Author: Phil Masters

Phil Masters has witnessed and shaped the convenience services industry for over five decades. Since earning his associate's degree in Marketing in 1970, Phil has played a pivotal role at Vending.com and The Wittern Group, Vending.com’s parent company. He’s been a key contributor and leader in evolving vending solutions. His impact surpasses the typical roles associated with sales. He has pushed boundaries and embraced change by spearheading new stylings for Vending.com’s vending equipment line and pioneering corporate partnerships and branding campaigns with iconic companies like Harley Davidson, John Deere, General Motors, Ford, and others. Phil is fortunate to be a part of driving the success of Vending.com and looks forward to celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2031. He’s thankful for the opportunities to introduce new programs and provide innovative and tailored solutions to help individuals and companies reach their vending goals and thrive in an ever-evolving market.
Posted on | by Phil Masters

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle With a Used Vending Machine

Reduce, reuse and recycle – purchasing a refurbished vending machine is a great way to eliminate waste, care for your environment and save some money on what is essentially a like-new machine!

All of our used vending machines are factory-remanufactured and certified by our trained experts to meet the industry’s highest standards for maximum performance. All of our refurbished vending machine come with a one-year limited parts warranty and a 90-day parts warranty on accessory components including coin acceptors, bill acceptors and control boards.

Limited on budget? Not sure if you want to commit to a brand-new vending machine? No worries –  we offer 100% financing. Our used snack machines start at as low as $79.35 per month and our drink machines start at as low as $97.35 per month. The profit on only five sales a day can pay for your machines! Additionally, Vending,com offers FREE White Glove Premium delivery – a $345 value.

Our used vending machines:Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

6 Selection Stand Alone Soda Drink Vending Machine

This sleek vending machine fits in the space of a file cabinet! This machine allows for 6 selections and has the ability to vend 144 bottles, 312 cans or a combination of both bottles and cans. Call us at 1-855-712-8734 for more info on this used machine!

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

10 Selection Soda Drink Vending Machine

Style, variety and capacity. This newer can & bottle drink vending machine offers 10 selections of your customers’ favorite national brand canned and  bottled beverages. Call us at 1-855-712-8734 for more info on this used machine!

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Trimline II Combo Vending Machine

Satisfy your customers and employees with their favorite snacks and beverages with the spacious Trimline II Refreshment Center.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

30 Selection Elevator Vending Machine

Designed to provide the best food service available, the 30 Selection Elevator Vending Machine offers a wide variety of meals, sandwiches, salads, dairy, fresh fruit & beverages that are softly served via a patented elevator delivery.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Used 40 Selection Snack/Candy Vending Machine

With 15 snack, 18 candy and snack cracker, 2 gum & mint and 5 pastry selections, this vending machine has the selection and capacity that a large location demands. Call us at 1-855-712-8734 for more info on this used machine!

 

Call today at 1-855-712-8734 to find out all machine options currently available as inventory changes daily.

Used vending machines are a great affordable option for those on a budget. Satisfy your vending needs and stay within budget with Vending.com.

Until next time!

Vending.com

Trimline II combo vending machine
Posted on | by Phil Masters

Trimline II Combo Financing Special!

Vending.com is excited to introduce our brand new, limited-time financing special on the new Trimline II Combo Vending Machine! With our new financing special you can pay off your monthly finance payment for the machine and generate $70 in profit with a mere 12 sales a day. With its new state of the art technology, the Trimline II Combo can easily help you bring your vending business to the next level.

Who doesn’t love a snack and a cold drink? The Trimline II Combo scratches both itches at the same time while looking sleek and providing you with the profit you need to stay ahead.

Features of the Trimline II Combo Vending Machine:

  • Can host a wide range of both snacks and cold drinks — 29 different snack/drink selections
  • ADA Compliant
  • Credit/Debit capable
  • Accounting mode to monitor transactions and data
  • LIFETIME toll free support
  • Electronic controller
  • iVend® Delivery Sensor System
  • Lighted Braille system

With benefits like these, taking advantage of this offer makes clear sense.  Satisfy the need to pay for the machine while creating revenue and benefiting your bottom line.

