This are the most common questions asked by someone who wanted to get into the vending business. These are the answers I can provide from years and years of operating vending machines for a livelihood.
I’m maintaining and running about 200 vending machines here in Vancouver, BC.
Right now the business environment is not very good and only half of my vending machines are running full time, the rest are unplugged or visited only after a couple of months since some locations especially the offices, most people are working from home.
How Much Do Vending Machines Cost?
Normally if you want to start a vending business. Personally I will buy a Used Vending machine, which is about $500 to $600 for a combo vending machine.
There is no need to spend $2,000 to $3,000 for a vending machine.
In case your location needs a new vending machine then you will not be making money for a couple of years unless you placed it in a place where there are 300 to 500 people working in a facility, but of course, it is still not a guarantee.
I lot of people are geared towards healthy lifestyle now and the diets are rapidly changing.
It all boils down to the demographics and location.
Such high traffic locations are often vandalize and buying a new vending machine will leave you loosing money in no time, this is my personal experience here in Vancouver, BC Canada.
Your new vending machine will be safe in an office setting, but office setting normally have almost Zero sales and you have to keep up with various people in office on constant complains and always changing vendors which is the reality here in Vancouver, BC.
Normally the best locations are people who do not complain as much and you have the freedom to put any kind of products that you wanted.
How Long Does It Take to Install a Vending Machine?
Normally if I was able to get a new location, you have to be very quick to install the vending machine at the location. There are times that the management changes their mind in getting vending machines.
The time period for me is about 1 to 2 weeks, I normally just buy a Used Vending Machine from Craigslist or your local technician who has a lot of vending machines that are given to him for repair and eventually left for sales at his warehouse or garage.
It is also good to buy a Used vending machine from your local vending machine parts supplier which is available in the city where you live. Just google “vending machine supplier city”
Vending Machines For Multiple Locations
When you think about getting a vending machine business up and running, you have probably also thought about what if I need vending machines for more than one location?
If you are like many entrepreneurs who have considered starting a home based business but don’t know how to get started, there are several options available to you when it comes to expanding your business.
You can buy vending machines right out of the box or you can rent them or lease them through a vending machine locator. Whatever choice you make you need to consider some things in order to be able to pull it off.
Where Should You Place Your Soda Machine?
Vending machines can be a very profitable business if you know where to put them. However, before you place any of your machines to make sure that you have all the information you need to get started. Here are some tips to help you with the decision on where to put your soda machine.
What Sizes of Vending Machines Are Available?
When you have a location where you can offer soda machines, snack vending machines, or any other type of vending machines that you need to keep stocked, what sizes are available?
There are typically sizes that are made for certain types of business.
For example, while large cans of soup are not going to fit well into a small counter space, small sized soda machines and other snack vending machines will work.
This comes down to what you are sending and how much of a presence you need in your area. Knowing the vending machine sizes before you start your business will allow you to have the best chances of success.
What Does The Vending Machines Looks Like?
Vending machines are everywhere. There are millions of them scattered around the world and they are not all good. It is important to find the best vending machine location in order to get the most out of them.
Here are some vending machines from Japan.
Vending machine in Makati City Philippines
If you are able to get a good placement, you will not only be able to get lots of customers using them, but you will also have an opportunity to make some money as well.
Here are some tips to help you determine what kind of vending machine locations are available and how you can go about finding the best one.
The first thing you need to think about when looking for a good vending machine location is the overall look of it. Are the people using it mostly in the morning and evening hours?
Here is a picture where one of my pop machine is in a hotel. I made sure that it is vandal-proof and it generates quite a good amount.
- If they are, then you should probably think about buying coke machines or soft drink vending machines.
- These kinds of drinks have been well proven over time to sell well at snack time, and if you buy them in large quantities, you can make a lot of money.
- However, coke machines are also very crowded with customers during the morning and evening, which mean they will not do very well unless there are a lot of other people in the area also using the machines to get a quick drink.
It may be difficult to find coke machines or soda machines at a location where there are so many snack vending machines, because they do not tend to be positioned near many eating or gathering places.
However, if you can find a good vending machine that can be placed near a school, office building, public park or even a sporting event, you will find a lot of people using them there.
In fact, if you buy enough beverage vending machines, you can make a nice profit on them in the long run.
You will also have less work to do to keep them stocked with cold drinks and lunches.
Soda machines generally do not appeal to a lot of people, but they are extremely popular with kids and teenagers.
These tend to have several different drinks and snacks, including carbonated ones and fruit juice and other cool stuff.
Some coffee vending machines also serve drinks, although most do not.
