Author: pmasters@wittern.com

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Vending Machine Financing

A concern for many people interested in starting up a vending machine business is the cost of equipment. Vending machines can seem expensive to a newcomer to the vending industry, but with financing plans and the right mindset there are tons of great options available to help you start vending today!

Vending.com offers flexibility for customers to custom-tailor their financing arrangements so that it works best for their type and size of organization. This comes in handy for anyone looking to buy vending machines because each vending machien start-up business is different, and finding the solution that works for you will help ensure your success!

Some of our financing options include flexible repayment arrangements to meet cash flow, specialized programs to increase sales, up to 48 month terms, and a quick credit approval process. Our website also offers tools such as the profit calculator that will help you visualize how easily vending machines pay for themselves between steady profits and financing options.

The easiest way to get started and find out which start-up vending machine business financing option is right for you is to give us a call and speak with one of our specialists. We are here to help you reach your business goals in the vending industry!

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Easy Mobile Upgrade for Vending Machines

Incorporating mobile technology into vending machines is a popular trend that is creating tons of new possibilities for payments, technical service and customer interaction. A company called LikeUS Network is coming out with a new technology that gives vending machine patrons more options for mobile payments.

This new “plug-and-play” technology is one of the easiest vending machine upgrades available. This solution allows vending machine operators to plug a device into their existing vending machines and immediately be able to use the technology without the need to change any settings. This new mobile technology is a great addition to allow vending machines for sale currently from companies such as Vending.com to accept payments from PayPayl and Google wallet.

There is also a mobile payment option that allows patrons to interact with the machine via social networks such as Facebook and receive free beverages or snacks in exchange for a Like, Retweet or share. This is an interesting new way to promote your vending machines because a branded message is shared on that customer’s social network that tells all of their friends about your vending machine.

This easy vending machine upgrade is also a great way to gain demographic information on your customers that is typically unavailable to machines that accept cash or credit and debit cards.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Luxury Gift Vending Machine

A vending machine in Berlin is offering a range of items that you might not find in your traditional vending machines. The vending machine was launched by German delicatessen Floris Feinkost and features gourmet selections including luxury items such as prepared food and gift packages.

This luxury vending machine has gifts that anyone would want to receive including pint-sized bottles of champagne, pastries, pralines, flavored salts, chocolates and even bottles of wines. These are just a few of the more than 60 products customers can browse through.

The unit has ten levels of display cases that showcase the wares. Vending.com has seen vending operators benefit from improved displays of vending products through updated machines, captivating graphics on the machine, and well-lit and organized product displays. In this particular luxury vending machine, the gift cases look like miniature storefront displays, with products perfectly packaged and displayed.

About Vending.com

Vending.com brings together a multitude of vending expertise through our circle of services. Everything you need to start, grow, or manage your vending business is provided through our easy online access. We provide vending services, financing, vending industry news, technical repair, parts and much more. Vending.com is one of the companies under the Wittern Group umbrella. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting your own vending machine business or expanding your current business, Vending.com offers you a full range of vending machines, financing, location assistance and other services to meet all of your vending needs. As a full-line vending sales company we provide customers nationwide with the right equipment for their client’s location. Our large selection of snack, soda machines, hot beverage, cold and frozen food and other quality vending machines can be configured and customized to fit any size location from small businesses to large factories. Let our network of vending machine companies go to work for you.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Google Play Vending Machine

Another unique vending machine has launched in Tokyo recently. There is definitely no shortage of odd and creative vending machines in Japan, but this one has a very large brand name attached to it. This new machine was launched by Google and does not vend physical products, but it is a brick and mortar interface for Google’s Play market.

This creative vending machine requires that you have a smartphone that is running Android 4.0 and has NFC technology. So not all smartphone users will be able to interface with the machine, but most new Android devices should have no problem. The machine features a large screen that uses the same interface that Android users would regularly see when they visit Google Play on their desktop or mobile devices. Customers can then browse the selections on the screen while they are assisted by two attendants that will be stationed at every Google vending machine.

The purchases on the machine can be paid for with your mobile device and will be downloaded after payment is received. Vending.com has discussed NFC technology and mobile payments for vending machines before, and seeing how Google uses their own technology could lead to some interesting innovations!