Learn more and apply for our limited time financing special today!

 

Until next time!

Vending.com

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 Phil Masters

Do you need more funds for activities and after-hours programs?

Vending MachinesLooking for a fundraising idea to help your religious organization, non-profit activities or after-hours programs? Why not give vending a try. With years of experience, vending.com has what it takes to help you succeed. We can help your church generate extra funds today with no hassle and no initial cash outlay!

Our program is simple.  Fill the machine with your choice of snacks and cold drinks and watch the sales go up. Only six (6) product sales per day with the Express Combo Vending Machine for sale will cover the cost of your machine. Any additional product sales are 100% profit for your church functions. Fund your after-hours program while making sure no stomachs are growling.

Don’t take our word for it – see what our customers have to say about Vending.com.

“We came across Vending.com during our search for a vending machine for our Youth Ministry. We were impressed with the timely response and in-depth product knowledge of our Vending.com account representative. Our machine paid for itself in only nine months and serves as a profitable income stream for our Youth Department.”  

Min. Gabrielle B. Mills

Rose Hill Church – Baton Rouge, LA

Not sure how to get started? We have you covered. We can design a program that suits the unique needs of both your organization  and the program you wish to fund.

Plus, we’ll even help you customize your machine so that people know that they are helping a good cause – which will lead to even more sales and reaching your goals even faster!

Need any more reasons?

  • Flexibility
  • Your choice of snacks and drinks
  • Assistance every step of the way
  • Our world-famous service and commitment to quality

Have questions? Ready to give it a try? Give us a call at 1-855-712-8693 or fill out this form.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Did you see the Ebonite Pro-Shop at the International Bowl Expo?

Late June, the team at Fawn Vending /  Vending.com set up shop at the BPAA International Bowl Expo and had the pleasure of showcasing some of our newest machines. The Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, Inc.’s yearly expo features innovative products and supplies while also holding seminars on topics relevant to the industry.

Offering Factory Direct vending equipment for snack, drink and Pro Shop Supplies, Vending.com was pleased to feature the new-for-2018 ‘Round the Clock Ebonite Pro Shop bowling accessory vendor, demonstrating its versatility, profitability and merchandising capabilities for bowling center operators.

International Bowl Expo

Available exclusively from Fawn Vendors / Vending.com, one of the nation’s leaders in vending machine manufacturing and merchandising, the Ebonite Pro Shop was specifically designed to accommodate bowlers’ needs and provide pro shops with the absolute best impulse-purchase profit-making opportunity in the industry today.

 

The ‘Round the Clock Ebonite Pro Shop features 24/7 accessibility and is fitted with proven, high-demand Ebonite products packaged for the all-important impulse purchase environment – an absolute must for vending success.  A Free Ebonite Product Starter Kit with a retail value in excess of $700 is included with the machine to help shop operators start selling from day-one. Ebonite is a fast growing leader in the bowling accessories and products industry.

Equipped with standard cash acceptors and credit/debit reader, bowlers can easily purchase products with their currency at hand.

Securing one of these merchandisers couldn’t be easier with one of Fawn Vendors factory financing plans and new owners will appreciate the rugged dependability of this vendor backed by a full warranty. Fawn has been serving the bowling industry since 1931 and is ready to help with any automated merchandising needs including a full line of vendors for snacks and drinks, refrigerated food and frozen dessert products to supplement your current counter sales.

International Bowl Expo

The MarketOne Snack Merchandiser was another vending star at the 2018 International Bowl Expo, featuring all the latest in merchandising and payment system technology. The machine offers a whopping 40 selections of chips, candy, gum, mints and pastries and comes with adjustable flex trays that can fit many shapes of products. Featuring a PayRange® mobile payment system, a 10.1” touch screen, an iVend® money back delivery sensor system, class leading energy saving specs and full sales and accounting features – this vending machine is a no brainer. On top of all that, this vending machine is fully ADA compliant.

