Pick Up Your Pennies and put them in the vending machine

Pick Up Your Pennies

Vending machines and pennies well that is where it started but over time that has changed to nickels, dimes, quarters and dollar coins and the penny has been rejected, until now is it on a come back to the vending machine?

Labeling the Vending Industry.

Ok really you did not see this one coming?
Operators should have been ready for this situation from day one, why would they make a product be labeled and not be able to read it? The nutrition label has been on the product for many years now so this should not be a shocker to a vending operator that you were going to have to give this information to the customer before they made the purchase.
I keep seeing an article a day about how this new law is going to be a real problem for the vending industry, yes it is but it is something that operators should have been ready for with some kind of solution be it even laminated index cards hanging on the machine.
There are digital displays that can be added to the vending machine and this information can be loaded into them so customers can index the nutritional information and view before they make a purchase.
The nutrition label is an important thing and I believe that as a consumer I do have the right before I purchase something to know what I am buying and whats in it. With the new high tech vending machines that are coming on the market today, this should not be a problem as most will include touch screen displays of some sort that this information will be available thru.
Micro markets are a new way of providing food service in the workplace and make it very easy for consumers to pick up a product and read the ingredients and nutrition information without buying the product 1st. As more micro markets in vending grow the consumer will be able to shop right at the workplace for all the new healthy items that are showing up in the vending machines today.
It seems that most of the stories are linking this new labeling law as I know it to the health care act that everyone seems to be upset with.
We are updating vending machines to be able to give this information to customer on our refurbished vending machines. If you are interested in this and more advanced features in the vending machines of today, please visit our website at http://www.vendweb.com to learn more.

Sale On Vending Machines

Sales on all inventory....Call or e-mail us and let us know what you are in need of.
We have many different makes and models in new and refurbished vending machines. All refurbished vending machines come with one year parts warranty.
All we ask is to give us a chance to earn your business. Great deals on all vending machines. Call 704-802-4394 or e-mail me at Lindel@vendweb.com
We are clearing out year end inventory and you can save 100's and get a one year warranty on refurbished vending machines.
Still time to get those year end purchases made to qualify for section 179 tax break. Hurry as all orders must be done before year end to qualify.
We will be closing for Christmas Holiday Tuesday December 23rd thru 26th
 Save big and use 179 tax break its a no brainier

What makes a Healthy Vending Machine?

Is the vending machine really a healthy vending machine?

It seems healthy vending machines are all the buzz today and as I look at the marketing programs of these Healthy Vending Machines I stop and wonder what makes a vending machine healthy?
Is the vending machine healthy because it works out and takes care of itself?
Is it a healthy vending machine because of the graphics that are on the vending machine?
Maybe its healthy because it consumes less electricity, No its not the vending machine that is healthy but the products being sold from the vending machine that make it healthy.

Anyone can put cool graphics of so called healthy food on the outside of the vending machine and that is not what makes the vending machine healthy as a matter of fact the machine itself can not be classified as healthy or not healthy unless you use the word healthy as to how well the machine functions. It amazes me how many times I get calls and people say ow I thought I was getting something different then just a vending machine with a picture of an apple on it, nope.
A vending machine can be made to look like many things and that should not make the cost of the vending machine triple over a vending machine that vends the same items but just does not have the overpriced graphics and franchise program behind it.

If you are wanting to offer Health Vending Items then you just need a regular vending machine that can can be set up for those items, in many cases the same vending machine we sell at much lower prices will do just that.
It seems that the healthy vending machine craze has caused people to pay more money for machines that they believe will do something amazing and that is sell healthy products, well so called healthy products.  Guess what they do the same thing that the normal vending machine can do.
This is why a professional vending machine sales company is important. Pick a company that does more then just one style of vending machines. Not all vending machines are for all locations and by dealing with just one type of vending machine sales company you are limiting yourself to that one kind of machine.

I know everyone wants healthy items right....NO not everyone is buying these so called healthy products and operators are finding that sales are stale.
What happens when the healthy vending machines do not make the kind of money that the sales coach or biz op person told you you should make, they end up on those garage sale websites with all the others that did not make it work either.
You know whats hard to sell? A dedicated branded vending machine that no ones wants because the graphics are dedicated to one style sale.

