Is TULU a Vending Machine?
No. TULU is not a vending machine. It's an IoT-enabled unit paired with a resident app that gives apartment residents access to shared household items, everyday essentials, printing, e-mobility, and services from a single connected platform.
The comparison is understandable because both are often located in communal areas in multifamily buildings. But that's where the similarity ends. A vending machine is built to sell individual products. TULU is built to provide residents with convenient access to the things they need most, without requiring them to own or store them.
Residents use the TULU app to unlock the IoT unit, borrow shared items, purchase everyday essentials, print documents, reserve mobility devices, and access services, all through one account and one connected experience.
What is TULU if it's not a vending machine?
TULU is an IoT-enabled amenity system that combines a smart unit with a resident app. It gives residents access to products and services whenever they need them, creating an amenity that becomes part of everyday life.
The platform includes five integrated categories:
Rent: tools, appliances, cleaning equipment, kitchen items, outdoor gear, and more
Shop: everyday essentials and convenience items
Ride: e-scooters and other mobility options
Print: on-demand document printing
Services: additional resident services such as home cleaning available through the app
Whether a resident needs a drill for an afternoon, laundry detergent on a Sunday night, or an e-scooter for a couple hours, they access everything through the same IoT unit and app.
How is TULU different from a vending machine?
The difference is in what each system is designed to do.
A vending machine is designed to sell products through one-time purchases. TULU is an IoT-enabled residential amenity that gives residents ongoing access to both shared and consumable items from a single connected platform.
While TULU's Shop includes everyday essentials that residents can purchase, it's only one part of a broader ecosystem that also includes rentals, mobility, printing, and services. The IoT unit serves as the access point for that experience, not the experience itself.
Why do property owners describe TULU as an amenity?
Property owners consistently describe TULU as part of the resident experience rather than as equipment because it becomes integrated into everyday living.
"TULU has been a strong fit for our portfolio because it solves real, everyday needs for our residents. Expanding the partnership reflects our commitment to delivering an elevated amenity experience across more communities while also advancing our focus on convenience, efficiency, and sustainability. By using AI to tailor the product mix by building, TULU helps ensure residents have access to the items that are most relevant to how they live."
— David Gise, SVP, Head of Hospitality, Amenities & AI, RXR
"TULU is an essential service here. Our residents rely on everything from small grocery items to tools and cleaning equipment—it's become part of everyday living."
— Robert Acevedo, General Manager, The Willoughby
"Particularly with Denver's active, outdoor lifestyle, offering our residents convenient access to high-quality products without the burden of ownership is something we're excited to provide. This partnership allows us to deliver a more sustainable, community-driven living experience that we know our residents will love."
— Luke Simpson, CEO, Grand Peaks
These customers don't describe TULU as a vending machine. They describe it as an amenity that residents rely on every day and that enhances the overall living experience.
So, is TULU a vending machine?
No. TULU is an IoT-enabled unit paired with a resident app that gives apartment residents access to rentals, shopping, mobility, printing, and services through one connected platform. A vending machine is designed to only sell products.
TULU is designed to deliver an amenity experience, helping residents access what they need, when they need it, while reducing the cost, clutter, and waste that come with ownership.
Why does this distinction matter for property managers?
Because the two models solve different problems. Vending addresses an occasional purchase. TULU addresses everyday access, the kind of need residents have multiple times a week, not once. If you're evaluating amenity technology for your portfolio, the more useful question isn't whether it looks like a machine in the lobby. It's whether residents end up treating it as part of how they live in the building.
Additional questions? We have answers.
Does TULU sell consumable or single-use items?
Yes, through the Shop category. But those items sit inside the same app-based account as Rent, Ride, Print, and Services, not inside a standalone vending machine.
Is TULU an amenity or a piece of equipment?
TULU is an amenity. Property teams describe it as part of the resident experience and community offering, not as equipment they installed for occasional use.
Do residents pay per transaction like a vending machine?
Not in the same way. Payment happens through the app, not at the unit itself. For Shop items, residents pay at the time of purchase. For Rent items, the first hour is free, then a small fixed fee applies for every additional hour of use, charged at the end of the use period rather than upfront.
Can property managers customize what TULU offers by building?
Yes. TULU usesAI to tailor the product mix by building, so the categories and items available reflect what residents at that specific property actually need.
Does TULU replace ownership of items like tools or bikes?
Yes, for many residents. Property teams describe this as access without the burden of ownership, residents use what they need without buying or storing it themselves.