And of course, who wouldn’t love those quirky bowling theme graphics?

Contact Fawn Vendors today at 1-800-548-1982 or email info@vending.com for information on the ‘Round the Clock Ebonite Pro Shop or any vending merchandising needs. 

Until next time,

Vending.com

 

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Cashless vending. You need it.

When it comes to boosting your profits, you’ll want to accept as many forms of payment as possible. Consumers who have the ability to pay according to various methods have a higher chance of becoming not only a customer, but a repeat customer.

Did you know that one in five people don’t ever carry cash on them? This means that they can’t make a purchase if no other form of payment is offered.

Here are three important facts to remember about cashless vending payment systems:

  • There are more than a billion transactions in the US each year that don’t involve cash.
  • Over the next few years, these transactions will increase by as much as 16%
  • Cashless workplace transactions total 27% on average, which is a 62% increase when compared to the past two years

Greenlite Cashless

Cashless vending. You need it.

Greenlite by Vending.com

With Greenlite cashless vending payment systems, you’re able to customize your vending equipment so that multiple types of payment can be accepted. The software also facilitates processes that reduce the costs of filling the equipment thanks to integrated remote reporting. Relying on web-based reporting and management tools, Greenlite vending allows businesses to increase their return on investment in a very significant way.

One of the biggest advantages of the Greenlite cashless vending payment system has to do with the type of machine sales tracking that it offers businesses. Before, you may have been used to using your best judgment regarding which types of products you should be ordering and in what quantities. With machine sales tracking, you now have actionable, real-time information regarding trends, likes and dislikes that are all derived from actual consumer behavior. You can not only tell what products are selling but how quickly and at what times of the day. Businesses no longer have to rely solely on “instinct’ when it comes to making purchasing decisions – they now have actual hard data that they can use instead.

Greenlite also allows businesses to integrate two-tier pricing depending on location. A business might offer a discount on certain items for people who choose to pay with cash, for example. The system also includes helpful alerts that will provide constant updates on the health and status of the machine in question, making it easier to identify when repairs are necessary and when replacement parts need to be ordered.

Mobile Payment Within Vending

Vending.com is helping the vending industry keep up with the mobile payment trend by working with key partners such as PayRange. Through this partnership, PayRange can be added to Vending.com’s vending machines for sale. Faster than inserting coins into a machine, PayRange cashless vending payment system is the quickest way to pay for the things you do often. Use all major credit and debit cards or add funds via Apple Pay, Android Pay or Masterpass.

Have questions? Ready to give it a try? Give us a call at 1-855-712-8693 or visit our website.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Are You Back-to-School Ready?

School is in session! Well, almost. As an educational institution, you need to be prepared for the return of students after summer break. Here are some things to make sure you’re on top of before students return for the start of the semester:

The Welcome-Back Letter

The back-to-school letter is a must of many teachers, school principals and institutional leaders. The letter provides much-needed details for students and parents to help pre-empt any back-to-school jitters along with information such as the time the student should plan to arrive at school on the first day, where the student should go once they arrive, and any information about upcoming orientations. This is also an excellent way to introduce students to any new administration or changes in policy.

Visit with Faculty/Staff Members

Though it’s important to prepare incoming students and parents for the semester, it is equally important to make sure your staff is prepared as well. A faculty meeting before the start of the school year encourages excellent communication among faculty which is essential to a well-running school.

Along with excellent communication among the faculty, it’s also important for your staff to be well-equipped with the right tools which brings us to our next points.

Fixed Seating Arrangements

While there may be no right or wrong seating arrangement, there are certainly differences in how students interact with and are influenced by the set-up of a classroom. You can utilize fixed seating to maximize your use of space, deliver visual room uniformity or create collaborative team-based spaces. The use of fixed seating helps to create innovative learning spaces that encourage your students to succeed and reach their full potential.

