Tag: snack vending machine

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Finding the best location for your vending machine

At the cost of sounding cliche, the top three of the five most important factors for success in the vending business are location, location, and location. It won’t be surprising if the other two are location too. Winning the best location for the vending machine is the first step towards monetizing the capital investment made on the machine. It influences critical business metrics like sales, profits, and average revenue per user. Choosing a poor location for a fancy piece of vending equipment is like keeping your gold in the bank and paying rent for safe keep. It is not only a poor use of your asset, but it also burns more cash for the upkeep. Incidentally, you could check out Vending.com’s profit calculator to simulate your earnings.

Need for a new location

Vending businesses are always looking for new vending machines and the best locations to place them in. The location is where their business starts generating returns or cash. Each vending business owner has their own drive to expand or enter a new location.

  • Starting a new vending business

Vending is a lucrative business with low barriers to entry. Vending machines are easy to use, not too expensive, and quick to generate returns. First-time investors of the vending industry who are looking to save for a rainy day are hungry for new locations. Location owners prefer working with them as long as they are in for the long haul. Vending.com has a specialized focus on helping entrepreneurs becoming successful.

  • Expanding to a new location

Vending machine owners who are already in business are also looking for opportunities to expand. They often start close to their base of operation and slowly expand to adjacent locations.

  • Choosing the right location for maximizing growth

Businessmen who are trained hands at the vending business always seek to maximize growth. If they identify an open opportunity in a high-growth locality that can benefit from the convenience of a vending machine, they pursue it. This adds to the race for space. Our earlier blogpost covers this area.

  • Diversification of risk

Veterans in the business are not only hungry for growth but are also keen to reduce risk. Betting on one or a few locations is like putting all the eggs in one basket. So, they often try to find new localities to place their equipment with diverse demographics and preferences. This helps them tide over challenges due to lagging demand in the areas they already operate in.

Selecting the right location

Newbies and veterans alike are hunting for that attractive bit of real estate where their vending machines can serve more and more customers. But not all places have the same level of earning potential. Successful vending entrepreneurs carefully select the ideal spot for their machines and then go all-out to win the location. While there is no clear definition for the right site, common sense and meticulous consideration of certain influencing factors can help get the best location deal. Some of them are discussed below.

  • Traffic volume

All said and done, like all other retail businesses, vending is a numbers game. The more the number of transactions, the faster is the recovery of capital employed. The machine should be placed in spaces where there is a good level of foot traffic. Public spaces, offices, schools, and other public places are good examples of a good volume of user traffic. These locations often generate the most per-machine revenues.

  • Traffic quality

While the volume of transactions driven by high foot traffic is essential, the kind of traffic also plays an important role. The vending machines in the lobby of the office of an investment bank will have users with high disposable income. The average price per transaction will be higher than a school where children deal in “small change.” This also allows adjusting margins depending on where the machine is located. A good example would be when the same water bottle costs more in the office than at the school.

  • Competition

Competition in the vending business is a necessary evil. When the location you are pursuing has been hosting a competitor for a long time, the competitor continues to enjoy good sales. But it also means you will have to fight harder. Fight harder with the location owner for placing the machine and then fight harder for the wallet-share of the consumer who visits the place.

There are also advantages to placing the machine where there is competition. It is relatively easier to price suitably for the location without experimentation. A common trick is to price the competitors’ product brands at lower levels in your machine and price your unique ones at higher margins. Eventually, in a location with fair competition, the prices of all vendors settle down to similar levels. Then the differentiator is through the quality of products, availability, and the quality of the machines used. This is also an opportunity to showcase and grow your brand’s identity and recall value, and Vending.com’s marketing has the precise support that helps with this.

  • Merchandize

The merchandize that is sold in the machine also varies as per the location. Protein shakes sell almost exclusively at the gym. There is very little chance that an office employee will shell out change for a protein shake at the cafeteria. Potato chips at the gym might only the serve the purpose of testing the resolve of the patrons. They may fly off the racks at a school or a park though.

  • Type of Vending Equipment

It might come as a surprise, but what machine you choose will also depend on your location to place it. The table below shows how certain types of machines will suit almost all the locations, while others fit only a few.

Location Combo Vending Machines Drink Vending Machines Snack Vending Machines Frozen Food Machines Coffee Vending Machines
Schools and Universities ✔ ✔ ✔
Offices ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Hotels ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Shopping Centers ✔ ✔ ✔
Hospitals & Care Centers ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Government Offices ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Transport Service Centers ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Gyms ✔ ✔ ✔
Manufacturing Facilities ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Conclusion

Vending business owners can consider work half done when they have scored the best locations for their vending machines. From there, it is just making them rain.

