Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

62-Foot Vending Machine to Headline South by Southwest

Vending machines and social media are becoming more and more in sync these days, but never have they reached the level of grand interactivity that South by Southwest attendees are going to witness next week. Thanks to the BoldStage, those enjoying the SXSW music festival will vote for music’s rising stars. And they will do so using a giant Doritos vending machine.

You read that right. According to Mashable, the event will feature a 62-foot stage in the shape of a giant vending snack machine that will host several up and coming musical acts. Users can tweet with the hashtag #BoldStage throughout the concert and have their pictures and tweets showcased on the massive screen, while also voting for the musicians they like best. With the main stage being updated with fan contributions in real-time, this could very well be the most interactive concert experience ever. For vending machine enthusiasts unable to make the event, Doritos will stream the BoldStage on Facebook.

The BoldStage is a great way to combine the worlds of vending machines, social media, and music to create one unique experience. Do you think we might ever live in a world where 62-foot vending machines are the norm? Snackers everywhere will simply have to wait and see.

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Vending Machine Financing

A concern for many people interested in starting up a vending machine business is the cost of equipment. Vending machines can seem expensive to a newcomer to the vending industry, but with financing plans and the right mindset there are tons of great options available to help you start vending today!

Vending.com offers flexibility for customers to custom-tailor their financing arrangements so that it works best for their type and size of organization. This comes in handy for anyone looking to buy vending machines because each vending machien start-up business is different, and finding the solution that works for you will help ensure your success!

Some of our financing options include flexible repayment arrangements to meet cash flow, specialized programs to increase sales, up to 48 month terms, and a quick credit approval process. Our website also offers tools such as the profit calculator that will help you visualize how easily vending machines pay for themselves between steady profits and financing options.

The easiest way to get started and find out which start-up vending machine business financing option is right for you is to give us a call and speak with one of our specialists. We are here to help you reach your business goals in the vending industry!

Posted on March 15, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Custom Vending Solutions for Any Business

Whatever business you have, Vending.com can help you grow your business. We offer a number of retail vending machines that are created with the customer in mind. Add more ways for your customers to access the products they want, without having to pay for an extra employee.

Storage Supply Depot

Sell all of your top-selling storage supplies from one machine with the Storage Supply Depot! The Storage Supply Depot features a high-security outdoor package to reduce the number of break-ins your machine experiences. This includes an alarm, which sounds when the machine is tipped or a door opened without proper authorization. With reconfigurable trays, you can dispense all brand-named products including locks, tape, storage bags and more.

Ebonite Bowling Supplies Vending Machine

Your bowling customers will love having access to their favorite bowling supplies, even when the Pro Shop is not open, with the Ebonite Bowling Supplies Vending Machine. It has the ability to vend a number of popular bowling products of various shapes and sizes including towels, cleaning sprays or wrist bands. Plus, with iVend Guaranteed Delivery, your products are guaranteed to vend, or customers will receive their money back to try a different product.

Auto Vend Plus Car Wash Vending Machine

Finally, the Auto Vend Plus Car Wash Vending Machine is an outdoor vending machine that can be used by customers any time they need car wash supplies. With a versatile design, customers will have access to the car wash supplies they need, no matter what time of day it is. Dispense products of various sizes including towels, sprays or small trinkets. Finally, the high-security package of this vending machine makes it able to withstand the weather and potential vandalism.

Whether you’re looking to add income to your business or just looking for an expansion on your shop, Vending.com has a custom vending solution to help you grow. To find out more, give us a call at 1-800-548-1982.

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Coke Trying to Connect World Via Vending Machines

The Coca-Cola company will forever be synonymous with the vending machine world, mostly because its beverages can be found in snack and drink vending machines all throughout the world. However, the folks behind Coke are getting ready to take vending machines to an all-new level, as their latest machines are intended to connect customers from all over.

According to Advertising Age, Coke is attempting to integrate vending machines into their Coca-Cola “happiness project,” an idea that they have been working with in various capacities. The company already has a machine you can hug in Singapore, as well as a Turkish machine that gives fresh colas to loving couples. Their latest project, first teased in December, is a high-tech machine that allows users to communicate via webcam to people in India and Pakistan, creating a friendly conversation between countries that have had less-than-friendly relationships.

