Tag: Vending business

FIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE SELECTING‍ A VENDING SUPPLIER

A vending business offers a tremendous opportunity to make profits when using the right equipment. A vending machine that breaks down often or does not reliably dispense the products to customers leads to a frustrating experience for all. In the end, you could lose out on valuable income.

 This is why choosing a vending machine supplier you can trust is important. In this article, we will discuss essential questions to ask before purchasing from a vending machine supplier. Asking these questions will help you choose a reliable supplier with a good reputation.

What type of vending machines do they offer?

Some of the options available in the market today include snack and soda vending machines, coffee vending machines, ice cream vending machines, and snack vending machines (and a lot more). You may also consider combo vending machines to sell ambient snacks and refrigerated drinks from one machine, like a two-in-one or one-stop shop.

Determining what type of machine(s) to purchase should be based on the desires and wants of your customers at your locations.  Remember, vending machines are a great way to offer your customers a wide variety of products, both food and non-food, and even hot, cold or frozen.

Does the vending machine supplier offer financing?

The best machines can be expensive but overall a good investment. Financing allows you to generate a cash flow without paying the full machine cost upfront. Financing is a great way for operators to get started without large amounts of capital. eVending offers financing packages to qualified customers that are as little as $2 a day.

What kind of warranty or guarantee do they provide?

It is essential to choose a vending machine supplier that offers a warranty. Look out for a warranty that is reasonable in context. Vending machine warranties and guarantees are offered as extended warranties and service contracts. Understand what your warranty covers and for how long it lasts. Does the supplier offer any other guarantees or assurances? How long will they replace important parts for? How long do their machines usually last? Do they have a parts department?

Have they been in business for a long time?

If a vending machine supplier has been in business for a long time, it is usually because they have delivered what their customers want. A professional organization would be careful not to damage its reputation by manufacturing a faulty machine and ruining relationships with customers.

 The time that a supplier has been in business is not the only thing you should consider. It would be best to look at a company’s track record. How long have curlease customers been with the supplier? Have any customers had any problems or issues with them? We recommend doing research, as any investment you make should bring you sizable returns. 

Do they have good reviews?

The review market has created a niche of its own, dictating the trends that determine the success or failure of a business. You can find reviews for most suppliers online to check if they are reliable, identify any common complaints that keep coming up and analyze their track record. 

Nothing can stop the power and accuracy of word of mouth. You can ask your friends, colleagues, and other business owners in the industry if they recommend a specific vending machine supplier. You might be able to find out if there is a preferred vending machine supplier that most people in your industry use. This can help you narrow your choices to pick a reliable vending machine supplier.

How much does it cost to lease or buy a vending machine?

A few factors that are significant indicators of profitability are: How much does leasing or buying a vending machine from the supplier cost? How much do you pay for installation? If a supplier charges you for installation, understand what the installation fee covers. Will they install the vending machine in one location or more than one location? And will they install the vending machine in a safe place and in an area that sells products? 

If you are leasing a vending machine, how much do you pay each month? You may need to know what the lease price covers. Does it only cover the cost of the vending machine, or does it also cover the cost of installation? 

The choice matters 

These questions are not a standard protocol for choosing a vending machine supplier but are important variables to consider.  If you have any other questions, our vending experts are available to assist you. Give us a call at 1-888-997-5152 and we’ll help you with it.

Five Questions to Ask Before Selecting‍ a Vending Supplier
FIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE SELECTING‍ A VENDING SUPPLIER
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A vending business offers a tremendous opportunity to make profits when using the right equipment. A vending machine that breaks down often or does not reliably dispense the products to customers leads to a frustrating experience for all. In the end, you could lose out on valuable income.  This is why choosing a vending machine

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eVendingWhether you have been following our blog or have simply taken a look at the vending machines around you lately, it is clear the vending industry is evolving at a rapid pace. In celebration of the growth of the vending business, Tulane University recently hosted a “Gratitude Event” that allowed consumers to enjoy free refreshments and test out some of the industry’s new technology.

