Author: pmasters@wittern.com

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Vending Machine Upkeep-Part 1: Brushing

Did You Know?

One of the most important parts of maintaining and cleaning a vending machine is brushing the vents? It’s true!

When maintaining a vending machine, many people overlook one crucial cleaning step: brushing. The regularity of brushing you need to perform will vary, depending on the location you choose for the machine.

The only tool you need to take this extra step is a long-handled brush. You don’t even need a specialized one! As long as you can reach every part of the underside of your machine, you will be fine.

So, once you’ve obtained your brush of choice to clean the vending machine vents, simply

  1. knock away dust, dirt, and other grime that has collected on the vending machine and
  2. sweep the grime away (if you leave it there, it will just hop back up on the vending machine

The location your machine is in heavily affects how often you need to clean your vending machine. Vending machines, especially refrigerated ones, move a large amount of air. Outdoor machines are susceptible to dirt, dust, and other outdoor remnants being swept up into their airflow, so you would need to clean these machines more regularly than an office vending machine. However, if you were comparing the outdoor machine to one placed in a factory setting, you probably would need to clean the factory one even more.

Cleaning your vending machines is vital to their longevity. Think about when you get a stuffy nose. You can’t breathe and you feel bad. Vending machines respond in almost the exact same way. If there are major blockages of the airflow, the machine can’t breathe enough to cool down. This can cause long-lasting damage to the machine, and if it is a prolonged blockage, you may find yourself with an unsalvageable machine.

In the end, how often the vending machine is cleaned should be decided by the person who knows the location best: you! For more information on the upkeep of your machine, contact Vending.com at 1-800-548-1982.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Popular Snacks & Drink for Your Business

Deciding what snacks and drinks to put in your vending machine is no simple task. It is essential to fill your machine with products that your customers will love. If you are struggling to find a place to start, check out some of the most popular vending machine items on the market.

Snacks

For eight years in a row, Snickers has been named the most popular candy bar in the United States, meaning you can’t go wrong with adding this top selling vending machine item to your inventory. Another great go-to product for your snack machine is Pop-Tarts. This top vending machine snack is the perfect, convenient alternative when people are on the go and do not have time for breakfast. For a healthier snack, people prefer Clif Bars, MixMeister Fusion, Trail Mix and Granola Bars.

Hot Take: When it comes to choosing the right vending machine to hold snacks, we recommend one of our MarketOne Snack 5W Food Selling Machines or the MarketOne Snack 6W Vending Machine. These machines feature a large merchandising window and LED lighting for an unbeatable merchandising experience. 

Drinks

Is it any surprise that water is the most popular beverage in vending machines? Water may be easy to find, but people often forget water bottles and need to find ways to stay hydrated while on the go. Additionally, the popularity of coffee from vending machines continues to grow, especially among Millennials, particularly cold coffee. Add the top selling vending machine product to your inventory, it’s the perfect product to give customers a quick boost during the day.

Hot Take: One of our most popular vending machines, The Express Combo Vending Machine, has the ability to vend both snacks and beverages. Its eco-friendly, compact design can hold up to 20 snack selections and 9 drink selections to vend products to customers. 

For more information on the best snacks and drinks for your vending equipment, give us a call at 1-800-548-1982.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Vending Products for Each Generation

Finding a location and purchasing a vending machine is only part of building a successful vending business. It is also crucial that you choose the right snacks to go into your vending equipment based on your location’s demographic in order to ensure your business is as successful as it can be. Follow along as we break down the most popular vending products of each generation.

Generation Z

If you think Gen Zers are going to consume copious amounts of pop products, think again. While this generation does enjoy a beverage that gives them energy, they are more likely to consume coffee products, as opposed to popular pop products that we have seen previously. Additionally, this generation often turns to smoothies and sports drinks. As winthruster Gen Zers begin entering college, these are the types of products they will be looking for on college campuses.

If your location is mainly comprised of Generation Z, we recommend installing the Coffee Vending Machine. It provides customers with gourmet coffee and hot beverage options with coffee shop quality. 

Millennials

When it comes to filling your vending machine at a location that is highly populated by Millennials, such as an apartment building or some offices, consider what is going on around you. According to a study, Millennials are influenced by the opinion of others. If there is a snack or beverage that is circling the web, chances are, Millennials are dying to get their hands on it. Another great option is to fill your vending machine with healthy snack and beverage products.

Instead of having two separate vending machines with one filled with snacks and one filled with drinks for Millennials, we recommend installing our most popular machine, the Express Combo Vending Machine. Millennials will be able to purchase their favorite healthy snacks and beverages, all from one vending machine.

Baby Boomers

When it comes to appealing to the older generation, such as Baby Boomers, it is important to note that their palettes are not the same as a Gen Z or a Millennial. In fact, many Boomers are searching for snacks that are low in sodium and high in protein. Additionally, while Gen Zers are turning to coffee, Baby Boomers are in search of a beverage with little to no caffeine. 

