>People in Italy were always kind of surprised to hear about US newspaper machines - the ones where you put in some coins - and you can take out as many newspapers as you want, essentially
Honestly, I have no idea why those things even exist or how they make anyone money. It's baffling.
I guess people are honest enough that they buy the newspapers.
Compare and contrast: in Italy, until recently, you could only buy newspapers from newsstands, who had some kind of monopoly on their sales. You couldn't get them from a grocery store, and certainly not from a vending machine.
Honestly, I have no idea why those things even exist or how they make anyone money. It's baffling.