The coolest holiday store this year isn’t Best Buy or Target. In fact, it isn’t a store at all.
   It’s a vending machine. And it closes down after one day of being open. Welcome to the holiday world of Snapchat Spectacles, the sunglasses that double as cameras for your Snapchat account. 

   Snapchat has come up with a marketing trick that has made a large profit. The company’s idea of “Snapbots,” or Spectacle vending machines, are posted in select locations for a day at a time to sell these glasses for $130. There’s also a pop-up store with a vending machine in Manhattan through Dec. 31. This sparked a huge demand with a smaller supply, which equals more sales for Snapchat. 
   This demand has caused another market—a re-sale market for Snapchat Spectacles. These shades sell on eBay anywhere from $500 to $1,500. Snapchat’s brilliant marketing idea has not only padded its pockets, but has also done the same for many consumers. 
The machines are only open for a day at a time and the location is only told the minute it opens, so people tend to feel that these glasses are essential to their existence.
   The Spectacles record Snapchat videos and pictures, then pair with your phone using Wi-Fi. The videos save to your memories, a section on Snapchat that saves your videos to view later. The sunglasses come in black, teal and coral.
   The glasses are another way social media is advancing us and making us more tech-savvy. Instead of holding up your phone to take a picture, you can click a button on your sunglasses. 
   “I don’t see a time in my life where I would need them,” said junior Emma Rogers. “But at a sporting event or concert, it would be cool to have them.”
However, other students have a different feeling on this product. “I would purchase a pair, but I don’t have the money because they’re expensive,” said junior Adriana Vergara. 
   So unless Santa’s elves have a contract with Snapchat, you’d better watch out for the nearest Snapbot. Check out spectacles.com for the latest info.