How Much Candy Should I Vend?

The settings on your candy machines are very important. You want to be profitable while not turning customers away. You have to find a happy medium. Customers will continue to come back to your machines if they [...]]]>

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How Much Candy Should I Vend?

The settings on your candy machines are very important. You want to be profitable while not turning customers away. You have to find a happy medium. Customers will continue to come back to your machines if they think they are getting value for their money.

Here is a list of some popular candies and a good amount for vending. Keep in mind these numbers are just suggestion. Always test your market to see what your customers respond well to.

• Skittles:  9 – 11 pieces
• Reese’s Pieces:  8 -10 pieces
• Mike & Ike:  7 – 9 Pieces
• Plain M&M:  8 -10 pieces
• Peanut M&M:  7 – 9 pieces
• Hot Tamales: 7 – 9 pieces
• Runts:  10 – 12 pieces
• Boston Bake Beans: 8 -10 pieces
• Chiclets: 9 – 11 pieces
• Chewy Sprees: 7 – 9 pieces

Sales forecast hits the spot!

The news is great for the vending machine business! Candy and gum sales have continued to rise higher and higher every month this year, in both the dollars spent and the units purchased. This information comes from the [...]]]>

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Sales forecast hits the spot!

The news is great for the vending machine business! Candy and gum sales have continued to rise higher and higher every month this year, in both the dollars spent and the units purchased. This information comes from the National Confectioners Association.

As of the end of August chocolate sales increased 5.4 percent, while non-chocolate candy demand went up 2 percent, and gum shows a 1.7 percent growth. These figures prove that consumers are always willing to spend their money on reasonably priced treats.

Candymachines.com says this is the perfect time to get started in a positive business that makes money.  For people who already own vending machines, it’s definitely time to increase sales by adding additional machines to your route. Check out candymachines.com’s candy vending machines, gumball vending machines and combo vending machines pages. These people have been experts in the field of anything to do with vending machines and the products that go in them for more than 40 years, and they will help you make your business a success.

Tokens – a way to get personal

Candymachines.com has the perfect way to let you get personal with your customers and to keep them coming back to your vending machines  –  Vending Machine Tokens.

Tokens have been around for centuries, and the first recorded [...]]]>

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Tokens – a way to get personal

Candymachines.com has the perfect way to let you get personal with your customers and to keep them coming back to your vending machines  –  Vending Machine Tokens.

Tokens have been around for centuries, and the first recorded use of tokens was in 1874 in South Africa. These tokens were made by Strachan and Co. and they were used as currency in a remote area of South Africa. Since then tokens have, and are being used in many ways. There are tokens used as currency, and in casinos, subways, car washes, video arcades and also vending machines.

The tokens offered by candymachines.com are the same quality as a US coins and are minted under the same quality controls, using the same type of presses as the U.S. Mint.
So the tokens last forever, just like coins.

What’s great about these tokens is you can let your creative juices flow by personalizing them on both sides any way you want. One side can be your company name and logo and the other side can have text or you can select from 100 different stock designs. It’s all up to you. Candymachines.com also furnishes artwork for your approval within two weeks from your order date.

There are 15 different token sizes, with the most common size being the .984 in diameter token used in vending machines. That is just a little larger than a U.S. quarter. And candymachines.com has coin mechanisms made specifically for tokens on most vending machines. Tokens come in cases of 1,000, and you can check out the standard designs today and be a business that gets personal with your customers!

Increasing profit in your Bulk Vending business can be easy with these simple steps.  Don’t overlook their importance even though they sound simple. These steps will work to put more money in your pocket and increase your residual income:

Put [...]]]>

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Increasing profit in your Bulk Vending business can be easy with these simple steps.  Don’t overlook their importance even though they sound simple. These steps will work to put more money in your pocket and increase your residual income:

Put out all of your Vending Machines – Most vendors I know have several machines in storage (usually several dozen).  The more machines you have in the field the better your asset will work to add money to your pockets!  Putting out more machines sounds simple, but this is a huge point.  Get those machines out of storage and get rid of that 0% return on your investments!

Evaluate Your Route - Pull the lowest 10-20% of your machines and redeploy them in brand new accounts. Some of those machines may bring in $30, $50, or $100 per servicing.