For locations with a high population of Baby Boomers, we recommend installing one of our newest vending machines, the MarketOne Snack 6W. With up to 71 selections, customers will love the variety of low-sodium, high-protein snacks and food products that this machine has to offer.

When building your vending business, consider the demographic that your vending machine will be placed in order to fill your machine with the correct products. For more information, contact Vending.com at 1-800-548-1982.

Vending.com
Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Grow Your Business with Your New Profit Maker

As businesses around the United States continue to open up and welcome back employees and customers, many vending business owners have noticed an increase in vending sales. In order to help business owners, as well as new and current vending operators, thrive in the vending industry.

In order to help business owners increase profit, as well as new and current vending operators thrive in the vending industry, Vending.com is offering 0 interest for one year, as well as 0 payments for 60 days, on select vending equipment, with approved credit. Vending machines and their first-year monthly payments include:

In addition to zero interest for one year and zero payment for 60 days, Vending.com is also offering no-cost for Greenlite credit card reader installation. Greenlite allows you to manage all of your vending machines anytime, anywhere by giving you access to a number of reports including machine health, machine sales and more. Additionally, it allows vending customers to purchase products with credit/debit cards, as well as mobile payments.

Whether you are a seasoned professional in the vending industry or a new vending operator, Vending.com is here to coach you every step of the way. For more information on how to increase your business profit through vending, give us a call at 1-800-548-1982.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

A Custom Vending Machine 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 with 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 are looking to add income to your business or just looking for an expansion on your shop, Vending.com has a vending machine to help you grow. To find out more, give us a call at 1-800-548-1982.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

The Right Coach for Your Vending Business

When you work with Vending.com, you are working with a trusted manufacturer with over 90 years of vending experience. Whether you are a seasoned vending professional or you are brand new to the industry, Vending.com can match you with a coach to provide you with vending machine business advice and help you meet your vending goals.

For vending business owners, Vending.com has the right vending machine models and financing programs to maximize your vending profits and reach your full potential. Our vending machine financing plans are catered to each business owner. No business is the same, so why should financing be the same? With a quick credit approval process and plans of up to 48 months, our flexible financing options are specialized to increase sales.

New to the vending business and are unsure of where to start? No problem! Once you have secured your vending location, Vending.com coaches will be happy to give you vending machine business advice and help educate you on the right model and machine for that location. If you are having problems finding the right location, we recommend starting with someone you know who has their own business, such as friends and family.

Whatever your vending goals may be, Vending.com is ready to work with you to reach them. In addition to our state-of-the-art machines and financing options, we offer factory-direct pricing and professional staff to coach you every step of the way with professional vending machine business advice. When you purchase a vending machine from us, you receive a factory warranty and a lifetime of technical support.

Whether you are new to vending or have been here for years, Vending.com can help you every step of the way. For additional questions, please call 1-800-548-1982.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Add Income to Your Business with a Vending Machine

Nothing is more frustrating than going to the laundromat and realizing that you do not have enough detergent for one load of laundry. Enter the Laundry Centers from Vending.com! These are not only convenient for your customers but also provide a great idea for how to improve your laundry business and get additional income.

The 36 Select Laundry Center Vending Machine has the ability to vend your customers’ favorite detergents, fabric softeners and other laundry products. Instead of having an employee sell these products behind the counter, the machine does the hard work for you. For easy loading, the 36 Select Laundry Center Vending Machine has adjustable, pullout, tilt trays. This feature ensures that the operator can manage the laundry product supply with ease.

If your laundromat is limited on space, the 20 Select Laundry Center may be more beneficial for you. It has the same benefits of the 36 Select Laundry Center, just with a smaller footprint. With built-in security and construction, the 20 Select Laundry Center is a great addition and profit center for your laundromat.

Both laundry vending machines come with a variety of features, one of which is the iVend Guaranteed Delivery System. This ensures that products will vend, or customers will receive their money back. Additionally, both machines come with an electronic coin and bill acceptor, which can be upgraded to a Greenlite cashless system. With this upgrade, customers can purchase their favorite laundry products with credit cards, debit cards or a mobile wallet.

To discover more benefits on how our laundry vending machines can benefit you, give us a call at 1-800-548-1982.

Fitness Vending Machines
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Vending Machines for Any Business: Fitness Vending Machines

Vending.com offers more than simply snack, beverage and combo vending machines. Additionally, we offer three types of fitness vending machines: the Fitness and Health Vendor with Locker Add-On, the Trimline II Fitness Refreshment Center and the MarketOne Fitness Refreshment Center.

As with all fitness vending machines from Vending.com, the Fitness and Health Vendor with Locker Add-On is a great solution to add profitability to your business’ bottom line. Not only does it provide healthy snacks and beverages to your fitness members, but the add-on locker has an added capability to feature large and bulky merchandise, such as workout gear.

