Tips While Selecting Products for Your Vending Machine

Nowadays vending machines are seen almost everywhere across the globe. Convenience, instant service and ability to dispense wide variety of products at reasonable prices to customers of all age groups make them very popular. Of all other countries, it has been found that vending machines have gained huge acceptance in US. People here are so used to these machines, that they spend more that $60 billion towards purchasing products from vending machines.

In case you are a novice looking to start your business, the best place to get started are wholesale clubs. Some of these stores offer members huge savings when they make bulk purchase. Hence it is beneficial for the operator as he would be saving some money which could be used for his business development.

If you are considering vending candy, go for mass purchases or look for distributors who offer merchandising rebates. Even if you are able to save little amount, that can be used for further development and expansion of your business. Try to vend products that are in constant demand and which can be supplied easily. Soda is one such product that has both consistent demand and at the same time can be supplied easily.

Try to offer latest and innovative products in your vending machine. This is quite handy in raising your sales since most customers prefer novelty. They like to experiment with various new products that enter the market. So, don’t hesitate to offer a different selection of products to your target audience. This will not only keep your customers satisfied but also give you a competitive advantage over existing players in the market.

Another aspect which all operators need to bear is that the products offered in their machine should be fairly priced. Most customers would be willing to try out new products that are fairly priced, even if they are not familiar with it. This method will not only increase your customer’s brand awareness but also keep them loyal and committed towards you.

Careful product selection and strategically placing them in the right location would definitely make vending a huge success.

Advantages of Starting Your Own Vending Business

Most of us look for some additional sources of income besides the regular jobs we undertake. However due to time and money constraints, we only keep thinking but never try to implement. For all such people out there, vending is the perfect solution. This is a very simple business model that does not require any prior experience or specialised skills.

This does not mean that you can become rich and famous over night. Success cannot be achieved in a day. You need to put in a lot of hard work and dedication to succeed. To begin with you need to do a thorough market research. This would help you in understanding the present market scenario, customer needs, their tastes and preferences and the products with maximum demand. It also helps you in understanding what vending business is all about.

Once you have decided to take up this business, you can surf the net to find out various vending machines offered for sale. After purchasing a vending machine, your next and most important step would be strategically placing them. If you think that you can place your Planet Antares machine in any crowded area and just sit back waiting to count your revenue, you are thoroughly mistaken. You need to identify the perfect location for your kind of machine which is in turn influenced by the kind of product you offer and the type of customers you cater to. Conducting a small research is really very useful. In this way you would not only be able to know the areas that already have similar machines but also understand how they are performing.

Each location is different and unique in itself. Hence, you need to place your machines accordingly. After installing your machine, you also need to strive to compete with other competitors in that particular area. By offering quality products and by keeping your machines well serviced and clean you can attract customers.

This is perhaps the only business model that allows you to be your own boss with flexible working hours, no area restrictions and a lot of free time to enjoy with your family and friends.

Vending Not A Tough Nut To Crack If You Understand Its Basics

Vending is one of the very few business opportunities that is least affected by recession or other economic downturns. Besides this low capital requirement, zero employees, high profit margins make it most popular choice among operators. These features have been able to draw more and more customers towards this business. Thus the number of operators taking up this business has increased manifold. Vending industry also faces stiff competition from shopping malls and other retail outlets.

It is quite challenging for this industry to withstand this competition and create a unique identity for itself in this competitive world. For this to happen, vending operator needs to under stand working of this industry from a broader perspective. It has also been observed that there are few operators who quit this business unable to grasp the basics clearly. Getting lured by the returns and benefits of this industry, they often ignore the necessity of proper planning and its strategic implementation.

Few tips on how to withstand this competition are mentioned below:

• Try to be specific in what you sell. Do not vend more than what you can manage. Concentrate on few products and switch to bulk vending if possible for better results.

• The establishment and running costs of vending business is low compared to other businesses. This business does not require you to hire sales personnel and being a complete cash business, there is no scope for bad debts. These benefits allow you to price products at lesser price when compared to other shopping malls or retail outlets.

• Vending has gained huge popularity among people who hardly have time to wait in long queue for billing or purchasing products. This machine provides you with the convenience of pick and go. So ensure that you stock your machine with sufficient quantity of stock. This will help boost your sales.

• Always prefer latest and new machines. Discourage used or refurbished machines. New machines are more reliable and ensure smooth operations.

• Adopt marketing strategies. Provide discounts and special offers that can increase your sales.


• Prefer glass front vending machines from Planet Antares when compared to closed ones. These machines enable customers to see the products which they would be purchasing. Not only this, glass front machines help you in identifying outdated stock which can be easily removed.

These tips if implemented properly are sure to give you a huge success.

Packaging-Crucial-In-Vending-Business

How is that we are able to identify few products easily? The entire credit goes to its packaging. But what is packaging? Why is it so important? The typical definition of packaging goes like this- Packaging is the art of enclosing or protecting products before they are sent for distribution, storage, sale or use. Besides making the product look attractive, packaging is done to protect the product, prevent it from contamination, and create convenience during transport, security and most importantly as a marketing strategy. Whatever may be the reason, from business point of view packaging is done to enhance sales.

The kind of product you offer is no doubt important but what is even more important is how it is being offered? “First impression is the best impression” this holds good even in marketing a product. Product packing should be in such a way that a customer is persuaded to purchase the moment he sees the product. Hence packaging should be done in such a way that the beauty of the product is highlighted.

Besides quality and cost, customers give equal or perhaps more priority to the way in which the product is packed and offered for sale. This is one reason why manufacturers do not hesitate spending thousands of dollars on packaging of a product.

How can packaging influence sales of a product?

• Customers tend to judge a product by its looks: Customers cannot feel the product or see it unless they purchase it. The first thing that strikes them or impresses them when they look at a product is its packaging. Hence they judge the product based on its look and even decide whether to purchase it or not.

• Sometimes attractive packaging urges customer to try the product: The beauty of packing sometimes drives customer to purchase and try the product.

• Packaging acts as a shield and protects product from damages.

• Packaging highlights the features of the product.

If you are using a glass front vending machine from planet Antares for dispensing products, packaging becomes very vital as customers can see through the machine and choose the product before they purchase it.

Vending-Irresistible Businesses

In spite of several new and promising business opportunities sprouting up, vending has not lost its charm. What is that which make this highly preferred business opportunity?

This can be viewed from two aspects- customer and operator perspective.

Customer perspective: What is that which customers long? Instant services backed up by convenience and quality. This is what customers expect from any provider. All these features are available in a vending machine. Technology advancement has helped this industry to grow further at a faster pace. Machines which were once capable of dispensing selective items are now able to dispense almost all products now. Modern customers are too busy to stand in queues waiting to buy products. With the help of these machines you can buy anything of your choice at the click of a single button.

Operator perspective: If you are a businessman looking for some low risk investment option, then vending is appropriate for you. This business can be taken up by anyone on a full time or part time basis. Moreover it does not require any specific skill set or knowledge. The main advantages of vending business are:

• Low capital: unlike other businesses, vending does not require huge capital or floor space for its establishment. This business can be operated even from your residence.

• Complete cash business: This is an all cash business. So, operators need not bother about bad debts.

• Uninterrupted services: Since this is a machine run business, there is no time limit. Hence business can be run round the clock.

• Tax exemption: Operators can claim tax exemption.

• Ease of operation: Machines are designed based on target customers. Moreover these machines can be operated by anyone. Hence they can draw customers towards them.

• Over head costs: Overhead, repair and maintenance costs in this business are also low when compared to other business ventures.

All these benefits make vending most irresistible business. For more insight into the business contact Planet Antares.