Gratitude events are generally meant to be a “thank you” to consumers, which in this case were vending machine customers aged 18-29 who have been proven to prefer drink and snack vending machines over convenience stores. The National Automatic Merchandising Association, or NAMA, was on hand to educate the public about the current vending options at their disposal. Top brands such as Keurig, Coca-Cola, and Red Bull were all present to provide hands-on demonstrations of their latest vending products. Some of the all-new technology on display included advanced touchscreen capability, as well as the ability to make a purchase with the simple swipe of a mobile phone.

This recent gratitude event is just one of the many testaments to the ever-expanding vending machine business. Looking to get in on the excitement? Our affordable combo vending machines are an excellent place to start!

Tulane University Hosts Event in Celebration of Vending Industry
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Whether you have been following our blog or have simply taken a look at the vending machines around you lately, it is clear the vending industry is evolving at a rapid pace. In celebration of the growth of the vending business, Tulane University recently hosted a “Gratitude Event” that allowed consumers to enjoy free refreshments

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According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 56% of internet users have searched for themselves online. Often, when people think about others searching for themselves on Google they think that it is an exercise in vanity and that they just want to see their own names on their computer monitors.

Increasingly though, people are having to search for themselves in order to maintain control of their online presence. Searching for a person online is an easy way to quickly gain information about the person and if your search results are not positive, this can damage a potential employer’s view on you.

For small businesses, searching for your own company on Google can help you find information that may be helping or hurting your business. If you own snack machines from eVending in various locations but don’t have an online presence, searching for “vending machines at (location)” can help you find if anyone has commented about them. Searching for the building or location your vending machines are in as well can often lead to discoveries of helpful news or reviews.

If you don’t like what you see online about your business, or if you don’t see anything at all, you should be proactive and engage with customers and communities online to help create a positive image for your business.

Finding Yourself, Online
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According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 56% of internet users have searched for themselves online. Often, when people think about others searching for themselves on Google they think that it is an exercise in vanity and that they just want to see their own names on their computer monitors. Increasingly though,

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CardReaderAs technology progresses, fewer and fewer consumers are carrying cash and coins. Instead, financial transactions via credit and mobile devices are becoming more common. What’s more, card swiping devices, mobile payment, and other digital payment options are predicted to overtake ‘traditional’ payment methods in the near future, making it a must have in today’s vending market.

Research reveals that 49% of consumers, and 56% of Millennials, are already using / interested in using mobile payment technology and 18% of consumers say that they would use mobile payments if more locations accepted it.

Many consumers today, Millennials in particular, rarely carry cash and prefer cashless options such as credit / debit cards or other options such as Apple Pay which will likely be a revenue driver for vending machines. In fact, a recent study that began in March of 2016 found that vending machines advertising Apple Pay increased overall revenue by 22% while contactless purchases from those same vending machines rose 89%.

With all of that said, the market for cash and coin vending is still viable so don’t scrap your traditional payment acceptors just yet. The best way to increase your profit would be to provide customers with the best of both worlds by installing both cashless payment options and coin and cash acceptors on your machines.

All of eVending’s machines are equipped with the latest electronic coin changer and bill acceptor and have a standard peripheral opening for additional payment options such as Greenlite, a cashless system that accepts debit / credit cards and mobile payments including Apple Pay.  With Greenlite, you are able to remotely monitor your vending machine’s transactions from your web-based account.

Contact eVending today if you are interested purchasing a new vending machine with a cashless system or would like to add Greenlite’s mobile / wireless payment option to an existing vending machine.

Mobile Payment Options Increase Vending Machine Sales
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As technology progresses, fewer and fewer consumers are carrying cash and coins. Instead, financial transactions via credit and mobile devices are becoming more common. What’s more, card swiping devices, mobile payment, and other digital payment options are predicted to overtake ‘traditional’ payment methods in the near future, making it a must have in today’s vending

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