Experts at Vending.com can guide you to get your new vending business off to a flying start or race ahead of the competition. To know how to pick the best vending machines for your location or suitable locations for the equipment you have in mind, talk to us at 1-855-929-1042.

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Full Profit Vending Program

What does a full profit vending program look like? How much can you, hypothetically, make from your vending machine? Check out our price recommendations below.

Can cold drinks (Major Brands)
Vend Price———————————————————————————————-$1.25
Cost per can———————————————————————————————–.32
Profit per can————————————————————————————.93

Bottle cold drinks (16.9oz-Major Brands)
Sale/Vend Price—————————————————————————————$1.50
Cost per bottle——————————————————————————————-.67
Profit per bottle——————————————————————————–.83

Bottled Water-#1 Selling Beverage (16.9oz)
Sale/Vend Price—————————————————————————————$1.25
Cost per bottle——————————————————————————————-.13
Profit per bottle——————————————————————————-1.12

Chips-Top Name Variety Pack (50 Ct.)
Sale/Vend Price—————————————————————————————-$1.25
Cost per bag———————————————————————————————–.28
Profit per bag————————————————————————————.97

Candy-Top Name Variety Pack (30 Ct.)
Sale/Vend Price—————————————————————————————$1.25
Cost per candy bar————————————————————————————–.70
Profit per candy bar—————————————————————————.55

AVERAGE PROFIT PER SALE: $.88

For more information, contact Vending.com by calling 1-800-548-1982.

40 Selection Snack Vending Machine
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The Best and Biggest Selection of Vending Machine Options

When it comes to vending machines, the importance of offering the biggest and best selection of items to customers cannot be overstated enough. Vending machines are an important fixture in the daily lives of many – they’re often used for everything from a quick snack in between classes or meetings to a necessary cup of coffee first thing in the morning. If a vending machine doesn’t offer what a customer needs, however, they’ll begin to lose faith in it and will look elsewhere for what they desire. At that point, it’s hard to get them back again, which is why offering the largest selection isn’t just recommended, it’s practically a requirement.

Now, one vending machine manufacturer has proudly stepped up to the plate and answered that call: the 40 Selection Large Capacity Vending Machine is available to order now from Vending.com.

40 Selection Snack Vending Machine

The 40 Selection Snack Vending Machine is our biggest vending machine and was built from the ground up to be the perfect choice for high traffic, high volume locations. It doesn’t just offer a large number of different selections, it also breaks new ground in terms of variety. It has 15 snack selections, 18 candy and snack cracker selections, two gum and mint selections and five pastry selections, making sure that you have all of your bases covered and that your customers walk away satisfied each and every time.

The product itself features six flex trays, all of which are fully adjustable in one inch increments to better service your unique needs – even if those needs should happen to change on a regular basis. Our biggest vending machine also gives business owners the power to individually price selections in any way they see fit and is even re-configurable for product selection spacing or variable packaging sizes.

Powered by the revolutionary iVend Sensor System, the 40 Selection Snack Vending Machine features a large, lighted product display window and a customer interface that is almost impossibly easy to use with a large LED display and multiple money acceptance options.

Security

If the security of your vending machine is a concern, it doesn’t have to be any longer – the unit features sturdy steel construction with durable powder coat painted surfaces, creating the type of vending machine that will dutifully serve you for years to come. A high security package is also available for additional protection levels.

With variability, versatility and functionality like this, it’s easy to see why 40 Selection Snack Vending Machine single handedly offers the best vending machine selection on the market today.

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Our Trimline Refreshment Center Offers the Best Snack and Drink Vending Machine Options

Trimline-Refreshment-CenterThe technology in vending machines has grown exponentially. Vending machines are used for a variety of purposes, which range from healthcare applications to traditional snacks and soda refreshments. Some of the latest technology includes mobile payment options and Apple Pay. However, simplicity can be more productive, and the Trimline Refreshment Center is designed to focus on simplicity.