When looking for coke machines and soda machines to place at different locations, think about where there are a lot of people using them, where you can easily keep an eye on them and where they are not being used.
What Types of Vending Machines Are Available?
While looking for what types of vending machines are available, it is important to think about the type of product you will be selling.
Basically these are the most common type of vending machines : Combo, Drink Soda Pop, And Snack Machine.
Are you going to be selling sodas, gumballs, snacks, or another type of food item?
Are you going to be making coffee, juice, or other beverages?
These are just some of the questions that you need to answer before purchasing any type of vending machine. By thinking about these things, you will be able to decide what types of vending machines are available and what types will best suit your needs.
What Are the Requirements to Put Up a Snack Machine?
What are the basic requirements to put up a snack machine? These are important because the kind of machine that you choose should depend on your needs and the amount of time that you can dedicate to making them.
The following are some of the most important considerations that you need to make so that you end up with a healthy snack option that is cost-effective and also easy to use.
Normally you just need a business registration and the permission of the owner in the location that you are going to place the vending machine.
Sometimes you need to prepare a contract and agreement for placement of a vending machine.
What Are the Requirements to Place a Soda Machine in Your Business?
What are the requirements to place a soda machine in your business? There are many things that make up a successful vending machine business, but the three most important factors are location, brand name and quality of products offered.
To successfully compete in today’s marketplace, you need to place your machines in high traffic areas, places where people are looking for a soda or snack, where people can find you quickly, and where you will make the most profit.
Requirement is basically the same as placing your snack machine as mentioned above.
How Does Full Service Vending Work?
If you are wondering what kind of vending machine business you should go into then I would say you should consider the beverage vending machines.
Beverage beverages are very popular and people like to buy them, that is why it is so easy to find many coke machines and soda machines in almost every mall or grocery store.
The problem though with beverage vending is that there is usually a limited amount of places that you can put them because people tend to like to drink other things while they are waiting for their lunch or dinner.
You might want to consider vending machines that sell soda, coke, juice or even dry fruits. You can find such coke machines, soda machines and even fruit machines almost anywhere but the most popular kind is the coffee vending machines because they serve not only coffee but also tea, hot chocolate and other kinds of snacks.
How Much Should I Pay a Location to Place My Vending Machine There?
If you have been thinking about placing vending machines in a particular location and have been asking yourself, “How much should I pay for a location to place my vending machine there?” then you have come to the right place.
This article will help you make an informed decision when it comes to placing your business machines in locations. I have personally placed vending machines in locations where I know I can get paid for my efforts, and in return, I have made a fair profit.
However, keep in mind that your profits will depend on the profitability of the area you are placing your machine.
When you are new in the vending machine business, it is very hard to find locations since the community where you live does not know you. Many instances you have to go through a vending machine locator to find locations for you and it amounts to $200 to $1,500 depending on the potential of the location.
Please be aware that there are some locators that ripped you off for a very high price and after running it for a couple of years, he will try to steal the location and sells it to another vendor.
How Do You Make Money With Vending Machines?
If you’re looking for a great way to generate an extra income, then vending machine business might be for you. It’s easy to start up, doesn’t require too much startup money, and if you play your cards right, you can make money with vending machines. So where do you start?
You can always try your hands with a couple of locations and normally you can find sellers on facebook marketplace or your local city’s craigslist.
You must double your cost of goods for the selling price on your vending machine otherwise it is a total waste of time, effort, gasoline and energy.
What is the Coolest Vending Machine You Have Ever Seen?
What is the coolest vending machine you have ever seen and what did it sell? For me, nothing comes close to a Popeye promotional vending machine. I am a huge Popeye fan and when I saw this machine at a trade show a few years ago, I was in heaven. I was excited to go buy one and see what all the hype was about. There are many different kinds of vending machines and the Popeye was in a class all by itself.
How Much Do Vending Machines Typically Make?
People who own vending machines are always looking for ways to increase their sales. These owners know that it takes only one customer in a location to make a sale for the owner of that location, so they always want to add new locations or offer different types of products to people in different locations.
They also want to make sure that they are offering machines that will attract customers for years to come, so they often try to buy the best vending machines they can find. If you want to start earning money from your vending machine business, then you need to learn all about the income potential of the machines you are currently operating.
This article will discuss some of the things you should consider when figuring out how much do vending machines typically make.
It really depends on the location.
Busy location needs servicing 2X a week and total sales might reach $800 per month ( your profit less cost of goods is about $400 )
Small location needs servicing 1X a month and total sales might just be $100 per month ( your profit less cost of goods is just about $50 per month )
Essentially great locations are already taken, you have to be lucky to find a vendor that is retiring or getting out of the business and buy it off from him. Or you can make an offer to existing vendor who wants to sell his business.