About Vending.com

Vending.com brings together a multitude of vending expertise through our circle of services. Everything you need to start, grow, or manage your vending business is provided through our easy online access. We provide vending services, financing, vending industry news, technical repair, parts and much more. Vending.com is one of the companies under the Wittern Group umbrella. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting your own vending machine business or expanding your current business, Vending.com offers you a full-range of vending machines, financing, location assistance and other services to meet all of your vending needs. As a full-line vending sales company we provide customers nationwide with the right equipment for their client’s location. Our large selection of snack, soda machines, hot beverage, cold and frozen food and other quality vending machines can be configured and customized to fit any size location from small businesses to large factories. Let our network of vending machine companies go to work for you.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Break Room Vending Machines

When you have worked in an office for any amount of time that has a break room, it is easy to notice how odd and often gross, they can be. The reason for these oddities is often food brought in by coworkers.

Storing perishable food can often become a challenge as expiration dates become lost in the well-lit abyss that is the back of the communal refrigerator. Once good ideas for lunch may sit, left and forgotten, on tables or in communal microwaves for days on end and pots of coffee made with the best intentions can become caffeinated science projects gone wrong.

An easy way to avoid these break room horrors is with vending machines! Vending.com has a wide variety of vending machines specifically for office break rooms that include, food, snack, drink, coffee, water and more. Break room vending machines are not just for grabbing a candy bar or can of soda anymore; many of our machines can vend enough fresh food to keep employees happy and well-fed every day.

Depending on how your office decides to operate the vending machines at work, profits from them can be donated to charity, reinvested back into the office or a variety of other options that will help out more than your break room’s hygiene!

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Vending Machines Help Relieve the Heat

Drink vending machines are a mainstay in most vending lineups and can be found year-round in most locations. Vending.com noticed that Coca-Cola recently launched a vending machine in Spain that adjusts its pricing strategy of its drinks depending on the on temperature.

These machines were placed in water parks and theme parks and the surprising vending machine pricing strategy was that the prices of cold beverages actually went down as the temperatures went up. With three different price points depending on how high the thermometer was reading, these machines sold drinks for the least amount of money when the temperature was the hottest.

The reasoning behind this pricing strategy was that hot and busy days at these amusement parks would be a good time to test a new Coke beverage, so decreasing the price on hot and usually busy days meant that the new drink got into more people’s hands.

Most vending machines for sale currently do not offer features to adjust the price based on external conditions such as weather. Adjusting prices based on time of day, number of people around the machine, or weather conditions could open some interesting marketing strategies. What conditions would you have your machines’ prices fluctuate with?

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Vending Machine Industry Confidence Index

Vending MarketWatch recently released a new study of the vending industry, the Vending Operator Confidence Index. The aim of this index is to measure the confidence vending operators have in the industry and assign it a positive or negative value. In their first ever index, Vending Market Watch rated the vending industry confidence level at 136.00. The average is 100 so a reading over that indicates various levels of positive outlooks. 136 puts it at a cautiously optimist outlook for the vending industry.

This index will be conducted monthly and give industry members a view of how the overall industry is doing on a more regular basis. The vending industry usually relies on annual reports or smaller studies and the monthly delivery of this survey will certainly give some unique insights into the industry. Having monthly indexes will most likely cause a few unduly high or low points based on industry trends or developments, but it will hopefully draw attention to those developments as well.

With new developments occurring more and more frequently and new vending machines for sale hitting the market, having a way to keep tab on these technological advances and the overall trend of the industry will be very helpful.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Finding the Right Vending Machine Size

The snack vending machine size you choose depend on a lot of factors: the size of your location, the demands of your customers, the dimensions of door frames and spaces allotted to you, and even the amount you have to budget for new machines.

Vending.com has a wide variety of snack vending machines for sale that are able to fit the bill for any vending operator. In this blog, we will break down the benefits of a few of our vending machine sizes.

 

Snack Vending Machine

 

Our 12 Selection Machine is ideal for locations where space is limited but you still need the capacity and flexibility of a compact, professional vending machine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vending Machine for Sale

 

Our most popular vending machine, the 23 Selection machine is perfect for nearly every vending location. This machine delivers a lot of value for a great price.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vending Machine

 

 

Our 47 Selection machine offers the largest capacity in the industry! The reconfigurable product selection spacing and auger timing make the vending possibilities of this machine limitless!