A Traditional Soda Vending Machine

Do you recall the stories of your grandparents first experiences with vending machines? In many cases, vending machines may have contained few items, but the popularity was undeniable. The Trimline Refreshment Center Returns to the simplistic nature with six beverage selections, and business owners can decide between bottled or canned beverages, such as water, sodas, juices, and more. When filled, the Trimline Refreshment Center can hold up to 144 20-ounce bottles or 312 12-ounce cans. However, the Trimline Refreshment Center takes on another critical concern of vending machine owners, space.

Essentially, the Trimline Refreshment Center is made up of two paired machines, and the drink side weighs 467 pounds. A traditional soda vending machine may be up to 4 feet wide. Yet, the drink side of the Trimline Refreshment Center stands out at a mere 21 inches, which makes it easy to fit anywhere. Furthermore, the lightweight section of this refreshment center makes installation faster and easier than bulkier machines.

Redefining the Snack Vending Machine

Some snack machines can hold hundreds of different various items, but you’ve probably seen a few vending machines where a few items grow stale and don’t sell. This combo vending machine focuses on resolving this problem by simplifying the snack selection to 12 items.

Business owners can select 12 items to fill this machine to its capacity of 152 items. The snack section of the Trimline Refreshment Center offers an MDB coin acceptor and an MDB $1 and $5 bill acceptor. Similar to the drink section, the snack part of this machine is a mere 21-inches wide, which increases the machine’s maneuverability during installation or when moving the machine from one location to another.

With a versatile configuration for drinks, independent sections for snack and soda storage, and a simple, customer-driven selection, the Trimline Refreshment Center is sure to please the hunger and thirst of your customers. To find out more about combo vending machine options, contact the vending machine manufacturer directly at Vending.com, or request a quote on the Trimline Refreshment Center today.

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State of The Food and Drink Vending Machine Market, 2015 – 2021

14957-illustration-of-a-globe-pvModern society has become accustomed to the idea of obtaining beverages, snacks, and many other types of items from vending machines. The machines are becoming a standard part of various businesses and industries, which range from pharmaceuticals to free items for the fans of sporting events. The stagnant age of the vending machine has come to a close, and a recent report by Persistence Market Research, as reported on by Medgadget, indicates an overwhelming trend of growth for the vending machine industry over the next six years.

What’s Driving the Growth?

Consumer demand remains the ultimate driving factor in the growth of the snack vending machine market. In recent years, the public has become increasingly concerned with the nutritional value of the contents of drink vending machines and snack vending machine. Traditionally, these vending machines have contained items of little nutritional value, but the trend seems to be changing. As more governments have become health conscious of snacks and beverages from vending machine, vending machine manufacturers and owners who readily display the caloric value of available items are expected to reap significant profits.

The growth of the vending machine market cannot be attributable to these factors alone. Instead, some of this growth may be the direct result of an increased use of mobile payment options, such as vending machines that accept credit cards. Ultimately, a vending machine with more payment options is able to serve those who may not have cash or coins on their person.

Where Will the Strongest Growth Occur?

Vending machines represent the classic idea of self service. In the coming years, the vending machine industry is expected to grow by 13.98 percent to reach an approximate worth of $31.75 billion. The US is predicted to be the predominant player in driving the growth of the vending machine market globally, while North America will claim approximately 44 percent of the market share of the vending machine industry.

What Types of Vending Machines Will Experience the Most Growth?

Vending machines can be categorized into generic groups, such as snacks, beverages, medical supplies, promotional materials, and more. Food and snack machines are expected to garner the highest market share in the industry. Behind snack vending machines, frozen food and candy vending machines will experience the highest level of growth in the US. However, the use of vending machines in quick-serving restaurants is expected to contribute the highest to the growth of the vending machine market globally. Although the growth will not be as substantial as snack vending machines, drink vending machines, such as those that dispense soda, beer, liquor, wine, and other cold beverages, are expected to show “substantial” growth by 2021.

The vending machine industry is growing, and vending machine manufacturers understand the need to increase snack and drink vending machine availability. To learn more about how vending machine services are changing today’s world, visit the blog on Vending.com, or contact a reputable vending machine manufacturer by filling out the online contact form today.

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How Are Millennials Driving the Vending Industry?

How Are Millennials Driving the Vending Industry?

Millennials, those coming into adulthood in the year 2000 and after, are driving the market across many industries including housing, technology, marketing, and even vending machine industry trends. As this group reaches maturity and have more disposable income, everyone is taking notice of how to market and sell to this demographic.

What Do Millennials Look for in Snack Vending Machines?