How Can a 17-Year-Old Start Up a Vending Machine Business With Just $2000 to Invest?
This is the age of entrepreneurialism and the entrepreneurial mindset and one of the latest ways how can a 17-year-old start up a vending machine business is buying existing vending machine route.
You can always start with a few gumball machines for even less than $2,000 and see how it goes.
How Much Money Do I Need to Start a Vending Machine Business?
In order to answer the question, “How much money do I need to start a vending machine business?” it’s important to take a hard look at what you want to achieve with this business. Is it to make some extra cash, or do you want to become a serious vending machine business owner? These are questions you need to ask yourself when figuring out how much money do I need to start a vending machine business.
You can always start with a vending machine business with as little as $1,500. With this money you can buy a soda pop machine and placed it on a location.
But if you are serious on generating a full time livelihood, you have to buy an existing route and be prepared to spend at least $50,000 to $100,000 to make a decent money.
Is a Beverage Vending Machine Business Profitable?
If you are planning to start a home based beverage vending machine business, you will have to decide if it is going to be successful. This type of business usually takes some time before you start seeing results and it is not something that you can just open up and expect to make money immediately. It is going to take some time, effort, and trial and error before you find the right machine for you. Here are some tips to help you choose a good home based business opportunity.
Soda Pop vending machine business is good as long as you have around 5 to 10 machines on locations.
Will Vending Machines Hold 16.9 Bottles?
Yes most of the soda pop machines can accept bottle or can beverages and you have to configure it as shown on the You Tube video below.
What Are Some Tips to Starting a Vending Machine Business?
Secure an existing vending machine route and verify the monthly sales figures. This is best answer I can provide since all figures can be verified by the vendor who runs the business.
You must be able to get the Telemetry Sales figure from the debit credit card reader on the vendor’s sales records.
If there is no basis then you might be scammed.
How Much Does 1 Vending Machine Earn Per Month?
If you are a vending machine owner, answering the question “How much does 1 vending machine earn per month?” can be a bit difficult. For one thing, not all vending machines earn the same amount per month. Some of them pay a few cents for a soda, while others may pay several dollars.
I have a location where i refill soda pop 2X a week and was able to collect around $100 every visit.
I have another location where i refill soda pop 1X a month and the collection is just $30.
It really depends on the location you have.
Do You Need to Pay Any Type of Tax For Vending Machine?
It is a good idea to talk to an accountant or tax adviser if you are a business owner who has to pay out any type of tax for vending machines.
The IRS can be rather tricky when it comes to people buying products from vending machines, as they will claim that the product was bought and used in the US and therefore is eligible for tax relief.
In Canada, you have to declare your total sales every year to CRA and pay taxes.
Vending machines are not sold with any warranty and when you claim the purchase is for personal use only you are eligible for the tax deduction.
Many small businesses get caught out this way and when they ask their accountant what they might have missed, they are dismayed at their lack of knowledge and are almost always given the wrong advice.
If you find yourself in this position, you are advised to seek legal advise as soon as possible and to try and reduce your tax bill as much as possible by making sure you buy the products from vending machines which are in locations where there is a habit of in-going income, as such purchases would have seen your earnings increase significantly.
Vending Machine Placement Tips – You Can Put A Vending Machine In Any Public Place
You can put a vending machine in almost any public place as long as it is open to the public. Some places, such as bus stations, are generally very safe and secure but other places, such as train stations, may not be so lucky.
It is not advisable to place vending machines in a public place. There is a high risk on vandalism attempts and you will be loosing money in no time.
How Much Profit Can Be Made on a Fully Stocked Vending Machine?
For a 6 wide combo vending machine, you can normally put in about $400 to $500 dollars worth of products. You can put expensive monster energy drinks, starbucks coffee drinks and chocolate bars.
If the machine is empty and needing for a refill hopefully after 1 week then your profit is normally around $150 to $200, but only if the location is very busy.
With the Covid 19 crises now, those locations does not exist anymore. Perhaps after a couple of years when business gradually gets back on its feet.
Can You Make Money When You Put a Vending Machine in a Small Apartment Building?
If you own a vending machine and you want to rent it, you might be thinking “How can I make money when I put a vending machine in a small apartment building?”
Yes you can as long as the apartment building’s vicinity does not have 7 11 or any corner stores that is around the block. The residents will surely try to get their munchies since it is very convenient.
Can I Make Money by Placing Vending Machines?
