Vending Business: Lessons Any Business Can Learn from a Vending Machine Operator

How hard can it be to operate a vending business? You do not have to have the skills of a salesman and it is possible to make a full-time living working part-time hours. Even though the vending business looks like a simple business to run, it takes certain skills to be successful.

Pay attention to costs

If you want to maximize your revenue and bottom line profits, you need to pay very careful attention to costs. For every dollar in sales you make, there are expenses that must be deducted.

• Inventory – candy bars, sodas and other items you stock in the vending machine
• Servicing your route – Costs money whether you do it yourself or hire someone
• Spoilage – you can’t sell stale products or products with ripped packaging
• Theft & Vandalism – vending machines make easy targets
• Maintenance – machines need to be serviced and sometimes need repairs

Manage your expenses

• Find a reliable supplier and look for quantity discounts.
• Reduce deliver & pickup costs by planning routes and combining product stocking and cash retrieval into one trip.
• Store inventory in a climate controlled environment.
• Indoor locations are more secure and less prone to theft and vandalism.
• Use a professional vending machine parts and service company like Vend Net USA to assure that your machines are always in top operating condition.