Textbooks

A textbook is essentially a guide to facilitate the teaching and learning of the curriculum in a particular subject for both teachers and students alike. Textbooks play a fundamental role in supplementing any teachers knowledge deficits so having the most updated, accurate textbooks is a must for any educational institution.

Vending Machines

Do you have affordable vending machines conveniently spaced out along your school halls, yet? Vending machines allow students, teachers and other faculty to get the snacks and refreshments they crave, whenever they crave them. Provide your students and faculty with the energy they need to both learn and teach effectively. In this day and age, vending doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Healthier vending machines are becoming more and more popular, especially in educational institutions. Vending.com offers a wide array of snack vending machines, drink vending machines and combination vending machines that accept credit cards and cash alike, making small purchases easy.

Are you prepared for the upcoming school year? We can help. Contact Vending.com today –  our experts are standing by to help with any questions.

Until next time,

Vending.com

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Vending Machines Are Sources Of Revenue For Schools


Vending machines raise money for schools and are a great source of additional revenue for school districts. Through the use of a vending machine, schools can fund projects and initiatives their current budgets do not account for.

By utilizing a vending machine from Vending.com, schools can have ultimate flexibility in their selection of product to offer their staff and students. This varies from vending machines supplied direct from consumer brands, as in most cases you are limited to that brand’s offerings. Making upwards of $200 daily on a vending machine in a high traffic location is obtainable with the right product selection.

Including a vending machine in your school will not only benefit the school’s revenue but also the quality of life for both students and staff.  Time spent in between classes is short and usually rushed. A hungry student may be low on energy and not be able to retain information.

By adding a vending machine to high-traffic hallways or wings of your building, you will be able to quickly offer students the nourishment they need, while simultaneously collecting additional revenue from the vending machine and raising money for the school district.

Consider adding a Combo Vending Machine in a faculty break room or in the lunchroom. Have a look at the Trimline II Combo Vending Machine below.

Vending Machines Are Sources Of Revenue For Schools

You can vend both snacks and drinks using the Trimline II. This allows for ultimate selection capability. Offer up to 9 drink selections & 20 snack selections with a combo vending machine.

Is your district making the most out of vending options? We can help. Contact Vending.com today –  our experts are standing by to help with any questions.

Until next time,

Vending.com

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Young Entrepreneur Finds Vending

Young Entrepreneur Finds Vending

          Satisfy your customers by satisfying their hunger! This is one of the lines 10 year old Owen Lefkovits used to convince Castle Car Wash to let him own a vending machine in their waiting room.

          Lefkovits was surprised there wasn’t already a vending machine at Castle Car Wash when he and his mom stopped by one day after swim practice. After collaborating with his family Lefkovits crafted a presentation for his youth-run business idea to deliver to the car wash owner.

          Unfortunately, Castle Car Wash purchased a vending machine before Lefkovits’s presentation. However, the boy persuaded the company to let him own and run the machine because it would be more beneficial to have someone local maintain the machine. Lefkovits’s picture and bio are now on the machine letting customers know their business is appreciated.

          Lefkovits got a loan from his grandma and off he went running the machine. To keep up with his youth-run business, he tracks purchases and comes by every week to restock the machine. Lefkovits also handles calls if there are any issues, even when on vacation.

          Do you see opportunities to earn money through vending? Vending.com can help you place a vending machine in your community. We will walk you through the process and answer any questions you have about setting up vending machines. Take a look at our wide selection of combo, snack and drink machines to find exactly want you need for your business.

Courtesy Forsyth News

 

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Adding Cashless Payments Increases Profits

Is it just me or do people carry less cash around than they used to? The only time I’ve been paid in cash was my allowance growing up. God bless my amazingly generous grandfather who still pays cash taking our family out to eat, but I normally see most people using other cashless forms of payment. If my friend owes me money or vice versa Venmo is likely where we’ll complete the transaction. Credit cards and mobile payments make it easy to spend money without having a wad of cash bulging from you pocket. Customers at vending machines that accept cashless payments are not limited by the amount of change or bills they have with them. They can spend more money and they can do it easier. Here are some facts that support the profitable trend toward cashless transaction systems for vending machines.