Now do not get me wrong there are some healthy minded people that want to eat some of those products and you should supply a good mix for your customers but do not brand your machine in one certain brand as that just locks you out of other sales.
I am starting to see machines with fruit slices on them and the machines do not even sell fruit.
Main reason they do not sell fruit is because they are not even refrigerated.
Make sure that you supply a machine that is right for the location and does not drive people away from even looking at what you offer before they get to the machine.
Happy Vending
Lindel Creed
Vendweb.Com

Why Buy From A Vending Machine Sales & Service Person

You noticed I did not use the word distributor as I believe that your customer service / sales person is the one that makes your Vending Machine management of assets a better satisfied experience.
Buying a vending machine is not something you want to just spend a few minutes on and you defiantly need to have someone that can answer questions not only about how the machine operates but what machine may work for what locations. A person who understands the ins and outs of the vending machine as well as how your machine interfaces with other MDB devices can be a asset you just do not find on the classifieds and yard sale websites.
As your vending machine sales representative I work with my customers all times of the day answering questions not just about the vending machine but about the vending business.

A yard sale is a yard sale, I am not saying you can not find sometimes a great deal on a product that someone is selling personally, but the big question is, what am I really getting? What will be the support of that sale after the sale is done? Am I on my own to try and figure out how the machine operates or what do I need to do to change the product selections from one size to the other?
How do I make the machine run reports so I can view them on my computer at my office or home?
Vending machines today can do some pretty cool stuff if you know how to make them do it.
Even older vending machines can be updated to operate with high tech devices of today.

I get calls all the time about how to operate or fix or make that darn machine work that someone purchased cheap on the internet websites that everyone post whatever they want to get rid off.
We suggest to the vending machine operators that want to sell their machines themselves and are thinking of placing their vending machines online yard sale internet sites, you have more choices and would recommend to look at a vending machine sales website as that choice.
The used vending machines that vending operators list on our website do so because we still offer our services of answering questions about the sale and about how the machine operates.
The biggest problem we see with the personal sales is that we are seeing many vending operators selling their vending machines at a much higher price then a vending machine sales company may sell it brand new. You will find so many of the so called biz opportunity vending machines listed on those garage sale style websites because so many people just cant make the programs work.

The next big question is, who owned that soda machine you are buying for real?
We see many Coke and Pepsi vending machines on the internet that still have Coke and Pepsi graphics on them. The older antique machines I understand but the more modern ones is a surprise to see Coke and Pepsi Graphics as rule of thumb from Coke, who really does not even let their machines be resold in many cases and Pepsi who demands that if a refurbished vending machine that once was a Pepsi Vending Machine is sold that the refurbish-er must remove the Pepsi Logo as it is a trademark issue. You see Pepsi and Coke branches have territories and the logo's that go with those brands are part of the exclusive rights they own for selling of those products in their territories.
I have heard of stories of stolen machines right off the street by people backing up and loading the drink vending machine right on the truck and away it went, who knew that a blue truck and a person wearing a blue or red uniform may not work for the bottler.
You can check to see if the machine is owned by the seller by asking for the manufacture and serial number as well as brand on the machine and call the local bottler and ask how or whom can you call to check to make sure that the machine is not part of their assets on the books.
Yes you can find used Coke and Pepsi Vending Machines that are legit but those should be purchased from a Coke or Pepsi dealer and should come with a release letter on the use of the logo.

So next time you are looking at that vending machine being sold on a website that is not a vending machine sales company, make sure you know what you are getting and who is going to be there to help you with it after the sale.
Just saying a vending machine is an asset and that asset will come with questions.
Lindel Creed
Vendweb.Com

A refurbished soda vending machine.

The Vending Machine Business - What are the differant areas of the vending machine business?

 Part One - What kind Of Vending Machines?

