Estimating approximate set up and operating for 1 vending machine is about 800 dollars
What I have been trying to get across is that the approximate set up and operating for 1 vending machine does not have to be expensive. In fact, it really can be done with very little out of pocket expense. The one thing that you will need to make sure of is that you have a contract with the owner of the property where the vending machines are going to be located. Otherwise, there is a lot of room for negotation.
You can always buy a used vending machine for starters.
A used combo vending machine is about $500 to $750.
A used snack vending machine is about $200 to $400.
A used soda pop machine is about $400 to $800.
Moving your vending machine to a location normally costs around $120 if it is easy to move or if there are elevators with wide doors.
Moving your vending machine to a location with a flight of stairs requires special equipment such as a stair climber to move and this will cost you about $240 to $500.
Here are some of the different locations that I personally experience doing the vending machine business in Vancouver, BC.
But Of Course, This is applicable anywhere as long as people are using vending machines.
In reality most of the locations here in Vancouver, BC considered as a good location sells about 10 items per day and the table below shows that you can bring home about $ 255 per month profit.
If you have about 10 very good locations then the take-home profits will approximately be around $ 2550 per month assuming that people buys 7 days a week, considering you are not deducting other expenses such as :
- Broken Machines
- Coin Jam ( machine out of order for 1 week )
- Compressor Gets Broken
- Saturday and Sunday Almost Zero Sales
Here in Vancouver, the busiest location that I observed is doing about 25 sales per day, but these kinds of places are very rare and extremely hard to find.
Most vendors here is happy with 5 to 10 sales per day for 1 vending machine or for 2 vending machines which comprises of a single snack and a single soda pop machine. It all boils down to how many vending machines you have. But these pandemic times are unpredictable.
Even if you have hundreds of machines but most of them are unplugged since most people are still working from home then it is hard to say.
Eventually in 2 to 3 years from now everything will get back to normal and the tables below is your guide on the profit per month basing on sales per day.
Busy Location with people coming in and out
Sells Per Day | Cost Of Goods | Selling Price | Profit | Commission | Per Month | Out Of Order | Maintenance |
50 | 0.50 | 1.50 | 1 | 0.15 | 1275 | ||
25 | 0.50 | 1.50 | 1 | 0.15 | 637.50 | ||
10 | 0.50 | 1.50 | 1 | 0.15 | 255 |
Medium Location
Sells Per Day | Cost Of Goods | Selling Price | Profit | Commission | Per Month | Out Of Order | Maintenance |
25 | 0.50 | 1.50 | 1 | 0.15 | 637.50 | ||
10 | 0.50 | 1.50 | 1 | 0.15 | 255 | ||
5 | 0.50 | 1.50 | 1 | 0.15 | 127.50 |
Office Location
Sells Per Day | Cost Of Goods | Selling Price | Profit | Commission | Per Month | Out Of Order | Maintenance |
5 | 0.50 | 1.50 | 1 | 0.15 | 127.50 | ||
2 | 0.50 | 1.50 | 1 | 0.15 | 51 |
The Coin Mechanism Inside Your Vending Machine Is Worth 60 Dollars
Have you ever been to a business where the coin mechanism was broken and did not get to see the solution in time? It is sad to say but there are many vending companies out there that have this problem and do nothing about it.
They have the mentality that a repair can wait for several weeks or maybe they are just waiting for their replacement parts.
What is important to know is that by getting a quick fix from a professional you will be able to get your vending machine functioning again without having to pay for yet another repairman to come fix it for you.
Gumball And Candy Machines Is The Lowest Priced Vending Machine that you can start with
You can purchase a small model that will allow you to have small amounts of candies or gumballs, or you can choose to buy one with a number of different options.
The candy and gumball machine with the number of options typically costs more, but it’s a good idea to get a variety of models so that you can have treats for your family and office employees.
The least expensive gumball machine usually has four different options for different types of gumballs. While this may seem like a lot of different options, the most expensive ones typically only have two, three, or four different types of gumballs.
What Can You Do With Refurbished Machinery?
Refurbished machines can be bought new but are usually refurbished to near new conditions by the original manufacturer. Refurbished machines have been tested to ensure that they are in working condition and are also tested for defect. Machines can be bought new or refurbished. You can buy used machines from a dealer or you can buy it from the manufacturer direct. If you decide to go with the dealer, look around and do not forget to check out what they have available.

What You Need to Know About Running a Vending Business With Initial Stock to Fill Your Machines
When starting an investment in a business like vending machines, you want to know that you are investing in something that is going to see long term profits. This means that you need to buy your inventory in bulk. Some people who start out with small businesses often have trouble being able to keep their costs down because they only have so much money to invest. However, if you buy your equipment from the beginning then you are sure to save money from month to month.
One of the most common mistakes that new business owners make is buying too many machines for their business.
With the economy the way it is today, you can’t afford to have too many machines.
What is the Cost of the Equipment For My Vending Business?
Many newbie owners of a vending business often ask themselves what is the cost of the equipment. This is one of those questions that they want to know the answer to but can not seem to find the right answers to. The cost of the vending equipment is not the only factor that determines how successful you will be as an owner of this type of business.

Cost of Doing Business in Vending Machine
Cost of doing business in vending machine depends on which type of machine you have. If you are a new entrepreneur and you want to start with a business in a vending machine, the first thing you should know is what type of machines you should buy. The type of machine will determine the cost of doing business in the vending machine. Below you can find a short checklist that will help you decide which type of vending machine to buy depending on your cost of doing business in the vending machine.

Here are some of the operating expenses that you seriously need to keep track:
- Vending Machine breakdown
- Vending Machine coin mechanism updates
- Yearly Taxes
- Monthly Card Reader expenses
- Monthly Location commissions
- Monthly Rent on Location
- Gasoline
- Insurance Liability