“American adults under 30 dislike using cash so much that 51% of them use credit or debit cards for purchases — even for transactions under $5 (the price point where vending lives),” said Christopher Blomquist, Parlevel’s marketing content manager in a Vending Times article.

In a study of 84,000 vending machines by USA Tech, 10,600 were low volume machines with less than $2,000 in pre-cashless sales per year. After accepting cashless payments the 10,600 machines reported an 86% growth in top line sales after 18 months. Machines adding cashless transaction systems increased average monthly sales from $104 to $193. According to USA Tech, vending consumers spend 37 percent more using cashless credit, debit, NFC contactless or mobile wallet payments than they do using cash. Annually. total sales in machines adding cashless payments goes from $1,248 to $2,316. A more recent Vending Times article notes a Parlevel Systems study that states cashless machines have an average transaction that is 40 cents more than machines that are cash only.

Cashless payment systems are very important to the profitability of a vending machine. Vending.com provides the Greenlite cashless payment system to help vending operators embrace the need for cashless payments. Efficient and easy to use, Greenlite will make sure you do not miss a cashless purchase. Greenlite also offers important tools for product management that makes it simple to track what’s gone in and out of your machine.

 

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Where to Place a Vending Machine?

Location, Location, Location! You have likely heard about it in the real estate market but the phase also applies to the vending business. The location of your vending machines helps determine who is likely to use the machines and therefore what items you should sell in your machines. Determining where to put a vending machine is an important first step in a successful vending business.

It is helpful to think of a location that will benefit the most from your vending services. Where is a place where people gather often? It could be a place where people are forced to gather, like a large place of employment or a school. Maybe it’s a place people want to gather like a mall or entertainment center. Are there places around that have no food options easily available? Society never slows down and more and more people are eating on the go. Small businesses like auto shops, hair salons and laundromats are a few possible locations when it comes to the question of where to put a vending machine. Asking local businesses how your vending business can be of service to them is a good way to find out new locations for your machines. However, be aware that even though a location may be excited to have your vending machines, that place may not be profitable for you in the long run.

The location of your vending machines helps determine what items to provide to your customers.  If your vending machine is at a location where people will spend consecutive hours, larger items like frozen meals or sandwiches could benefit the people there. If the machine is at a fitness center, cold, healthy, thirst quenching beverages or high protein snacks may be in high demand.

No matter where you put a vending machine, quality customer service is the key. At Vending.com we believe that when we take care of the customer we take care of ourselves. We provide great financing options and reliable technical support. Our machines are manufactured in the USA with quality materials. Please contact us if there is any assistance your vending business needs. We hope you have a profitable 2019!

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Guarantee Product Delivery

No vending machine operator wants to receive a call from a mad customer who put money in the machine but didn’t get a product. No vending machine operator wants customers shaking machines and pounding on the glass to get a product they bought to fall. How can a vending operator guarantee product delivery or a refund? We’ve got it. The answer is the iVend Vending Machine Guaranteed Delivery System.

iVend uses infrared receiver and emitter boards to detect whether products have been vended from the tray and have entered the delivery bin. The infrared rays alert the machine when an item has passed through. If the product has not successfully vended after the first coil rotation, the machine will rotate the coils again attempting to vend the product. Even if a product is not placed in every coil selection the machine will rotate the coil an additional time attempting to vend the product, counteracting a mistake loading product. If the item is not delivered, the machine will return the money to the customer. The iVend Vending Machine Guaranteed Delivery System makes sure the product is vended or the customer receives their money.