 

 

 

 

About Vending.com

Vending.com brings together a multitude of vending expertise through our circle of services. Everything you need to start, grow, or manage your vending business is provided through our easy online access. We provide vending services, financing, vending industry news, technical repair, parts and much more. Vending.com is one of the companies under the Wittern Group umbrella. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting your own vending machine business or expanding your current business, Vending.com offers you a full-range of vending machines, financing, location assistance and other services to meet all of your vending needs. As a full-line vending sales company we provide customers nationwide with the right equipment for their client’s location. Our large selection of snack, soda machines, hot beverage, cold and frozen food and other quality vending machines can be configured and customized to fit any size location from small businesses to large factories. Let our network of vending machine companies go to work for you.

Vending.com
Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

November Activities, All in One Vending Machine!

November is a month of food, lots of food, and shopping thanks to retail calendar highlights such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Vending.com is here to help you keep your vending customers satisfied for both of these things.

Vending machines tie in both of these November pastimes in one place and at the same time! Vending machines are also much more than just a place to get a quick snack. With our food vending machines’s ability to vend cold and frozen food, there are also plenty of fresh and frozen options available to vending patrons that are looking for a quick Thanksgiving meal.

About Vending.com

Vending.com brings together a multitude of vending expertise through our circle of services. Everything you need to start, grow, or manage your vending business is provided through our easy online access. We provide vending services, financing, vending industry news, technical repair, parts and much more. Vending.com is one of the companies under the Wittern Group umbrella. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting your own vending machine business or expanding your current business, Vending.com offers you a full-range of vending machines, financing, location assistance and other services to meet all of your vending needs. As a full-line vending sales company we provide customers nationwide with the right equipment for their client’s location. Our large selection of snack, soda machines, hot beverage, cold and frozen food and other quality vending machines can be configured and customized to fit any size location from small businesses to large factories. Let our network of vending machine companies go to work for you.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Vending Machines Help “World Hello Day”

Soda Vending MachineNovember 21st is World Hello Day. The goal of this holiday is to promote world peace by getting people to say hello to each other and break down the barriers that are created when we do not know someone else well enough. Introducing yourself, or even just saying “hello” to someone can create a positive and friendly atmosphere that will carry on throughout the entire day.

At Vending.com, we love this idea. People have always talked about “meeting at the water cooler” or the modern day equivalent, drink vending machine. To celebrate this holiday in your office, what places could you meet someone new or say “hello” to someone? Food and drinks are the perfect way to bring people together and casual settings like cafes, dining areas or vending machine areas function perfectly as social gather places.

We challenge you to use this entire week as a time to meet new people and create a more positive environment at your workplace just by saying hello and acknowledging the people around you. Who knows, you might meet a new best friend or learn something you would have never known!

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Eco-Friendly Customers and Coffee

Coffee Vending MachineVending.com has learned that what makes a cup of coffee delicious might depend on more than just the beans used and the coffee and hot beverage vending machine it’s made in. According to an article by the Los Angeles Times, a research team ran an experiment in which participants were presented two cups of coffee, one that was “eco-friendly” and one that was just a regular cup of coffee. What the participants did not know was that both cups of coffee were made from the same beans and in the same standard coffee maker.

While the phrase “eco-friendly vending machine” might not make all coffee consumers crave more environmentally conscious coffee, participants were also surveyed on various issues before the study and the results showed that the majority of participants that were concerned about the environment preferred the eco-friendly brew. Those same participants were also willing to pay about 25 percent more for a coffee they believed shared their views on the environment.

When it comes to coffee or drink vending machines, you might not need to change your product offering to continue to be successful, but this is a good example of how knowing your customers and what their preferences are can help your vending machines, eco-friendly or otherwise, become even more profitable.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

3 Ways to Find the Perfect Vending Location

Whether you are new to the vending business or a veteran, you are likely open to suggestions on how to make your business more profitable. Since a huge part of a vending businesses success is the result of the machine’s location, learning where to put your vending machine is crucial. Read below for three tips from Vending.com on how to do just that:

Go where the people are:
As a vending machine owner, you want to find locations to put your vending machines where there is a great deal of foot traffic. Examples of such places include airports, malls or busy offices. It only stands to reason that the more people who walk by your machines each day, the better your sales will be.