So you are interested in the vending machine business, well that's not a bad thing as so was I some time back and I am still part of an industry I made my carrier path over 20 years ago.
Like any business the vending machine business has its ups and downs and can or can not be a great business for you. The vending industry has gone thru many changes since I started as a vending machine repair guy back in Aurora Illinois a suburb of Chicago.

To start out in the vending machine business you need to start out by deciding what part of the bsuiness you want to be in.
I break down the differant sides of the vending industry as

•  Bulk Vending - Gumball Machines and Capsule Vending Machines
• Candy and Soda Vending Machines Full Size
• Candy and Soda Vending Machines -Compact Combo's
• Coffee Vending Machines
• Water Vending Machines
• Micro Markets
• Automated Retail Marketing
• Inventory Dispensing Systems

Looking at each of these areas of the vending business you can see how each section is different and can be a business within itself. I am going to go over each category in a brief summery and will go more into detail later in the blog

Bulk Vending - Gumball Machines and Capsule Vending Machines:
The bulk vending machine side deals with the gumball machines and usually takes many machines to make a living doing as the amount of money that a bulk vending machine takes in is small per machine in most cases. Bulk vending machines are usually located in locations that are service style locations such as oil change waiting rooms or the entrances and exits to restaurants.

Candy and Soda Vending Machines Full Size:
Candy and soda vending machines are machines that service many of the lunch room around the country at our workplaces. The vending machine is best known for that machine at work that I get my snacks and drinks from each day. These machine are much larger in size and hold different amounts of products depending on vending machine set ups. The full size vending machines in most cases make more money per machine visit over the bulk vending machines. The full size vending business is more work in way of moving machines and managing more items in your inventory.

Candy and Soda Vending Machines -Compact Combo's:
The over under or compact side by side combo vending machines are vending machine sets that are designed more for that smaller location of satellite office area of a larger location you service with a full size vending machine. These compact combo's are the ones we see many vending business opportunity companies sell.
The combo vending pair has a need in the vending business model and many vending machine manufactures include some version of a smaller combo vending machine as part of their product lineup. These machines are most popular on E-Bay and Craigslist as well as other internet listing websites and you can find them all over the internet. The reason you find them everywhere is because so many people did not get the business model that was part of the package, to work.
Many of these machines are being sold at over priced equipment and can be purchased without the added features of the business opportunity. Many  operators do not need the entire programs and can save big money per machine if they buy teh machines by themselves and find their own locations.

Coffee Vending Machines:
The coffee vending industry has seen its ups and downs over my time in vending.
Coffee at one time was on a slide then back in the 80's the coffee industry took a big leap forward and started picking up speed, and never looked back. The coffee vending machine is everything from a small single cup machine to a full size coffee house doing everything from grinding the beans to brewing the coffee. Many overseas companies have come on the coffee vending machine scene here in the U.S.especially Italian made coffee houses.
The coffee vending service can be done a couple different ways by supplying the location with just the coffee supplies or the entire brewing system.


Water Vending Machines:
The water vending industry is bigger then I ever thought it would be. I remember standing on the convention floor when the 1st bottles of water were being set up at a booth as a product to sell from the vending machine. I remember thinking who is going to buy water? Guess what, I was wrong and have long since learned that bottle water is a big business and the margins on bottle water is to say the least well worth it in my option. Water comes in many different bottles and one thing you have to make sure of is that the right bottle is placed in your vending machine. The bottles in many cases are very thin and the walls are weak and cause problem when vending if theya re not bottles designed with a vending machine delivery in mind. Most operators include water as one of their drink selections in the soda vending machines.

Micro Markets:Micro markets are the newest thing on the vending scene. The Micro Market or Open Area Markets bring a new concept to the lunch room at work. These open markets are like small conveyance stores located right at work. With fresh fruit hanging from produce baskets to more food selections that you just open the door and look at. The cold drink coolers have more selections with healthy vending products that in some cases keep the product out of a traditional vending machine because of packaging designs. Micro market vending is the hip new way to deliver the products to our customers without the use of a vending machine. Micro markets have some advantages over the vending machines and some disadvatages as well. Micro markets allow the sell of many products that would not fit or vend from a vending machine and in most cases you can get more selections in a micro market space then you can in that same space for vending machines. Customer like the fact that they know the product is not getting stuck and they can touch and read the products before they are purchased. I belive Micro Markets will continue to grow and will have to work hand in hand with vending machines as there are many locations that a Micro market is just not going to work for that location.