  • This generation has grown up with technology. Vending machines that provide fresh, affordable snack and beverage options at a touch of a button appeal to them.
  • The younger generations are more in tune with the impact that sugary sodas and snacks have on obesity and health causing the health market to be the fastest growing channel in vending machine industry trends.
  • Millennials rarely carry cash and prefer cashless options like Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and credit or debit cards; however, for low-cost transactions the probability of any consumer paying cash rises. A market savvy vending machine manufacturer will provide both cashless payment options as well as cash options that accept a wide range of bills and coins.
  • Providing mobile payment options also influences where operators place their machines. To complete a wireless transaction, consumers must have access to a clear cell signal, so locations such as basements where cell signals are at their worst are becoming less than ideal.

How Does This Change the Vending Industry?

Because the vending machine market is large, change will take time. Millennials are the perfect demographic for the vending market. They expect self-checkout options and as vending machine operators gather more data, micro-markets are expected to emerge.

The technology that serves the millennial generation so well is also helping the vending industry cater to them. Market analysts are beginning to predict a customer’s future possible purchases based on their past purchases. This data will help vending machine owners group products in a single machine that will encourage larger or repeat purchases from the same customer.

The convenience provided by technology also benefits machine owners. As owners provide machines that have wireless connectivity to allow cashless purchases for their customers, owners find that the same connectivity allows them to check machine inventory remotely. By knowing the machine’s inventory ahead of time, owners save precious time and money in restocking efforts.

As the nation’s leading vending machine provider, Vending.com sells and services snack and drink vending machines across the United States. Contact us at 855-712-8781 to see how we can assist you with your vending business.

Vending.com
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Do Not Miss Our End of the Year Blowout Sale!

‘Tis the season for holiday sales, and Vending.com has some great end of the year deals lined up for our customers. As the country’s #1 vending machine provider, we sell, manufacture and distribute snack and drink vending machines that are made right here in the USA. Our end of year vending machine promotions can not be beaten.

The Deal

If you are in the market for snack and drink vending machines, you can not afford to miss this vending machine sale.

For a limited time, we are offering

  • Up to $700 off factory certified snack and drink vending machines
  • Factory certified snack vending machines from $1,880
  • Factory certified drink vending machines from $1,770
  • These prices reflect savings up to 29 percent off of our regular prices

All of our factory certified vending machines offer electronic coin and $1 and $5 bill acceptors. We also offer 100 percent financing for as little as $117.85 a month. If you have ever thought about expanding your vending business, today is a great day to make it a reality.

Why Should You Buy From Vending.com?

When you buy a machine from us, you are entering into a partnership that will help you start your vending business from the ground up, or take your existing business to new heights. We offer a full range of vending machines to choose from with each vending machine manufacturer located here in the United States. From our white glove delivery service to our repair services, we can help you ensure that your vending machines are always working hard to build your business. We offer a wide range of vending machines including traditional snack and soda machines as well as hot beverage, cold and frozen food, and fully customizable machines to fit any need.

Vending.com delivers and services snack and drink vending machines across the nation. If you are in the market for a vending machine, contact us at 888-290-9356 to discuss our current promotions, vending options to fit your needs, and how we can help you start or grow your business with reliable factory certified machines.

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1st Century Vending Machine That Will Blow Your Mind

When you think back over the history of vending machines, you probably call to mind images of their evolution throughout your lifetime. The snack vending machine that you enjoyed at school as a kid pales in comparison to the high-tech solutions that we have available today. If you had to make an educated guess about when the first drink vending machine appeared, you would probably guess the 1970s or even the 1950s at the earliest, right?

In reality, the world’s first vending machine actually dates all the way back to the first century. Though it holds little resemblance to the soda vending machine that is probably in your office right now, it still has a rich and storied history that is more than worth exploring.

Heron of Alexandria

The first device that would be considered a vending machine was created during the first century by a man named Heron of Alexandria. Heron was something of an inventor in his day and actually played a huge role at the ground level of a number of the things that we depend on daily. In addition to having a hand in the development of the steam engine, wind-powered machinery and even the syringe, he also one day found himself in a situation that directly led to the concept of the vending machine.

Heron realized that churches at the time had a problem. People had a tendency to take too much holy water at temples, which left these locations without the necessary supplies needed to hold their services at the frequency that they’d like. With that simple premise, Heron went to work in his shop and changed the face of the world at the exact same time.

