Are vending machines a viable business?

hurricaneamy

Is it possible to make money with vending machines? Any success stories out there?

besthealth

I`m sure there are many success stories. However, it depends on who is telling the story. The pitch man who wants you to purchase the machines? Of course you will hear loads of great successes. I would advise you to do some research - think of where you would like to place your machines; call and inquire from those sites of interest and see if they are interested in your business. Depending on the feedback - you will have a better idea of how you should proceed. Placing your machines can be quite a task especially in corporate and government/state businesses. If you can get them placed in a few small businesses (gas stations, beauty salons, churches, private medical practices) then you may be better able to get in with the bigger companies. My brother and a very good friend both ventured into the vending machine business and both have been stuck with the machines trying to place them. Interestingly, neither of them know each other but they are facing the same dilemma. I think they were caught up in the sales pitch of the meeting they attended which gave great numbers.
Good luck!!!!!

WebJunky

awesome answer besthealth....
on the surface they sound very good.....but in reality i have heard the same issues. restocking, paying rent space, placing them, damages, maintenance, someone to go collect and refill daily, etc.that said, i absolutely love the concept of the red box, the DVD vending machine. genius! the manufacturer that is, prolly not so much the owner of individual machines here and there lol.

WebJunky

phanio,
whilei i disgaree with your initial point (as some business plans or models are just doomed inherently from the get go), you do make a very good point of building a stream of income and feeding it into a long term investment such as rental housing. that is exactly what i do. see investing is a long term game. you won`t become rich overnight.  if you want to become rich, focus on increasing the top line, by adding income streams or growing existing ones. i have started and sold websites and currently operate three highly profitable ones.  since costs are minimal to run the business, i take a lot of the proceeds and invest in rental housing. with the current market, making $300-500 monthly cash flow on a house/condo is not difficult (plus you build long term equity and reap the tax advantages). excellent point 

aliciag

My husband and I own our own snack/soda vending business and it has definately proven successful to date.  The most important thing is not to buy a vending machine until you have secured a location for it.  Also, there are so many distributors of used vending machines that only cost a fraction of the brand new ones being pushed by sales persons.  Make sure you shop around before you make the purchase.  Make sure that your location will be a profitable one based on # of employees/visitors that will have access to the machine and the type of work that is being performed.  For example: factories, colleges, hotels and rehab facilities are much more profitable than a small to medium sized office.  If you stay ahead of the game and watch your profit margin closely- you will do very well (we sell everything for 2x the amount we purchased it for).  The only down side to the business is that it is very much a physical job.  Hope this helps a little.

WebJunky

alicia,
want to shed light on how many vending machines it takes to live an "ok" lifestyle? by ok i mean basic necessities and just a tad bit more to shove into savings.... 

renegadeleader

Coffee vending machine is one demand right now.

clark10

Vending machines have been a part of the landscape for decades and they haven't changed much in appearance. The average junk food vending machine is a brown-colored behemoth full of chocolate, chips, soda, and not much in the way of nutritional value.



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Aliya

You'll want to be sure your vending machine offers remote monitoring, so you know what's happening without leaving your home or office. Real time remote monitoring enables you to have a full stock of fresh products since you can view your inventory and see if there are any maintenance issues. It also helps reduce lost sales from items that are out of stock. A high quality franchise will only carry high quality machines, so again if you choose your franchise wisely you don't have to worry about these things.healthy food vending franchise

candyman

It depends from whom you hear it.

robert10

Hi all look making cash during this business depends upon adequate individuals passing your slot machine. The units square measure ideally settled wherever several customers are within the presence of the machine therefore on guarantee high sales volume. smart locations would come with looking centers, care facilities, academic establishments, and transportation centers. you'll be drawn to the present business due to the idea of passive financial gain, which suggests that you just can earn financial gain although you're not truly merchandising the products at the venue, nor square measure you hiring workers to sell the products.



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kathleen_ortan

Yes, I am sure this kind of business can be of profit. Any business can work smoothly provided you have the skill and that motivation factor in you to make the business in perfect order.
Good Luck With Your Business!!

barp

Owning a vending machine just might be the best business to have as you will be able to just see money coming in and it is a great way to make some residual income. If you are serious about making money, owning a vending machine just might be the business to have.
thanks

daniel_carso

I'm sure the vending machines can be a successful business to have some quick cash flow in hand, it all depends on how you move. Personally I would opt for atm machines rather than vending machines. You can use leverage with small businesses about the fees they pay for having credit card processing machines.
Consider options.

Alexei

Look at nice vending idea on indigogo.com: pancake vending machine, and contribute it, and may be it will be in your city and will be your business!

moonsie

The vending machine business is most definitely a profitable business venture.  However, just like any business, you have to be careful. When you're looking to buy a machine, be sure you buy from a reputable dealer or manufacturer.  But most importantly, solidify a location or two (preferably using a contract) before you make the plunge.  
 
There's a lot more to learn about the business. A great resource for this kind of information is at www.thevendingmachinestartup.com.