Change Your Product – Try a different candy. Change the gum to a candy choice. Try toys instead of gum or candy if it is a place frequented by children.

Find Out What The Employees Like – Don’t assume you know what they like. Ask them! It only takes one or two people to support a machine and make it a good "bread and butter" account.  Better to salvage an account by changing product than having to go out and find a new one.

I hope these tips make your 2010 vending year a much more successful one!

These tips are focused on the fundamentals of the business, without these you will have less success with your vending machine business.

1. Keep your machines clean, filled and in good working order at all times.

2. Focus on placing your machines with smaller companies instead of big businesses [...]]]>

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These tips are focused on the fundamentals of the business, without these you will have less success with your vending machine business.

1. Keep your machines clean, filled and in good working order at all times.

2. Focus on placing your machines with smaller companies instead of big businesses and impress them. Having a few great accounts is better than having 500 bad ones.

3. Try not to go the same time to, collect your money like every Monday, on the 1st. You never know who is watching you. Try and go different times of the week or month.

4. When approaching a new location, take a "gift basket" filled with a good variety of top selling items to distribute to employees. Be sure to include several business cards so that the employees are familiar with your business name.

If you apply these tips to your vending machine business, I almost guarantee you will see the profits very soon.

Coin counters are one of the biggest timesaving products available today especially for those of you with vending machines. Counting coins and rolling them by hand is not only tedious, but it also takes a very long time. Almost [...]]]>

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Coin counters are one of the biggest timesaving products available today especially for those of you with vending machines. Counting coins and rolling them by hand is not only tedious, but it also takes a very long time. Almost anyone can benefit from a coin counter. You will find coin counters in banks, retail stores, churches, kiosks, home businesses and many other places because they are so useful. There is a wide variety of different coin counting machines available.

At candymachines.com we have several options for you to take a look at. We have the Coin Counter, Sorter & Wrapper; the Manual Coin Counter w/ Plastic Case; the Manual Coin Counter w/Steel Case; the Electric/Manual Coin Counter w/Plastic Case; the Electric/Manual Coin Counter w/Steel Case; the Electric/Manual Coin Counter & Sorter w/Plastic Case.

With all these great options we are sure you will find one to suit your needs, whatever they might be.

I have always wondered how exactly the coin mechanism in vending machines work. I browsed around and found some information about it that might interest you.

The coin mechanism is used for actuating the vending of a product from a machine upon the insertion [...]]]>

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I have always wondered how exactly the coin mechanism in vending machines work. I browsed around and found some information about it that might interest you.

The coin mechanism is used for actuating the vending of a product from a machine upon the insertion of a predetermined number of specific coins. The mechanism includes a coin member having a partitioned surface that cooperates with housing parts to form a coin accumulation chamber. Upon insertion into the mechanism, the coins become aligned edgewise. The next-to-last coin is located to deflect the last coin upon a ledge. The ledge is part of the partitioned coin member and is situated to locate a portion of the coin beyond the member’s periphery. This allows contact with a pin extending from an adjacent manually rotatable lever. After inserting the specified coins, a user of the vending machine will push down on the lever, or twisting the handle. This force will be transmitted via the pin against the coin, which, in turn, transmits the force through the ledge to the coin member. As the coin member rotates, the coins drop into a coin box, while your product is being dispensed.

Pretty neat stuff huh? At candymachines.com we try and write blogs abou things that will interest you. If you would like to comment on our blogs feel free to do so, we always enjoy getting feedback.

Here are a few tips that will help you with starting your vending machine business:

A vending machine business means making money! The vending machine business has an impressive 90% success rate. This is much better than the 85% failure rate of most small businesses. Think about the differences between a vending machine business and your average small business.

Many [...]]]>

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A vending machine business means making money! The vending machine business has an impressive 90% success rate. This is much better than the 85% failure rate of most small businesses. Think about the differences between a vending machine business and your average small business.

Many businesses fail due to lack of overhead for advertising costs, rent, and other expenses. Finding and retaining quality employees can also add to the list of problems small businesses have. With a vending machine business, your machines work for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing you to make money even while you are sleeping. That’s a great way to earn extra money!