All of Vending.com’s machine are equipped with the iVend Guaranteed Delivery System. iVend makes your vending machine much more reliable, reduces service calls, minimizes customers receiving a “bonus” free product and help identify improper loading or coils choices. We would love to talk with you about the reliability of our vending machines and the difference iVend makes. Call us today at 1-855-296-8064.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Make Money Vending

Are you curious whether vending is financially viable or whether it would be worth it to start? Average annual sales per vending machine is $4,416. The National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) says the U.S. Convenience Services Industry accounts for a total impact of $25 billion. The industry provides 140,000 good paying jobs and $7.21 billion in wages.

Thanks to people’s busy lifestyles and other variables, more people are trading in meals for snacking. Vending machines give people the food they want, when and where they want it. Vending is a profitable industry with 54 cents or more of every dollar spent resulting in gross profit. Vending machines generate immediate cash flow and work for you 24/7 and never ask for vacation.

You be would be right to question someone who said you could earn money while eating with your family, hanging out with friends or even sleeping. Vending is a unique business where your “store” is always open and you do not need to be present earn money from it. In fact, if you were standing by the machine all the time trying to sell products in the machine you probably would not make as much money. The machine markets and handles money on its own, without you or an employee on hand. Vending is flexible, you can always start out part time and use it for supplemental income before jumping full time.

Choosing the right vending equipment can make or break or vending business. Vending.com’s machines are sold factory direct from our plant in Des Moines, Iowa. We’ve been manufacturing vending machines for more than 80 years. Vending.com also separates itself from competitors by offering flexible financing and 24/7 technical support. We offer a 2 year limited parts warranty and our technical support staff is on call to help with any trouble you run into throughout the time you own the vending machine. We want to earn your trust and are confident you’ll be successful vending with us. Call us today for your FREE Vending Profit Analysis at 1-855-981-9367.

If you’re wondering where to place your vending machines read: https://www.vending.com/blog/where-to-place-a-vending-machine/

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Ensuring Profitability through Buying Products

The products you sell and the prices at which you purchase them at go a long way in determining how much money your vending operation makes. Saving what seems like a little bit on an individual product can add up to make a big difference when you multiply it over the amount you will be selling across all your machines.  Also, investing in food that does not spoil fast helps ensure your food will be purchased.

Cold drinks are popular to sell in vending machines. Local grocery stores are great places to look for good prices to compare. It is best not to settle for just one store but to shop around to get the best deal. For snacks, wholesale clubs like Sam’s Club, BJ’s and Costco are cost-effective places to search. Some vending locations will request certain cold food options to be available at their location. In this instance you should be happy to satisfy your customers’ need but also be aware how much money you are spending on the items you are selling. If you decide it does not make financial sense to invest in a cold food vendor and cold food items, try to compromise with the location by filling some snack machine selections with non-refrigerated food products. Try your best to fulfill the niche food items your customer wants at the lowest cost to your vending business. If your location desires lunch products for their employees you can offer sealed packages of tuna and crackers, microwavable soup and individual packages of pasta or rice entrees. These products have a longer shelf life so you will minimize them spoiling and serve your customers’ needs. We do not recommend that new vending operations sell cold or frozen food. Often these niches are not as profitable as soda and snack machines and only larger operations can support them.

Vending.com traces its history back over 80 years in the vending industry. We have proven our knowledge and expertise about vending for many years helping people developed sustained careers in vending. We would love to help your vending business any way we can. We offer lifetime technical support for your machines and can help you maintain your machines.  If you haven’t started vending yet, but are interested call us today for a free profit analysis at 1-855-661-3298.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Placing Vending Machines Part: 1

What comes first, the location or the machine? We recommend securing locations for your new or used vending machines before committing yourself to using a certain machine. This is because each location is different and your goal as a vending operator is to provide the location with what they want or need, and you cannot know what that is until you ask them. How can you secure the all-important locations for your vending machine business? In this short blog series, we will present a few tips about finding vending machine locations and how to build positive business relationships at your locations.

