How to Start Vending Business

Vending is one of the very few businesses that do not require any technical qualification or specific skill set. This is perhaps the main reason for increasing popularity of this business among all business classes. This does not mean that this is a very easy business. Like every other business, vending requires a lot of ground work and proper planning in order to enjoy returns.

Finance is one of the prerequisites for starting any business. Every prospective vending operator needs to analyze the estimated costs for taking up a vending business. This cost depends on two factors, the make and number of vending machines required. If you have taken up vending business for the first time, then choose a product that has maximum demand among customers. Another important thing that operators need to bear in mind is to purchase a new vending machine whenever they take up this business. Several models are vending machines are available in the market at reasonable rates. So, choose the one that best fits your financial limitations.

Location is the next important factor that influences the success of your business. Prefer a location that has maximum customer traffic. Schools, offices, restaurants, shopping malls, bus and railway stations are some of the most popular locations. Make sure that the location you have selected is easily accessible to your target customers.

Price of product you would like to dispense should also be selected with great care. This is because the price of the product and your target audience bear direct relationship. If you are targeting middle class customers and are offering high price products, the chances of success are minimal.

All these factors directly or indirectly influence the success of your business. So operator should carefully and strategically plan his moves to become successful. It is also advised to get in touch with Planet Antares staff for any assistance.

Vending Location Options

Location is one of the few factors that influence the success of a vending business. After you have decided on the kind of machine you would be purchasing, your next step would be to identify the most suitable location for your vending machine. Unlike previous days, vending machines these days are offering a wide range of products. Due to increasing opportunities, operators are targeting several new and untapped locations.

Conducting a thorough market research becomes mandatory before starting any business and vending is no exception to this. This research not only helps in locating the most appropriate location but also helps in understanding prevailing competition, market trends and tastes and preferences of customers.

With the advent of vending machines trading has been made more simple and easy task. Immaterial of which place you are in, you can easy access your most favourite product anytime and at any place. Be it the traditional products like gumball, candy, beverage, snacks or the latest products like iPods, DVD, newspaper, laundry and many more, vending machines sell all of them.

Some very popular and promising locations for installing your machines could be radio and TV stations, club houses, lounges, night clubs, banks, restaurants, fitness centers, schools, hospitals, air ports etc. The main purpose of installing vending machines is to increase accessibility and convenience to customers. So operator needs to locate an area that has maximum customer traffic and to get this he may even need to pay some commission to the location owner.

It is a proved fact that all locations are not the same. For instance a vending machine with candy balls placed in a school and one that is place near a health club may not generate the same sales. There is no scarcity of locations. In case you are unable to locate suitable locations all by yourself, you can take the help of a vending locator. The success of your business no doubt depends on how well you choosing a location.

What to look for in a vending machine.

Are you thinking of buying a vending machine and are confused? Well, it is quite possible that when you think of buying vending machines you get confused about which machine to buy and from where to buy. In your mind there will be several questions like:

1. Can I use a particular vending machine for multiple products?
2. Will it be accepted by customers?
3. Location owners - what will they think about my machine?
4. Will it last long and give me fault free service?
5. Is it power saving?
6. Does the manufacturing company provide after-sales support?
7. Is it latest in technology?
8. Is it priced right?

It is important to buy a vending machine that is reliable and can work smoothly for years. There should not be any hiccups in business like repairing machine every now and then. If you buy faulty machines it is quite possible that your machine will jam up while product is coming out. This can be very frustrating for a customer who has already put in bill/ coin in the vending machine.

When you start looking for a vending machine, it is advisable to buy a versatile vending machine that is capable of storing and vending multiple products at the same time. Also you should opt for compact vending machines as they can be placed anywhere easily. Be sure your vending machine is equipped with latest technology like enhanced circuitry which not only ensures longer life but also ensures smoother operations.

You may come across refurbished vending machines when you go out to buy one. These may be cheap to buy initially and sellers may tell you that they are as good as new but the fact is that they aren’t new machines. They are generally old machines which have been discarded by someone and bought by such companies. Refurbished vending machines are repaired and painted to make them look as if they will last long. Most of the refurbished vending machines start giving trouble in first few months of operations. It is advised to buy new vending machines from reputed manufacturer.

Planet Antares manufactures vending machines that are equipped with latest technology and are sleek in design. They are reasonable to buy and the company provides unmatched after sales support. If you plan to buy a vending machine, do consult professionals from Planet Antares

Profit Maximisation in Vending Business

We all take up business to make profits. Maximisation of profits is possible either by increasing prices, reducing expenses or improving sales. Improving sales is always a better option when compared to the other two. One way of increasing sales is by placing your vending machine in the best location. Try to identify locations that are affordable.

Operators are generally charged for placing their machines in a location. When you start looking for locations, try to negotiate on the amount you are charged. Usually operators are charged 10% to 30% of profit per month on each machine. Bargain a lower percentage than the ones stated above.

Another way of increasing sales is by maintaining the machine properly. Try to keep your machine clean. A clean and well maintained machine is successful in drawing the attention of more customers. You need not spend hours together servicing your machine. A weekly servicing scheduled is sufficient to keep them in good working condition. If you are using a glass front vending machine, then make sure that the front glass is clear enough for the customers to view the products offered for sale. Also keep in mind that you buy only new vending machines from trusted manufacturers like Planet Antares and never opt for old and refurbished vending machines as used machines more often than not will not work and ruin your reutation in the market.

Identifying best location also influences the sales of your products. Choose a location that has maximum customer traffic. Since vending is impulsive buying, higher the customer traffic higher are the chances of increasing sales. Selection of location is also influenced by the kind of product that is vended. For instance: if you vend candy, then choose location that has maximum number of kids. The product mix is influenced by your target customers.

It is also important that you vend only fresh products in your machine. This will create goodwill for you’re among your customers and thus boost your sales. Operators need to remember one thing, customer have fancy for new products. So, try to place at least limited stock of new products in your machine. These will no doubt boost your sales. Even if something goes wrong, you can always replace it with the original product.

All these, if carefully followed can skyrocket your business.

Tips On How To Start Vending Business

There is always some element of confusion in the minds of people who want to take up vending business. They do not understand which product to vend, which machine to purchase and where to place it. The answers to these basic questions can be obtained by conducting a thorough market research. This information collected helps you to understand the present scenario in vending industry, products in demand and customer’s needs and expectations.

The demand and profit margins is not same for all products. Hence you need to be sure of what you want to vend. The kind of machine you purchase is also influenced by the nature of the product you sell. There are several kinds of machines available in the market of which snack and food vending machines are most sort after.

After deciding on what you sell, choosing a location becomes crucial. Localities with high customer traffic like busy streets, commercial complexes, airports, rest rooms, bus stations, shopping malls or any other place with huge gathering is ideal. Customer reach is essential to make vending business a success and for this to happen, you need to install your machine in the right place.

Pricing of the product is also a vital decision to be made and this is also influenced by the kind of location in which you have placed your machine and your target audience. For instance: if you have placed your machine is a middle class locality targeting middle age group, then the price of the product you offer should be within their reach. Otherwise you may not be successful in your venture.

The best thing about this business is that it can be taken up by anyone and does not require specialized skills or knowledge. Another thing that makes this business attractive is the returns it provides. The easy of operation, flexibility in working hours and no need of sales staff makes this a very cost effective business.

Vending is a completely customer oriented business. So it becomes imperative for the operator to ensure prompt customer service. To make sure you achieve this, keep your machine clean and attractive, detect and rectify faults with the machine, keep your machine fully stocked and ensure you vend only best quality products. All this if properly followed will make your customers happy and ensure that they visit your machine again and again.