With the recession the country is in today, there is no job security out there really, especially when 90% of us work for someone else. The only way to achieve the "American Dream" is to be your own boss. Starting a vending machine business will let you work smart and not hard to achieve what you want in life.

Here are some tips that will help make your snack and soda vending machines more profitable. Check out our Snack and Soda Vending Machine section to view all the great products we have available!

If the location your snack [...]]]>

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Here are some tips that will help make your snack and soda vending machines more profitable. Check out our Snack and Soda Vending Machine section to view all the great products we have available!

If the location your snack and soda vending machine is at wants a commission, you should generally mark your sale price up to cover the commission.  So, rather than 50 cents for a soda, to cover a 10% commission, you would sell them for 55 cents.  Sometimes when you tell the location this, they will tell you never mind and to just keep the prices low for their employees.

If it is possible, vend your sodas for 50 cents and your chips for the same. The customers will be likely to spend the whole dollar in your machine. As opposed to chips for 55 cents and soda for 60 which means they’ll need to spend 2 dollars and are less likely to do so.

After working on or loading soda and candy into your vending machine, before you leave always take a quarter dime & nickel and put in machine and then push coin return. How many times have you seen someone change flavor ids or something else and get called back after leaving. A distraction can lead to not finishing the job.

In your soda vending machine, one of the hottest selling sodas is Mountain Dew, for some reason kids seem to really love that stuff and it will bring in loads of money for you.

We have a few tips below to help your bulk candy vending machine business be more profitable for you.

1.  Two of the easiest ways to boost sales is by cleaning your  vending machines each time you service them and by changing the [...]]]>

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We have a few tips below to help your bulk candy vending machine business be more profitable for you.

1.  Two of the easiest ways to boost sales is by cleaning your  vending machines each time you service them and by changing the product mix of your bulk candy and check it regularly to see how it is doing.

2.  Moving your vending machine to a different spot in the same location is another method to use before relocating it to a new location if your vending machine is underperforming in the location it is in.

3.  You can keep bulk candies like Hot Tamales or Mike and Ikes from sticking together by using non-stick spray on the candy.

4.   Keep your vending machine out of direct sunlight as it will damage the candy quickly and make it no good for customers.

5.  Never let your vending machines go empty or have a prolonged amount of time with an out of order sign on the vending machine so make sure to service them because staying organized and planning ahead will help you service your vending machines more quickly.

6.  When servicing your vending machines, get a gym bag or travel bag to put tools, petroleum jelly, and candy into so as not to draw attention to yourself.

7.  If you are going to go on a vacation make sure you service your vending machines before you leave or train someone else to do it for you while you are away so can continue to make money while you are vacationing!

When filling your bulk vending machines for the first time in a new location, only fill each selection about 2/3rds full.  Then, check it frequently until you learn how that location will do.  This will avoid having too much candy or gumballs [...]]]>

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When filling your bulk vending machines for the first time in a new location, only fill each selection about 2/3rds full.  Then, check it frequently until you learn how that location will do.  This will avoid having too much candy or gumballs sit in a machine going bad rather than being vended in your busiest locations.  The exception to this is if this location is out of town & not serviceable for long periods of time. 

On bulk candy vending machines, do not stick candy labels or gumball labels on your machines with their adhesive on the backs.  It can be difficult to remove and if you use the wrong remover, it can discolor your machine or fade your canisters which you don’t want.

Don’t assume just because a location already has a machine, you that won’t be able to locate yours there as well. Especially notice if the current machine has been "out of order" or near empty longer than a month. The business owner may readily accept yours alongside the other to have something else to attract customers.

When seeking a location for your bulk vending machine, do not immediately seek the most expensive and glamorous place you find. First brainstorm your friends, associates, relatives, or anybody who will not charge you as much, or at all to locate your machine there. Even if their shop is small, I find often that I get still a large amount of profit and I don’t have to shell money out to some of the greedy  people who own stores.

A well maintained vending machine will be used more often than a neglected one.  Service your machine often and it will yield a bigger return.  Keep records. Change slow moving products to alternatives. Spread out your route, it will bring up your [...]]]>

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A well maintained vending machine will be used more often than a neglected one.  Service your machine often and it will yield a bigger return.  Keep records. Change slow moving products to alternatives. Spread out your route, it will bring up your sales average. Service your machine yourself and when you’re comfortable with it you may want to hire someone to help you. Check their work regularly.  The more selections of products you put in a location, the more profit that location will bring in.

