How to Start a Vending Machine Business in Three Simple Steps

Do you want to know how to start a vending machine business? While the business of selling things via vending machines is not quite as easy as some distributors would have you believe, it can be a good way to make anywhere from a little to a lot of profit. Like every business, this one involves thought and effort in order to succeed. Let's examine the steps involved:

Step One: Choose a Distributor and Machine

The first thing you need to do when starting out with vending machines is choose a distributor. There are distributors who sell new machines and used machines. There are distributors who help their customers find locations and offer merchandise for the machines at attractive prices. The right distributor can make all the difference in your success or failure. Many distributors offer a variety of different machines to give their customers some variety. There are beverage machines that sell soft drinks, water and juice. There are coffee machines that offer gourmet coffee selections. Then there are candy machines, snack machines, food machines, toy machines and even DVD machines. A good distributor will counsel you on how to choose the right machine for your budget and business goals.

Step Two: Find a Good Location

The location you choose can make or break your business. You'll of course want to select a location that gets a lot of visitors. Try tailoring your location to your machine or vice versa. For example, a coffee machine would do well in a university, hospital, airport or employee lounge. A toy machine would be ideal for a bowling alley or arcade. A soda machine would work well in a shopping mall or on the sidewalk outside a busy shopping center. When seeking a location, approach the location owners in a professional manner. Tell them what your machine offers. Offer them a reasonable amount of monthly rent in exchange for the space. Many business owners will be more than happy to host your machine if they have the available space.

Step Three: Maintain Your Machine(s)

One of the most crucial aspects of any vending machine business is maintenance. This means ensuring your machine works properly. It also means keeping your machine well-stocked with fresh merchandise and collecting your money on a regular basis. You'll also need a good record keeping system to keep track of your expenses and profits. Once you start seeing some profit, you can look into investing it into more machines.

Copyright 2007 Jim Sterling - All Rights Reserved

Trends in 2007: Vending Machines

Vending Machines News:
Vending machine dispenses 'morning-after' pill - The Associated Press

The Associated Press
Vending machine dispenses 'morning-after' pill
The Associated Press
Students at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania can get the "morning-after" pill by sliding $25 into a vending machine, an idea that has drawn the attention of federal regulators and raised questions about how accessible emergency contraception .
Pennsylvania vending machine dispenses 'morning-after' pillNewsday

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Sun-Sentinel
By Nicole Brochu, Staff writer Vending machines, those bastions of junk food popularized the world over for dispensing an indulgent fix to midday cravings, are increasingly peddling an unconventional flavor: healthy fare.

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Swap-O-Matic vending machine sounds like a great idea - Ubergizmo

Swap-O-Matic vending machine sounds like a great idea
Ubergizmo
So instead of leaving your item to collect dust or throwing it out, designer Lina Fenequito has come up with the Swap-O-Matic vending machine. The idea behind the machine is to allow users to swap items with each other, ultimately reducing waste.

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School Vending Machines Still Offer Too Many Sugary Snacks - WebMD

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School Vending Machines Still Offer Too Many Sugary Snacks
WebMD
6, 2012 -- About half of elementary school students still have access to sugary snacks and other unhealthy options in school vending machines, according to a new study. To combat rising childhood obesity rates, the Institute of Medicine recommended in .
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Noah Jeffrey, Toddler, Crawls Inside Toy
Three-year-old Noah Jeffrey really wanted a toy, and he wasted no time trying to get it. The Australian boy climbed inside a..


Pa. vending machine dispenses 'morning-after' pill
Students at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania can get the "morning-after" pill by sliding $25 into a vending machine, an idea that has drawn the attention of federal regulators and raised questions about how accessible emergency contraception should be...


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