If you are thinking of getting vending locations and selling them to vendors then it will definitely work. You have to be in a very big city in order to make a full time income as a vending machine locator.
But if you are in a small city then this can just be a side income since most of the locations are already filled up with vending machines.
How Many Cans Or Bottles Of Soda Does A Typical Vending Machine Hold?
How many cans or bottles of soda does a typical vending machine hold? This is one question that you should ask yourself when you are looking for a vending machine to purchase.
Most of the soda pop vending machine can easily hold 300 cans. There is a comprehensive article on the different sizes and capacity on different soda pop machines.
What Are the Electrical Requirements For a Soda Machine?
Normally for a snack machine you just need at least 5AMPS
For a Soda Pop Vending Machine it is safe to have at least 15 to 20 AMPS outlet.
How Often Should the Vending Machines Be Refilled?
The question of how often the vending machines should be refilled has been raised by many a customer over the years. Often it is seen as a very expensive operation to have a machine that refills itself. There is also a fear amongst many customers that if they do not get their drinks on time they might go elsewhere, which is a very real possibility if a machine is not maintained properly.
If your vending machines are equipped with telemetry device, you can always look up online on the total sales before you visit the location.
If you have older machines, you have to know when to visit through experience.
If the vending machines are grouped together in an area and high performing locations then visit 2X a week will be necessary to maximize profits.
Some locations need 2X a week visits
Some location need 1 a week.
Some location needs 1X every 2 weeks.
Some location needs 1X visit every 2 months! ( these are the locations that you need to get rid if you find an opportunity )
But sometimes it is good to keep a mix of slow and fast-moving locations. Because some locations are not permanent and management sometimes changes their mind about keeping vending machines. To be able to survive in vending machine business you have to keep on finding new locations every now and then.
Sometimes you think the existing locations are permanent but there might be a certain person in the building that you might get offended or being too sensitive and suddenly wanted you out.
In business, there always carries a risk. Just do business the best that you can do.
It really depends on what kind of location you have.
What Happens If I Need to Move My Vending Machine?
It is always hard work, and it can be very stressful if you have a soda machine business. One of the biggest stresses that I have ever had to deal with was when I had to move my soda machine, because it is located on a flight of stairs.
And the moving charge will be $500!
It was really sad because people were coming in all different sizes and shapes to buy sodas from me. When I had to move my soda machine, I found out that I could not take the amount of money that I had been making with my soda machines because the amount of people who bought them had gone down and now I was making less per transaction than I used to.
What if My Vending Machine is Vandalized?
What if my vending machine is vandalized? It happens more often than you think. Vandalism can happen for many reasons, like someone could be mad that they didn’t get their hands on a certain dollar bill. It can also happen as a result of anger over something like the war or violence.
This usually happens when someone feels wronged or wants to get revenge for something.
According to my experience, there are always 1 or 2 persons who resides in the building who is a free loader and do not respect property of the building or the vendor. You can just have to deal with sore thumbs and make sure that your vending machine is always secured.
Below is a YouTube Video in one of my locations:
- 1st incident : vending machine glass was shattered and products stolen
- 2nd incident : vending machine steel grill was punched in even after installing plexiglass and hardened steel grill
- 3rd incident : vending machine coin hole was used to fish coins and a long steel pick with micro magnets but did not work
- 4th incident : so far so good vending machine is very secured after those incidents, guy was repeatedly caught on camera, always the same person
What If Someone Loses Money in the Vending Machines?
Normally customer calls me when he or she loses money on the vending machine and the next time you visit the location, you simply have to give it to the reception or manager.
Vending machines cannot be perfect sometimes there is a jam inside from people putting other stuff than coins.
How Do You Deal With Repair And Refill Issues?
If your vending machine compressor is breaking down and this is the most expensive cost since the compressor is around $350 to $900 depending on the soda pop vending machine.
Sometimes it is better to buy a used soda pop machine which might be cheaper than having it fixed.
If location calls you for refill then you have to do it in 2 days or else management might be unhappy and look for someone else in the future.
How Many Different Choices Can the Vending Machines Hold?
The most common question about using vending machines is, “How many different selections can the vending machines hold?” The answer is that the number of different choices available is dependent upon how many soda machines you have.
Different soda machines hold a different number of different sodas, so it’s important to think carefully about which machine you’ll use in a given area before you purchase one.
What Products Do You Have Available in the Vending Machines?
What products do you have available in the vending machines? There are vending machines available that sell a variety of items and services and there are some machines that only sell one type of product. If you have the vending business then you need to have the best quality vending machines to help your customers. These machines can add to your bottom line, but also increase business turnover if they are well maintained and stocked.