Whether or not Coca-Cola’s new “happiness project” vending machine can truly change the world, their grand vending vision is certainly an admirable one. Customers could potentially make an unexpected best friend while purchasing their beverage of choice, which is something that cannot be said about everyday drink vending machines. So here’s to Coca-Cola, and the hope that the right technology can be used to make the world a better place.

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Easy Mobile Upgrade for Vending Machines

Incorporating mobile technology into vending machines is a popular trend that is creating tons of new possibilities for payments, technical service and customer interaction. A company called LikeUS Network is coming out with a new technology that gives vending machine patrons more options for mobile payments.

This new “plug-and-play” technology is one of the easiest vending machine upgrades available. This solution allows vending machine operators to plug a device into their existing vending machines and immediately be able to use the technology without the need to change any settings. This new mobile technology is a great addition to allow vending machines for sale currently from companies such as Vending.com to accept payments from PayPayl and Google wallet.

There is also a mobile payment option that allows patrons to interact with the machine via social networks such as Facebook and receive free beverages or snacks in exchange for a Like, Retweet or share. This is an interesting new way to promote your vending machines because a branded message is shared on that customer’s social network that tells all of their friends about your vending machine.

This easy vending machine upgrade is also a great way to gain demographic information on your customers that is typically unavailable to machines that accept cash or credit and debit cards.

Posted on February 16, 2022 | by Phil Masters | Leave a Comment

Winning the right location for your vending machine (the sales approach, not selecting the location)

Factors influencing the success of a vending machine business

9 out of 10 vending business owners would agree that location is the most crucial factor in determining success. Important factors, such as selecting the right vending equipment and choosing the most profitable and saleable merchandise, depend on the location.

For example, in a location where a hip demography loosens their purse strings, having an intuitive interface and reliable operations results in more transactions. Whereas, in transit centers, salty snacks and bottled water are often the most profitable. The only factor that does not depend on location is your vending machine and the service partner – Vending.com.

So how do you put a vending machine somewhere profitable, somewhere good? This blog lets us dive deep into the location factor to see how a vending business owner can win suitable locations to maximize revenue and profits.

Finding a good location

There are several parameters to consider while selecting the right location for your vending machine. These include:

Volume of traffic: The location you select must have high foot traffic. After all, vending is a numbers game. The higher the traffic, the higher the number of transactions.

Type of traffic: Vending is about convenience and the experience depending on the consumer. It is the simple magic of the mechanics for a young kid when you push currency into the machine to get what you want. It might simply be about waiting with a beverage at the Airport for the next flight for an adult. The kind of traffic will define what you sell and how it is priced. The visitors to your location shall define the suitable machine and the right merchandise.

Demographics: The demographic of your location is going to have an impact on profitability. For example, if your machine is at a gym, customers will more than likely be looking for bottled water and not for soda. A themepark, on the other hand, may require more chocolate bars or chips. Ignoring the demographics of your location can be detrimental to your business.

Competition: The presence of other vending machines is a good sign. While the location might need more effort to win, it is a proven location for a vending business. Remember, the vending machines do not compete for the consumer’s attention. They only compete for real estate. It is the products within the machine, the quality of the interaction, and the ease of the transaction that attract consumers. The right product mix is always attainable by studying the competition and by selecting complementary products. For optimizing the customer experience, the right technology and the right aesthetics go a long way. Picture this, a fully contactless vending machine with guaranteed vending technology accepting cashless payments, with attractive designs on them – with bestselling products. This is just an example of how Vending.com’s range of machines delivers the optimal customer experience.

Building the proposition

A vending machine owner or operator is not just doing himself a favor by placing the machine at a location. There is definitely value for the location owner, too. Winning the location is dependent on articulating the value for all stakeholders, including the location owner.

The location owner might have different types of benefits. Some might give more weight to the rental income or the commissions they will get from your vending machines on their premises. This is the most common benefit, but not always the largest.

In other cases, businesses might be keen on improving customers’ convenience. Location owners may also want to use the vending machine as a channel to promote products aligned to their business. A good example would be protein shakes and protein bars in the vending machines at a gym. This increases revenue and reduces the need for additional sales bandwidth. Some might consider your machines a good branding opportunity by sticking their brand on your machines. Features like UVend Technology on vending machines and contactless transactions can enhance the sense of safety at some locations.

