The machine, operated by Saigon Books Company and is located at the Sense Market on Pham Ngu Lao Street in District 1, has 25 available titles, with the stock set to be updated on a weekly basis.
Readers can select books and pay by cash. Saigon Books said the machine will support payment by Internet banking two weeks after launch.
As the machine only accepts banknotes of VND10,000, VND20,000, VND50,000 and VND100,000 denominations, the book prices are all rounded to the nearest whole figures, such as VND50,000 (US$2.1) or VND70,000 ($3), to facilitate the purchase process.
Then, book vending machine will be widely used at Nguyễn Văn Bình book road, Nguyễn Huệ walking street, and other shopping centers in Ho Chi Minh City.
