Method and system for accomplishing product detection

A vending system for verifying the delivery of an ordered product is disclosed. The system includes: (a) an ordering system (220) for receiving a customer order of a product (210), (b) a product delivery system (215) for sending the product (210) located in a first product storage position through a delivery path (215) to a second product receiving position (222), (c) a monitoring system (217) located along the delivery path (215) for detecting when the product passes through the delivery path from the first position (222) to the second position (225). The monitoring system (217) optically scans the delivery path (215) for the product transition, and includes two or more separately activated light emitting sources (234) each directing light towards two or more light detection sources. Each of the light detection sources monitors light emitted by an actuated light emitting source for interruption by the product transition, and (d) a reporting circuitry electronically coupled to the monitoring system (217), wherein the reporting circuitry reports the result of the customer order.