A colorful machine will bring in more revenue. Check with other vendors to compare notes. Try not to go at the same time to collect your money like every Monday or on the 1st of every month. You never know who is watching you. Try and go at different times of the week or month. It’s good security.

When approaching a new location, take a "gift basket" filled with a good variety of top selling items to distribute to employees. Be sure to include several business cards so that the employees are familiar with your business name. If you follow these tips they should help you vending machine business.

Because you don’t have to police your machines, and indeed, will likely sell more if you don’t stand near them, there is a certain risk in leaving your machines all [...]]]> Operating a vending machine business has its rewards: high profit margins, and relatively little to do but refill machines and make sure they’re in good condition.

Because you don’t have to police your machines, and indeed, will likely sell more if you don’t stand near them, there is a certain risk in leaving your machines all alone to be vandalized or damaged by inconsiderate customers. The best way to prevent this from occurring is to take care in placement of the machines. Placing them outside or in areas with little foot traffic or with high incidences of gangs or crime will almost certainly result in damage to your machines, so it is recommended to heavily research all areas where you are considering placing your machines.
When picking out your machines, you should also take care to choose ones with a shatterproof globe (often made of polycarbonate or lexan), tamper-proof all-metal coin mechanism, and security locks to attach them to the location. You can also have an alarm set to go off if the machine is pushed or opened without the proper security.

With research and common sense, you can prevent most potential thieves or vandalizers from targeting your machines.

For help choosing the smartest machine for your route, visit Candymachines.com or call us at 800-853-3941 or 760-734-1414.

If you discover a machine has done poorly in its first month (50 [...]]]> So you took the plunge and you now have your very own vending machines on location. Now, you have to service them! The first month is always both exciting and nerve-racking because you can count how much or how little money you have.

If you discover a machine has done poorly in its first month (50 cents would be considered poor), don’t pull it just yet! Re-evaluate the placement within the location: is it where most customers would travel? Is it hidden or next to packaged candy? (many people would rather just buy a bag of candy and take it with them then dig out a quarter and have to hold candy in their hand. If this is the case and there’s no other place to put the machine, consider offering dixie cups on the top of the machine with a sign encouraging customers to take one to place their candy in). If placement seems fine, consider the candy choice. Are you offering a sugary candy in a gym or chocolate in a warm environment? You might want to switch out candy to a more universally popular selection and see if that works. If you aren’t offering gumballs, you should also consider offering them locations such as restaurants or warmer places, since they will last longer than chocolate.
After evaluating the cash flow of your machines, it’s time to do the rest of servicing your machine. The bottom line is not to attract attention to yourself. The smoother you can ease in and out of there, the more the owner of the location will appreciate and tolerate your machine there. When filling the machines, take your time so you don’t spill candy everywhere. Many a vending operator has been reprimanded or asked to pull a machine because they spilled candy and either didn’t pick it up or let it happen repeatedly. It is important to show the owner of the location that you respect their business and their customers by removing all signs that you were there. Pick up any candy on the floor and it never hurts to pick up any trash you see on the floor nearby while you’re at it, even if it didn’t come from your machine. ALWAYS USE GLOVES WHEN HANDLING CANDY, even if you don’t touch it directly. That’s just good sense. To build good relations, you can always give free leftover candy to the employees at the location. They’ll keep an eye on your machine for you if you’re nice to them!
You should also bring cleaning wipes to wipe down your machine and remove dust or dirt from it. You should service your machines AT LEAST once a month. Make sure your machines are never empty for long. Don’t let your machine become an eyesore in the location or you’ll be asked to pull it, or worse, the owner will do it themselves and throw it out. Your goal should be to never give the owner a reason to have to contact or talk with you about any problems with the machine. If they forget about the machine because it’s so well-maintained, you’ve succeeded. It will still pull in money and you can build strong relationships with business owners because of your dedication to running a professional business.

For more information on the best vending machines for you and more advice, visit Candymachines.com or call us at 800-853-3941 or 760-734-1414.