Be the focus:
Although it is wise to put your vending machine where there is lots of foot traffic as listed above, you can also find success when placing your machine in a more subdued environment. Your machine will often times become a source of entertainment when people are bored. Great examples of these locations that are less busy yet highly profitable include doctors’ offices, nail salons, car repair centers or barber shops.

Don’t avoid competition:
Some vending machine owners do not want to place their machines near other peoples’ machines. However, that can be a mistake. If you place a well-stocked, attractive vending machine next to a machine that is poorly maintained or rarely stocked, you will end up doing well even with competition present.

By incorporating the three tips listed above and remembering to match the type of vending machine with your clientele, you can ensure you are placing your machine in the most profitable location possible. After all, just as in real estate, location, location, location is the means to success in the vending business.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Mobile Apps to Help Your Vending Machine Business

Vending.com loves the following three apps for your vending machine business to help keep track of financials, inventory and more.. They each offer a different service that will be valuable to you in your day-to-day life:

Mint:
Mint.com, which was name one of TIME Magazine’s “Top 50 iPhone Apps” in 2011, is the perfect free mobile app for business owners on the go. Since your vending business keeps you out and about for hours each day, this app will help make your life a lot easier. The app allows you to set a financial budget for your vending machine business and enter transactions while on the go. You also can get real-time fund availability. In addition, in case you lose your phone, the app has a password to keep any unauthorized persons from viewing your financial information.

Evernote:
This handy app gives you the ability to instantly take notes on your mobile device no matter where you are. You can then easily access this information later. This app is ideal for making notes of vending machine inventory needs, writing yourself a daily to-do list or just jotting down your latest brainstorm for your business. Thanks to Evernote, you don’t have to worry about keeping a paper and pen handy at all times.

Dropbox:
This app is available on both mobile devices and tablets. It works by storing your business documents, photos, or videos to access on the go. Imagine being able to pull up all your vending machine business marketing materials on the app no matter where you are at the time. After all, potential clients are everywhere, so why shouldn’t your most impressive business information be as well.

Any of our recommended apps for vending machine businesses will help you take yours to the next level.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

The Dos of Coffee Vending

More and more customers recognize and appreciate quality coffee. That’s good news for those who own drink vending machines. An educated and enthusiastic clientele means a profitable business.

To ensure the best sales, always offer your customers the best products that you can afford in your coffee vending machine. In a recent survey, daily drink customers said that they know who their coffee comes from. Give them an excellent experience with quality brews and well-maintained machinery, and they will repay you with their loyalty.

The most profitable machines are those that offer specialty drinks. Over half of all respondents said that they’d consume more coffee from their office’s vending machine if they had options that included espresso and lattes.

And, don’t neglect your coffee customers other desires. In the afternoons, many customers prefer cold drinks to hot. One of the most requested options is cold bottled water. If you have space for a cold drink machine, your customers will enjoy having that option available to them during times when they would prefer a cold drink to a hot coffee. By recognizing opportunities to upsell, you can increase your profits while keeping your customers happy.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Calorie Counts on Vending Machines

Sometime this year, the FDA will announce changes that affect those who own snack vending machines. Part of the Affordable Care Act requires that the calorie count of snacks be easily viewable by customers. This can be difficult for vending machine owners, since nutrition information on packages aren’t visible until the customer has made his or her purchase. Paper signs on older machines are impractical. Many snack machine operators plan to stay within the requirements of the law using digital displays. Lawmakers are taking comments from industry experts into consideration while penning the final requirements. They should be announced sometime this year; business owners will have one year after the announcement to get all of their machines into compliance.

One thing that can help is, as you add new snack and candy vending machines to your route, investing in those with digital displays that make it easy to adhere to the new law. Vending.com has a number of models that can work for you.

How do you expect the new law on vending machine nutrition information to affect your vending business? Do you feel it will be difficult for you to implement on your vending machines?