A common mistake newcomers to the vending industry make is to only consider locations that have no vending machines. It is very possible that there is no vending machine there, because it is not a profitable location. If you only look at vending machine placements where there are no other vendors you may find many locations too small to be profitable.

Placing Vending Machines Part

When it comes to how to secure a good vending machine location, we recommend approaching high-traffic businesses that already have vending equipment. Striking out at a profitable location is better than wasting your resources on a location that is easy to get but won’t make you money. Ask the location if they are satisfied with the vending service they have now. They very well could be, but there’s no guarantee they will be in the future. Hand out your business card and invite them to give you a call if there’s anything you can do to help them in the future. Make sure you leave a good impression and make it easy for then to contact you. Don’t get discouraged if you cannot find a location dissatisfied with their vending service, it will be worth it when you find one that is.    

Selling vending services is not about twisting someone’s arm, intense negotiations or hiding additional fees. You should always carry yourself in a professional manner and represent you business well, however selling your services is not about convincing a business to switch from another service to yours. Instead, you are looking for vending machine locations that are already unhappy with their current vendor. All you have to do is find these locations and demonstrate that you will offer better machines and better service.

In the next blog in our series, Placing Vending Machines, we will discuss why you should not be intimidated by bigger vending services and also how to interact with contacts for your possible locations.

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Posted on | by Phil Masters

Placing Vending Machines Part: 2

In our blog on Vending Machine Placement, we discussed strategies for securing locations for your vending machines and how getting accounts is not about finding places without vending services as much as it is finding a location unhappy with their current vending service. When you do it’s important to come across as a better provider. It’s important not to be intimidated by big vending companies, because these companies can be the easiest to take locations from and how to get new customers for your business. In this blog we will detail how to efficiently use this vending machine strategy and other relevant tips for securing locations for your vending services.

Companies that get too big can have trouble or overlook details that smaller businesses are better equipped to handle. Sometimes large vending companies are staffed by part-time workers who do not care about customers and are just concerned with earning their hourly wage. Their route drivers may not really care about the appearance of equipment or satisfaction of the customer. Employees at big companies don’t have the same amount of investment in the business as workers at smaller companies. In contrast to a large vending conglomerate, your vending company can offer locations personalized service, easy accessibility to company ownership, quicker adaptability and more flexibility.

The following is an example of a script you could use when approaching a business owner about vending at their location. “Good morning, my name is John Smith, president of Smith Vending. How are you today? Great! I won’t take up too much of your time. I just want to drop off my card in case you need my vending services sometime. By the way, are you happy with the vending service you have now? Is there anything at all I can do for you?” Try to stay friendly and concise with you comments. Your goal should be to “test the waters” to see if they’re satisfied with their current vending operator and to let them know you are available to help them.

If the location communicates that they are satisfied with their current vending services, we advise thanking them for their time, leaving your business card and doing your best to make a positive impression of yourself and your company. The location also may communicate their displeasure with their current vending service. If they do this, we advise you to ask about why they are dissatisfied, how many machines do they have, what is sold and for how much. You don’t want to overwhelm them with questions, but you want to gain useful information that can help you communicate how your vending business is superior and how your smaller business cares about the details of their vending needs.

Working to secure locations does not have to be scary or intimidating. Presenting your business in a courteous, professional manner goes a long way in making a good impression. You may not find a location in your first handful of attempts, but keep going. Perseverance is an important part of your vending machine strategy. It will be worth it when you do find your first couple of locations. If you have any questions or need assistance for your vending business please give us a call at 1-855-661-3298.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Healthy Vending Provides Opportunity

More than ever before people are on the hunt for healthier food options, whether they are at home or on the go or on premise at work. Evidence of this is everywhere and it presents us with an enormous opportunity. Finally! Demand and sales are converging.