Automated Retail Marketing:
Have you looked around at the airport and you see a Best Buy Vending Machine? How about at the mall instead of the sales kiosk are full touch screen automated retail vending machines. The vending machine has evolved into a 24 hour sales cabinet with interaction touch screens and selections that are everything you may need from electronics to medicines. Many large retail stores are looking at ways to get the products they sell to you in smaller store locations that are located in areas customers gather.

Inventory Dispensing Systems:
Inventory control is a problem with many companies and how to get control over it is becoming easier with the Vending Machine adding a hand or should I say a coil.
Many larger and even smaller companies are taking advantage of the vending machine tool cribs system or even office supplies systems to dispense products that use to walk out the door.
Employees now have a badge that they use at the vending machine to get such items as drill bits and office supplies and the employer knows who took what and how many.

The Next Generation Of Vending Machines

 The Next Generation Of Vending Machines

I have been in the vending industry well lets just say a very long time, it is over 20 years now and I remember when the vending machines were small in selections like maybe 10 or so and the display was this small window that you looked thru at the product laying on a shelf that would drop out letting the product fall to the delivery bin. The next generation was the full glass front viewing that open up the merchandiser so the product packaging could be viewed and used to attract you to it, it was called impulse buying and that is what made the vending machine so popular is its unique way of showing you something you really did not think you wanted till you saw it there in the machine or on the rack. Impulse buying is what has built the small roadside gas station to the large quickie mart chains of today. (And pay at the pump has put a hurting on that business business) As we grow into a more digital display type merchandising so has the vending machine become a digital multifunction automatic merchandising machine.

The next generation of machines and many are already out there and are growing each day, will be the digital interaction type merchandisers. Such things as instead of looking thru a glass front you will look at a beautiful high resolution screen where the glass use to be. It will be able to interact with you and give you information about the products inside. You will be able to touch the screen and play games, even though I do not see the playing games at the vending machine a thing that will catch on.
Who wants to wait for a person to finish playing a game so they can get a drink? The machines will gather information about you and communicate with you by way cell phone or other electronic tablets and things to come that we will use to communicate with.

The vending machines are now going more towards cashless by being able to take credit cards and other payments such as Google and Samsung Wallet, employee badges with ties to automatic withdraws from their checking accounts. Yes change is coming again to the vending machine as we know it and that's OK as it needs to change or it will stop having the affect on the buyer that it was designed to do and has become so very good at over the past well since beginning of impulse thinking... Heck the 1st vending machine is noted as being a device that dispensed holy water to people as they thought hey I could use some extra blessings this week.

The vending machines or as I really believe they should be called Automatic Merchandising Equipment has taken a turn and is now making an appearance in a mall or other high traffic area around the communities. We are starting to see that cool coke machine that you touch the screen and the battles can be spun by the figer touching the screen to rotate and move the product display.
You can read the labels on the bags up close and choose what you want to consume before you make the purchase.
The operator can change the price from a remote location to place items on sale or reduce before dates of freshness come about and the items have to be thrown away. The operator can monitor inventory and see what needs to be taken to the machine at time of filling and what is not selling so they can make adjustments to that location before the same old stuff mind sets in and sales start slipping. The operator with the new machines can show ads that pertain to certain products in the machine in a way that promotions are done on TV and on Billboards.

As we can see the next generation of vending machines that are hitting the streets are right in style to what they should be, and it is good to know that our industry is evolving along with the times and people are using the new features that the vending machines can bring to engaging the consumer with the machine as that is what a vending machine is suppose to do in the 1st place..
Keep in mind that these machines are slowly making their way to the locations we use them at but as prices go down on the things like the monitors and back end electronics, and they are. We will see more and more of these new machines at a location near you.
Lindel Creed
Vendweb.Com
Vending machines are what I know.