About Vending.com

Vending.com brings together a multitude of vending expertise through our circle of services. Everything you need to start, grow, or manage your vending business is provided through our easy online access. We provide vending services, financing, vending industry news, technical repair, parts and much more. Vending.com is one of the companies under the Wittern Group umbrella. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting your own vending machine business or expanding your current business, Vending.com offers you a full-range of vending machines, financing, location assistance and other services to meet all of your vending needs. As a full-line vending sales company we provide customers nationwide with the right equipment for their client’s location. Our large selection of snack, soda machines, hot beverage, cold and frozen food and other quality vending machines can be configured and customized to fit any size location from small businesses to large factories. Let our network of vending machine companies go to work for you.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Vending Machines that Don’t Need to Be Restocked

As you expand your vending business, managing inventory gets more and more challenging. When looking at vending machines for sale, consider adding machines that provide services instead of goods and require no inventory.

A few examples of vending machines that require no inventory:

  • Massage chairs: Give customers the chance to pamper themselves for a few minutes during days shopping at the mall or walking through amusement parks.
  • Payphones: While mobile phones have largely made these anachronisms, there are still times that they come in handy. Do you have vending space in a place with poor cell phone service? Do you operate machines in an area where people are likely to leave their phones behind such a pool or water park? Your clients will be glad to have a payphone available.
  • Lockers: The Stuffit storage system is a great vending machine solution for venues that range from skate parks to gyms. Give your customers a safe place to stash their stuff while they enjoy their day out.

Vending.com has a vending machine for sale that fits your route and your business’s needs. Contact us today.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

How Much Could You Make in Vending?

vending machineJust how profitable are vending machines? How much money you can make with vending machines will depend on a number of factors. High traffic locations with a soda vending machine, a candy machine and a snack machine will make more than one or two bulk snack machines. Also, some items sell better in certain locales than others. When you see a vending machine for sale and wish to add it to your route, take time to learn about a location and how profitable it is.

Once you have a sense of how much traffic a spot has, use our online calculator to find out what that site will average over a period of a year.

And, don’t be afraid to sell premium products at high price points. Vending Consultants Co. did a study last year of vending machines with items that had profits of $1 or more each. They found that these items are attractive to customers and sell just as well as lower-margin items, meaning your vending machine drives more revenue over time. The next time you look at vending machines for sale, consider choosing those that can offer those premium items and see your income rise.

About Vending.com

Vending.com brings together a multitude of vending expertise through our circle of services. Everything you need to start, grow, or manage your vending business is provided through our easy online access. We provide vending services, financing, vending industry news, technical repair, parts and much more. Vending.com is one of the companies under the Wittern Group umbrella. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting your own vending machine business or expanding your current business, Vending.com offers you a full-range of vending machines, financing, location assistance and other services to meet all of your vending needs. As a full-line vending sales company we provide customers nationwide with the right equipment for their client’s location. Our large selection of snack, soda machines, hot beverage, cold and frozen food and other quality vending machines can be configured and customized to fit any size location from small businesses to large factories. Let our network of vending machine companies go to work for you.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Vending Help in No Time

Running a business is great, but at times, it can also be challenging, especially if you’re a sole proprietor. Having knowledgeable support at the touch of a button for your vending machine questions can go a long way toward improving your peace of mind and making running your business easier and more enjoyable.

Vending.com takes a lot of the stress out of owning and running a vending machine business by making sure they’re available to answer your questions and concerns about your business so you can maximize your profits and minimize your headaches.

Whether you’re a veteran owner of vending machines or if you’re just considering getting started in business, Vending.com can help you make difficult decisions and they can even suggest options you may never have considered.

What’s more, they make it easy to get connected with online live chat, via email or by calling toll-free: 1-855-727-8363. You can also stay in touch through social media by contacting us on Facebook or through Twitter.

The vending business can be challenging, but it can also be fun–and profitable. We’re here to help you run your vending business with fewer hassles, greater productivity, and success.

About Vending.com

Vending.com brings together a multitude of vending expertise through our circle of services. Everything you need to start, grow, or manage your vending business is provided through our easy online access. We provide vending services, financing, vending industry news, technical repair, parts and much more. Vending.com is one of the companies under the Wittern Group umbrella. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting your own vending machine business or expanding your current business, Vending.com offers you a full-range of vending machines, financing, location assistance and other services to meet all of your vending needs. As a full-line vending sales company we provide customers nationwide with the right equipment for their client’s location. Our large selection of snack, soda machines, hot beverage, cold and frozen food and other quality vending machines can be configured and customized to fit any size location from small businesses to large factories. Let our network of vending machine companies go to work for you.