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Which Vending Machine is Right for You

So you’ve made the decision to get into the lucrative and enjoyable vending machine business. Welcome! Now comes the first important step towards making this new business investment pay off: choosing the ideal vending machine for you. There are a wide variety of vending machines out there to choose from, so you will want one that works best for the customers where the vending machine is set up, as well as what works best for you to maintain. Below are a few things to consider from each type of vending machine before you invest in them.

Combo Vending Machine

Combo vending machines sell both snacks and drinks, making them a one stop shop for customers. These machines will have a lot of inventory and may have to be restocked on a regular basis, which means a little bit of extra work—but if people are using the machine regularly this is not a bad thing. This type of vending machine will also be a little more expensive and may require more maintenance down the road, so be sure you will get regular customers when you set it up.

Soda Vending Machines

The soda vending machines just dispense soda, as their name suggests and are often popular and lucrative. These drink vending machines will have to be restocked regularly and they require more electricity to keep the soda cold, which means they have more moving parts and a higher chance of malfunctioning that just snack vending machines. Make sure you are setting up these vending machines in a place without a lot of competition, namely a convenience store or nearby supermarket who may try to give customers other, cheaper options.

Snack Vending Machines

These types of vending machines may be one of the safest investments as they don’t have to stay cold, don’t have many moving parts and don’t require a lot of electricity. The products in these snack vending machines also will last for an extended period of time in most cases, depending on what you are stocking. This is the ideal vending machine for a location that doesn’t have any other competing places within walking distance with a quick snack available.

Coffee Vending Machines

These drink vending machines are not as common but can be gold mines in the right location. However, coffee vending machines will require regular attention, as people can be picky about their coffee. What comes out of your vending machine should be as good as all the other coffee shops around, or should be the only real option, if there aren’t any other coffee shops around. So do your research before going with this type of vending machine, as the coffee market is often crowded.