While the fee for placing the vending machine is a given, its size can depend on how well the other benefits are articulated to the location’s owner.

Our 90 years in the vending industry have given us experiences that can empower your vending business with the proper guidance and insights to be successful. To know more, talk to us at 1-855-929-1042 or visit this link to get help from professionals.

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Welcome to the Vending.com Blog!

Hello and welcome to the Vending.com Blog! Here at our blog, we will keep you updated on our latest products and promotions, and we will suggest some great ways to utilize our acclaimed vending machines.

For those unfamiliar with Vending.com, we are a one-stop solution for vending machines, vending maintenance, machine financing, parts, news, and more. We sell a wide range of machines to meet the needs of all types of businesses. Whether you manage a busy office and want to keep your employees functioning with a coffee vending machine, or want to offer a wide variety of drinks and snacks in your establishment’s waiting area, we have something for you. You can purchase a food vending machine if you want your customers to be even more satisfied or stock up a drink machine with energy beverages at your fitness location. We also sell used vending machines for potential owners looking to save a little money. The possibilities are endless, and at Vending.com we are here with you every step of the way, from purchase to protection.

Interested in our services? Check out our website and browse around for something you like. And be sure to subscribe to our blog and stay in the loop for the latest and greatest in vending!

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Digital Vending is Here to Stay

Almost every aspect of our everyday lives have gone digital and the vending machine business is following suit. Since the industry’s inception, the world of vending has only been about seeing a product and buying it, though modern vending machines incorporate just about every human sense.

Vending Marketwatch recently highlighted the rapid evolution of vending products, from analog snack vending machines to modern smart-devices. While cashless credit card purchases once seemed like the cutting edge of vending innovation, digital vending machines now boast touch screens that function just like our phones and tablets. The entire world is glued to social media thanks to Twitter and Facebook, and various vending machines now pack some sort of social functionality, such as video chatting and tweeting-for-treats. Just like our computers do everyday, vending devices have evolved from simple food tools to avenues for connecting the entire world.

We are huge industry enthusiasts here at the Vending.com blog, and we truly cannot wait to see where our beloved business goes next. Of course, there is still a place for classic vending products, and our vending machines for sale allow you to get in on this exciting industry without breaking the bank.

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Break Room Vending Machines

When you have worked in an office for any amount of time that has a break room, it is easy to notice how odd and often gross, they can be. The reason for these oddities is often food brought in by coworkers.

Storing perishable food can often become a challenge as expiration dates become lost in the well-lit abyss that is the back of the communal refrigerator. Once good ideas for lunch may sit, left and forgotten, on tables or in communal microwaves for days on end and pots of coffee made with the best intentions can become caffeinated science projects gone wrong.

An easy way to avoid these break room horrors is with vending machines! Vending.com has a wide variety of vending machines specifically for office break rooms that include, food, snack, drink, coffee, water and more. Break room vending machines are not just for grabbing a candy bar or can of soda anymore; many of our machines can vend enough fresh food to keep employees happy and well-fed every day.

Depending on how your office decides to operate the vending machines at work, profits from them can be donated to charity, reinvested back into the office or a variety of other options that will help out more than your break room’s hygiene!

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Healthy Vending: A Trend to Be Happy About

Here at Vending.com, we work closely with our trusted affiliates who are as dedicated to providing our clients with the best drink and snack vending machines as we are. One of our many proud partners is Healthier Vending, who specialize in providing schools with health-conscious vending machines.

While the average school vending machine is likely stocked with sugary colas, greasy chips, and fattening chocolates, Healthier Vending’s machines are specially designed to keep in line with healthy food trends and promote a healthy lifestyle while still carrying plenty of tasty treats. Some of the featured products in a Healthier Vending snack vending machine include Baked! Lays, Nature Valley bars, Rold Gold pretzels, and V8 juices. Who said healthy snacking had to be tasteless and boring? According to a recent testimonial from a Healthier Vending client, a specialized healthy vending machine made over $1,200 in its first few weeks, proving that there is still plenty of profitability in healthy food trends once you take junk food out of the equation.

Recent news stories reveal that cities are cracking down on the caloric content of their vending machines in an effort to encourage healthy habits. Providing healthy food products is more important than ever and the vending machines for sale from both Vending.com and our affiliates make it easy and affordable to help your customers cut down the calories.