Carla Balakgie, NAMA President & CEO

According to the National Automated Merchandisers Association’s President & CEO, Carla Balakgie, the growing market demands for healthier food options is a great opportunity for the vending industry to thrive. “As the convenient services industry we want to be viewed as a solution provider for both the clients you serve and the customers, the very people who are on the hunt for these healthier options being part of the solution.” Vending services need to think about how to solve problems customers are facing and doing their best to meet their needs directly. Vendors can make money selling healthier products to consumers. They only thing they consumers more than healthier options is healthier options delivered with the press of a button. As the customer demands increase the potential for vendors to benefit financially increases as well.

Vending.com is working to be part of the solution to consumer demands with healthy vending machines.  Our healthy vending machines offer an alternative to the snacks traditionally sold in vending machines. Healthy vending machines provide low fat, low sugar, low carb, products. You can vend nutritious foods, snack & drinks all from a healthy vending machine. High protein meats, nuts, bars, also whole grains and natural waters and juices are some items that could appeal to your healthier customers.

It is vital to remain on the pulse of consumer wants and desires moving into the future. The ever-increasing demand for convenient healthy food is a wonderful opportunity for vending operators to profit as they adjust from just selling the typical junk food and branching out into healthier options. If you have any question about you can take advantage of the demand for healthier food contact us today at 1-855- 253-7880.

We believe it is the right time to demonstrate that our industry is part of the solution in promoting public health and in meeting consumer demands while also protecting our businesses and enabling them to grow on our terms.

Carla Balakgie, NAMA President & CEO

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Teaching Hard Work to the Next Generation

What was your first job? What was it like? How did it impact your view of work? An important part of growing up is learning how to work hard. We all wish earning money was easy but that’s just not reality. Vending is a great way to teach hard work and responsibility to your family. It doesn’t take extensive education to service a vending machine, teens are very capable of helping a family vending business. Teaching hard work to kids when they’re young can set them up for a successful future.

Vending is simple to get into and can be very profitable for you and your family. However, there are no shortcuts and putting in work is necessary. There are many family-run vending businesses across the country, where families work together to service their machines and reap the rewards. Vending.com equipment offer great profitability but they take time and energy to remain full with product. Not only does it take time to refill machines with product it takes research and intentionality to know what to sell in your machines. Machines poorly maintained show negatively on your business and if it’s a family business, possibly on your family too. Vending is a great opportunity to teach young people the value and importance of responsibility.

While vending is work, the profits make it all worth it. As a vendor there’s nothing like taking a thick wad of cash out of the bill box and seeing the fruits of your labor. Working is hard, but it’s important and has its rewards. Seeing and experiencing the rewards of hard work is great motivation to continue working hard. The money you earn will mean much more to you and used more responsibly than money that was just given to you. 

Vending.com is here to help you before you begin vending as a family and throughout the life of your machines as well. We want you to have the best experience vending. We are available to honestly answer any questions you have about the industry or our equipment. Give us a call today at 1-855-365-0906.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Making Vending Easy

Vending.com prides itself taking care of our customers. Vending.com is backed with over 80 years of manufacturing experience.  By purchasing our brand new equipment we want you to feel that you are in good hands. We are here to answer any questions you have and to share our advice. We serve many different types of customers. Vending.com assists those looking to buy their first machine for their business, so they can keep all the profits. Others are looking for a vending service with new machines equipped with card readers for their employees and customers’ convenience. We also serve many people looking to jump-start their own vending business. Whatever your needs, we are your Vending Coaches! 

We not only coach you over the phone but we provide our white glove delivery service to save our customers the stress of moving their machines into their locations. We will unload your machine off the truck and bring it inside your location. We will unwrap your machine and take it off the wooden shipping skids. In summary, we will deliver your brand new, pristine vending machine right to the exact spot you want in your location.

Not only will you have the white glove delivery service, free coaching through the life of your machine, but you will also have lifetime technical support. We have over 350 service centers in the U.S. ready to help you. We hope you see that it is our priority to value and take care of all our customers. Call us today at 1-855-981-9367 to see how we can help you will ALL your vending needs!