. ~Tasha ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/27 "2006-09-27T04:38:51Z")
As several people have commented, who would want more than one? My Econ 101 prof used this example to illustrate the concept of limited marginal utility. (I’m hoping I’ve got the phrase right … it was a while ago.) But it means the idea that while having x number of something may be good, there’s limited value to having x + 1 of that same thing, and even less value to x + 2 of that thing, and so on.) ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/28 "2006-09-27T11:08:37Z")
[QUOTE=Northern Piper] My Econ 101 prof used this example to illustrate the concept of limited marginal utility. (I’m hoping I’ve got the phrase right … it was a while ago.) [/QUOTE] That would be it; limited, as in a certain number. marginal, as in one additional like item. utility, as in the use you get from said item. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/29 "2006-09-27T11:32:28Z")
While I’m not the OP, I’ve been in: Spain, Andorra, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, England, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Costa Rica (think I didn’t miss any) and never seen those in any of them. The ones with free newspapers yes. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/30 "2006-09-27T12:33:58Z")
Just to add to the glut of answers: yes, they’re everywhere, and most people don’t steal from them. I have, however, seen small cafe owners take out several at a time to leave in their restaurant so people can read them (and presumably not take them) while they have their coffee or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/31 "2006-09-27T12:43:07Z")
[QUOTE=John DiFool] In Florida they’ve been steadily disappearing. You see, Florida charges sales tax on newspapers-except when they are sold out of the boxes. I think: SOMEONE pockets the extra 4 cents from say a USA Today purchase in a store: now whether the vendor, store, or the state gets the 4 cents is unknown to me, but the disappearing boxes undoubtedly are a way for _someone_ to make an extra 7% profit. [/QUOTE] This is not true. The newsstand price of (say) a daily St Petersburg times is $0.35 locally. With tax, that comes to $0.38; however, if you call the Times and ask, they’ll tell you that the machine price is only $0.32, and the state gets the other $0.03. The Times sells its papers to its box route drivers and to the newsstands / grocery stores for the same price. What the retailers charge for them after that point, they don’t care. Also, around here, there are signs in the honor box reminding purchasers that the route driver pays any shortages from the box, which I assume is supposed to personalize the crime – people are less likely to steal from a person as opposed to a corporation. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/32 "2006-09-27T12:54:59Z")
[QUOTE=Northern Piper] As several people have commented, who would want more than one? My Econ 101 prof used this example to illustrate the concept of limited marginal utility. (I’m hoping I’ve got the phrase right … it was a while ago.) But it means the idea that while having x number of something may be good, there’s limited value to having x + 1 of that same thing, and even less value to x + 2 of that thing, and so on.) [/QUOTE] You’re making the same mistake those other commenters did: assuming the unique use of the good. Yes, there’s no gain from having more than one copy of the paper _if you’re going to read it_. To resell, however, is a different story entirely. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/33 "2006-09-27T13:05:14Z")
[QUOTE=Bambi Hassenpfeffer] This is not true. The newsstand price of (say) a daily St Petersburg times is $0.35 locally. With tax, that comes to $0.38; however, if you call the Times and ask, they’ll tell you that the machine price is only $0.32, and the state gets the other $0.03. The Times sells its papers to its box route drivers and to the newsstands / grocery stores for the same price. What the retailers charge for them after that point, they don’t care. Also, around here, there are signs in the honor box reminding purchasers that the route driver pays any shortages from the box, which I assume is supposed to personalize the crime – people are less likely to steal from a person as opposed to a corporation. [/QUOTE] I didn’t know this about the tax payment. I’ve always been mildly annoyed at paying $0.38 in a store Vs paying $0.35 from a box–not annoyed enough to ask the paper about it, but annoyed anyway. I have asked store people about it; not a one of them had any answer but “That’s just the way it is” or words to that effect. Thank you for posting. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/34 "2006-09-27T13:05:14Z")
> [@](#): > > You’re making the same mistake those other commenters did: assuming the unique use of the good. Yes, there’s no gain from having more than one copy of the paper if you’re going to read it. To resell, however, is a different story entirely. Although there’s a claim in the above posts about people reselling papers, I have to admit I’ve never seen evidence of it – the newspaper boxes are usually partially full and the only newspaper hawkers I see are those at major intersections on the commute into Boston, who I’;m willing to bet get their papers legitimately in bulk. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/35 "2006-09-27T13:17:05Z")
I went and looked at the one that’s not on the honor system, and indeed, it’s got some sort of lever mechanism that blocks you from taking more than one. If you tried to take a second it would rip the paper. And I looked at the one near our building, and that is on the honor system. So they jury-rigged the one by the McDonald’s but I don’t see the point; it is not in a high-crime or high-homeless area. It is in the middle of a huge shopping center actually. ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/36 "2006-09-27T13:32:03Z")
Here in NYC I’ve seen a modest – but clever – method to try to minimize paper box theft and resale. They rubber stamp a message on the front page, usually in red ink, that says something like: “This newspaper intended for vending machine sale only. Do not purchase from any other seller.” ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/37 "2006-09-27T13:51:00Z")
[QUOTE=Asimovian] I have actually seen more enterprising homeless folks here in downtown LA empty out the entire machine with 50 cents and then proceed to resell them to business people in a hurry for a quarter. So long as they don’t get caught, it’s pretty easy to make a few bucks that way. [/QUOTE] See also the film, “With Honors”. The homeless character played by Robin Williams does this. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/38 "2006-09-27T13:56:07Z")
I don’t think that the loss through vandalism or theft is worth investing in antitheft devices. At least not yet. Once you invest in the equipment, plant and staff required to print the paper, actually printing the thing isn’t all that costly. Nor is it all that expensive to deliver a few papers that will be stolen in a truck that has hundreds of papers in it already. I think the only reason that newspapers even bother to sell in newstands is to keep their name in front of the public. The papers that are sold in newsstands don’t count as part of the circulation used for the purpose of setting advertising rates. This exclusion is based on the assumption that papers bought in a newstand are read for their news and opinion and then discarded with the ads unread. PUblishers, advertisers etc. long ago set up a cooperative organization called the[Audit Bureau of Circulation](http://www.accessabc.com/advertisers/index.htm) because of inflated circulation figures that had become common. The Bureau doesn’t count a lot of the papers that are delivered as circulation for advertising rate setting purposes and newsstand sales don’t count… ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/39 "2006-09-27T14:11:34Z")
Noone here seems to have an answer for why these newspaper vending boxes are common in USA and Canada but nowhere else. I have travelled extensively in New Zealand,Australia, England,France, Italy, Cambodia and Japan. I have never seen one of these newspaper vending boxes except for American TV or movies. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2006, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264/40 "2006-09-27T14:18:21Z")
When I asked years ago, 50% of the newspaper racks in the U.S. were [Kaspar Sho-Racks](http://www.shorack.com/coinoperated/index.htm), made in Shiner, Texas (though I think that their market share has fallen.) Looking through their website, I don’t think that they even offer a single-paper option, and in any case they certainly don’t feature it. I’d guess that this is because the costs of purchasing and maintaining the additional hardware costs more to a newspaper publisher than the loss revenue of the stolen papers. After all, someone will eventually try to steal the extra papers, which wil mean that either the next will be torn (as **Anaamika** mentioned) and/or the stand will be damaged and need to be replaced and sent in for repair. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-open-the-box-newspaper-vending-machines-really-common-in-the-us/374264.md?page=3)