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

New Kiosks Convert Gift Cards to Cash

Chances are you have used a credit gift card to buy treats at your local snack machine, but you probably never used gift cards like this. According to The Columbus Dispatch, a new gift card exchange vending machine kiosk in grocery stores is giving out cash in exchange for unwanted gift cards with leftover value. Those that frequent the central Ohio Giant Eagle grocery store will find an all new machine titled Alula, which comes from the same people responsible for popular products such as Coinstar and Redbox. How does this all work? Exactly how it sounds. All you need to do is insert your unwanted gift card in the vending machine kiosk and you will immediately receive cash compensation that matches the value on the gift card. According to Alula’s marketing manager, this unique gift card to cash machine is an exciting way to draw people into their local grocery store when they normally wouldn’t. This innovative vending machine formula has worked with the aformentioned Redbox and Coinstar devices and people are often left with unused gift card value, so this new venture could very likely be a success. Supermarkets and snack vending machines have gone hand in hand since the gumball days, and it is exciting to see their relationship reach a level where anything from movies to cash can be procured from supermarket machines. What could be next?

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Vending Machines Help Relieve the Heat

Drink vending machines are a mainstay in most vending lineups and can be found year-round in most locations. Vending.com noticed that Coca-Cola recently launched a vending machine in Spain that adjusts its pricing strategy of its drinks depending on the on temperature.

These machines were placed in water parks and theme parks and the surprising vending machine pricing strategy was that the prices of cold beverages actually went down as the temperatures went up. With three different price points depending on how high the thermometer was reading, these machines sold drinks for the least amount of money when the temperature was the hottest.

The reasoning behind this pricing strategy was that hot and busy days at these amusement parks would be a good time to test a new Coke beverage, so decreasing the price on hot and usually busy days meant that the new drink got into more people’s hands.

Most vending machines for sale currently do not offer features to adjust the price based on external conditions such as weather. Adjusting prices based on time of day, number of people around the machine, or weather conditions could open some interesting marketing strategies. What conditions would you have your machines’ prices fluctuate with?

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Brands You Love: Frito Lay

In addition to providing some of the most reliable vending machines for sale and most affordable vending machine financing in the industry, we are also proudly affiliated with some of the most esteemed companies in the food business. Among our associate list is Frito-Lay, a popular American favorite when it comes to chips and a household snack name that hardly needs an introduction.

Almost every snack vending machine in the country is stocked full of Frito-Lay products, and for good reason. With a rich history in the food business dating back to the 1930s, the popular Frito-Lay name has evolved into America’s favorite go-to brand for everyday snack chips such as Lay’s, Doritos, and Tostitos. Almost everyone can say they have enjoyed a Frito-Lay snack at one point in their life, and the iconic brand’s product line continues to grow every year. Frito-Lay also fully supports the new healthy trends in the vending and snacking industries, as evidenced by their quality Baked! and Simply Natural products.
Frito-Lay should already be at the top of your list when considering what products to stock in your new snack vending machine. If you need any additional proof, you can read up on the company at their official website, or simply pop open a fresh bag of Lay’s. Why give your customers any less than their favorite American snack chip?

About Vending.com

Vending.com brings together a multitude of vending expertise through our circle of services. Everything you need to start, grow, or manage your vending business is provided through our easy online access. We provide vending services, financing, vending industry news, technical repair, parts and much more. Vending.com is one of the companies under the Wittern Group umbrella. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting your own vending machine business or expanding your current business, Vending.com offers you a full-range of vending machines, financing, location assistance and other services to meet all of your vending needs. As a full-line vending sales company we provide customers nationwide with the right equipment for their client’s location. Our large selection of snack, soda machines, hot beverage, cold and frozen food and other quality vending machines can be configured and customized to fit any size location from small businesses to large factories. Let our network of vending machine companies go to work for you.

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Save Big on Snack Machines for a Limited Time

The snack machine is one of the most versatile and popular vending machines in the business, and ours are some of the most affordable around. While we always have great prices on our vending products, our current promotion will allow you to get a snack machine for your establishment for a lower cost than ever. If you have decided to start a new vending venture for the spring season, Vending.com is here to help you get started for cheap!