For a smaller fitness vending machine solution, your gym may benefit from the Trimline II Fitness Refreshment Center. Members have easy access to their favorite pre and post-workout snacks. This is a great replacement for gyms that have concessions or behind-the-counter snacks and beverages.

Finally, the MarketOne Fitness Refreshment Center is a larger and updated machine, when compared to the Trimline II Fitness Refreshment Center. It is configurable to meet your fitness centers’ merchandising needs. Its movable barrier tray allows you to adjust the temperature zones with a 20-degree variance in zones, allowing you to provide customers with a wide variety of products. Additionally, a locker can be added on for additional capacity and larger merchandise.

Whatever type of business you have, you can benefit from adding a vending machine, whether it be snack, beverage or retail. For more information, give us a call at 1-800-548-1982.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

The Magic of a Literary Vending Machine

As an educator, one encourages children to let their minds run wild and exercise their creative minds. And, being creative allowed the students and educators of Northeast Elementary School in Owasso, Oklahoma to think outside of the box when it comes to vending machines and rewards systems. 

Amanda Sordo, the school’s librarian, saw an idea from a neighboring school in which books are used in vending machines, as opposed to snacks.  The idea behind this book vending machine was to provide a reward for students who have done an act of kindness for another student within the school. Sordo says, “This vending machine gives kids an opportunity to recognize other kids for the goodness they see in them. Kids write notes, which are put in a box, and then I am drawing ten names a day to give kids free books.” 

From there, students receive tokens to vend a book from the vending machine. This way, kids can build their at-home library by simply performing a good deed. 

The book vending machine builds excitement for the kids when it comes to reading, but it does so much more than that. Sordo goes on to say, “These kids are reading the good things that people see in them. It’s building morale, lowering bullying and it’s getting kids to read books. It’s an all-around good thing.”

When it came to the exterior design of the book vending machine, one thing was for certain. It had to be customizable to include artwork that was provided by the kids themselves “It was really important for the kids to have a big part in the design process,” Sordo says. “None of the other schools are even thinking to use the kids’ artwork like that. It turned out a lot better than I expected.” 

The students played a huge role in the book vending machine. A fundraiser was held in which they received more than enough to purchase the vending machine. Additionally, the students of Northeast Elementary School submitted artwork in the schoolwide contest. This artwork was then taken to social media, where people could vote for the top three designs. 

The word of the book vending machine quickly spread across Oklahoma by way of social media, local news outlets and various email communications. This has led to other schools in the area considering installing a book vending machine. If anyone is looking for advice on how to go about installing a book vending machine, Sordo offers a couple of tips. One is to be aware that one of the most challenging aspects of the machine is stocking it with books that will appeal to a wide range of students, including picture books and chapter books. The other piece of advice Sordo offers is to hold a fundraiser in order to involve the students. 

When asked about the process of working with Vending.com, Sordo says it was easy and accommodating. All of the questions were answered quickly and Vending.com worked quickly. The process to add the artwork to the book vending machine was also a simple task. When setting up the machine, we ran into a few issues. I worked with Vendnet, Vending.com’s service group, to get it set up. They were very helpful and made the process easier.

Thinking outside the box when it comes to rewarding students for their good deeds is so important. Amanda Sordo and the staff at Northeast Elementary School were able to accomplish just that. With the help of Vending.com, they are able to provide students with books, while building character.

Vending.com can help you think outside of the box when it comes to vending a variety of needs. For questions, contact Todd Carber at (515) 271-8384 or tcarber@vending.com.

Posted on | by pmasters@wittern.com

Your Goals for 2021

A new year is officially upon us. If you have not yet, it is time to make goals for your vending business in 2021. These goals should include focusing on what your customers are craving, both in technology and snacks. Let’s discover what your keys to success look like in 2021.

It cannot be stated enough. Cashless vending is something you cannot afford to skip. Cashless payments, such as through Greenlite or PayRange, not only benefit the customer, but they benefit you as well. Cashless payments mean quicker transactions for you and an increase in same-machine sales. By not providing cashless payment options, you are losing sales and possible customers.

Another trend in 2021 that is predicted to increase is more product transparency. This includes more than simply nutrition information. This is storytelling features on the products you are providing. For example, Vending MarketWatch recently produced an article in which brands are using barcodes or a QR code to give background information about where the product came from. Customers may be more drawn to these products if they are included in your vending machine.

Many people saw an increase in their anxiety, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To help put people at ease in 2021, consider offering products that prioritize immune health. Snacks and drinks that cater to these needs include dark chocolate, orange juice, yogurt and nuts. Put customers at ease with what you provide through vending. The best part? All of these products can be featured through a variety of Vending.com machines, such as the Express Combo Vending Machine, the MarketOne Snack 6W Vending Machine and the MarketOne 5W Cold Food Elevator Vending Machine.

Vending.com is here to help steer you in the right direction in 2021. For more questions about our vending equipment and services, call us at 1-800-548-1982.