The Solution: Vending Machines

Vending.comHeron’s solution took the form of a machine that allowed people to drop tokens inside. Once the tokens were recognized by their weight, a small lever would then open a small door and holy water would be dispensed. As the weight of the coin continued to shift, it would eventually fall back into a tray and the door would close again.

Suddenly, all of their problems were solved. People were less likely to take too much holy water if they knew they were paying for them and the temples didn’t have to keep employees nearby at all times to monitor the situation. In one fell swoop, Heron both solved a problem in a wholly unique way and set the stage for devices that we now use on a regular basis at the same time.

The next time that your uncle or grandfather tells you about how he remembers when the world’s first vending machine hit the market when he was a boy while you’re all gathered around the table for Thanksgiving dinner, you can politely correct him – unless he happens to be 1800 years old, that is. You can then tell the story of Heron, the man who now made it possible to get everything from medicine to office supplies on demand and in the most convenient way possible whenever you’d like.

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Investing in Used Vending Machines

When people think about used equipment, normally the images that immediately come to mind are negative ones. After all, who among us hasn’t purchased a used computer or television set or some other item over the years only to run into irritating (and costly) issues down the road? Certain companies are proving, however, that you need to throw these preconceived notions out the window – at least as far as vending machines are concerned. Investing in used vending machine equipment is a decision that brings with it a host of different benefits that can’t be ignored.

green check markBuying with Confidence

Companies like Vending.com take guesswork out of the equation by only selling used vending machines that have been factory remanufactured by trained professionals. Every snack machine, drink machine or other piece of used vending equipment is certified to meet industry high standards. Not only does this allow the machine to perform at peak efficiency at all times, but it also gives you the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ve got a machine that you can rely on.

green check markWarranties

Another one of the reasons why it makes sense to invest in used vending machines has to do with the types of warranties that these items normally come with. Vending.com, for example, offers a one year warranty on all machines and a 90 day parts warranty on control boards, coin acceptors, bill acceptors and other important components.

green check markCost Effective and Environmentally Friendly

Perhaps the most important reason to invest in a used vending equipment has to do with the cost effectiveness of your decision. 100% vending machine financing is often available on these items and you’re usually getting a machine that is just as good as a brand new option at a drastically reduced price. Oftentimes it only requires as little as five sales a day to run into profits on these machines.

More than that, investing in used machines means that you’re also making the decision to recycle. These used machines go back out into the population where they can be of good use and they won’t sit in a factor (or a landfill) without a purpose.

These are just a few of the many reasons why investing in a used vending machine may be the right choice for your business. Not only do you get a high quality, factory remanufactured and certified piece of equipment, but you also get to add a well-stocked and properly executed vending machine to your business in the most cost effective way possible.

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Vending Machines and Social Media for Making Purchases  

Companies of all types have long been looking for ways to use the marketing power of social media to their advantage. After all, sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more all come with active user bases in the hundreds of millions of people – who wouldn’t want to tap into that? In the 21st century, companies are using social media marketing techniques to do a whole lot more than just send out the occasional clever tweet. Many companies are leveraging the power of social media with the benefits of the common vending machine to create a situation so enticing that people everywhere can’t help but notice.

Free Promotions

One of the best recent examples of using social media vending machine equipment takes the form of a promotion executed by the Boston Red Sox. The Boston Red Sox rented a vending machine that was connected to the social media network Twitter. If a user was in the vicinity of the machine and tweeted using a specific hashtag, the machine would dispense certain products.

The real crux of the idea, however, was that a signed jersey from one of the Red Sox’s star players was inside the machine. One lucky Twitter user could use the right hashtag to win the jersey, creating a situation that fans came from all over to participate in.

Old Navy

old navy vending machine

Another example of a company putting vending machines to good use is Old Navy. Every year, Old Navy has a sale where they discount a huge number of different pairs of flip-flops to just $1. One year, Old Navy took the promotion to the next level with the involvement of 36 different social media powered vending machines in New York City and Los Angeles. If a customer came across the machine, all they had to do was log into Twitter from a tablet that was attached to the machine itself and answer a few questions in a survey.

Once the survey was completed, they could then specify their shoe size and take home a pair of flip-flops to call their own. One user also won a $5,000 vacation package, generating buzz for the campaign that was impossible to ignore.

These are just a few of the many ways that companies are using social media enabled vending machine units to their advantage. As you can see, vending machines are no longer just for selling snacks in between shifts at work or for picking up the occasional soft drink in between classes. They’re a full fledged marketing channel that can generate millions of dollars a year in revenue if utilized effectively.