Our current financing special can put a snack or drink vending machine in your establishment for as low as $58 a month! For next to nothing, you can gain a valuable source of revenue for your business that will surely pay for itself over time. You can purchase our snack vending machines for a whopping $200 off, and we are currently offering white glove delivery on all of our drink machines. With free delivery options, you can be saving as much as $345 on your vending purchase!

Here at Vending.com, spring isn’t just about cleaning, it’s about saving! Ready to enter the vending world? Visit us today to learn more about how to obtain one of our esteemed vending machines for sale for your own establishment!

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Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Vending Machine Industry Confidence Index

Vending MarketWatch recently released a new study of the vending industry, the Vending Operator Confidence Index. The aim of this index is to measure the confidence vending operators have in the industry and assign it a positive or negative value. In their first ever index, Vending Market Watch rated the vending industry confidence level at 136.00. The average is 100 so a reading over that indicates various levels of positive outlooks. 136 puts it at a cautiously optimist outlook for the vending industry.

This index will be conducted monthly and give industry members a view of how the overall industry is doing on a more regular basis. The vending industry usually relies on annual reports or smaller studies and the monthly delivery of this survey will certainly give some unique insights into the industry. Having monthly indexes will most likely cause a few unduly high or low points based on industry trends or developments, but it will hopefully draw attention to those developments as well.

With new developments occurring more and more frequently and new vending machines for sale hitting the market, having a way to keep tab on these technological advances and the overall trend of the industry will be very helpful.

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Maximize Refreshment with Soda Vending Machines

While we have previously highlighted some great strides in the vending industry, the classic soda vending machine stands as one of the most popular and necessary machines in the world. Even in a world where a vending product can serve customers full meals, mp3 players, shampoo, and anything else, few things satisfy like a delicious beverage when you need one most.Vending.com is well aware of the necessity of classic drink vending machines, which is why we offer a variety of products perfect for any establishment. Our 12-selection machine allows you to offer your customer maximum variety by stocking a variety of soft drinks, juices, and waters. If your office or waiting room has limited space, our smaller 6-selection machines are ideal for providing all of the essentials in the workplace. If your establishment is somewhere in between, our 10-selection device marries compact convenience with all of the choices customers love.Even in our technology-driven day and age, customers’ desire for quick refreshment is still one of the major pillars of the vending business. With this in mind, all of our vending machines for sale are available for great prices with a variety of flexible financing solutions. Every business deserves to earn some extra profit, and our drink vending machines are one of the best places to start.

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Hostess to Re-Launch Bakery

Hearts all over the world were crushed several months ago when it became known that the Hostess brand would be shutting down key operations. In addition to job losses, snack enthusiasts were devastated at the thought that their beloved Twinkies might never see the light of day in their local snack machines. Well, Twinkie fans, time to rejoice! Under new ownership, Hostess Brands will be relaunching its Twinkie Bakery in Columbus, Georgia, which will help put the mega-popular, cream-filled delicacy back in the hands of the people who love it most.

According to Vending MarketWatch, Hostess will create 200 jobs to help support the Twinkies bakery re-launch, with more positions opening up over several years. The facility will begin operating again this summer, producing the ever-desired Twinkies along with other favorites such as HoHos and Ding Dongs. This new development has been made possible by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, who purchased select Hostess assets this April.

This will hopefully put these world-famous treats back in vending machines all over the area, bringing a smile to those who thought the products would be long gone. Twinkies and various other Hostess products have been a staple of the vending machine business for decades, so we are delighted to see them pop up more often than ever!

Posted on January 12, 2021 | by Phil Masters

Finding the Right Vending Machine Size

The snack vending machine size you choose depend on a lot of factors: the size of your location, the demands of your customers, the dimensions of door frames and spaces allotted to you, and even the amount you have to budget for new machines.

Vending.com has a wide variety of snack vending machines for sale that are able to fit the bill for any vending operator. In this blog, we will break down the benefits of a few of our vending machine sizes.

Our 12 Selection Machine is ideal for locations where space is limited but you still need the capacity and flexibility of a compact, professional vending machine.

Our most popular vending machine, the 23 Selection machine is perfect for nearly every vending location. This machine delivers a lot of value for a great price.

Our 47 Selection machine offers the largest capacity in the industry! The reconfigurable product selection spacing and auger timing make the vending possibilities of this machine limitless!

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