Starting a Vending Business - A Worthwhile Proposal
Saturday, October 3rd, 2009When inserting money into a vending machine to buy a beverage, candy bar or other kinds of products, have you ever thought about the owner of the machine and what they may be doing while their machine is out working for them for no salary? Why not start a vending business yourself? Vending is more recession proof than other businesses, you can run your business from home and eventually you can build up some decent, semi passive revenue streams.
The vending machine industry in the US has expanded at an incredible pace over the past twenty years and this fast growth rate looks set to continue well into the future.
This article looks at the vending machine industry in the United States and sets out some tips and advice for those thinking about starting out in the business.
Vending is mostly a ‘cash only’ business and aside from the hassle of banking large volumes of coinage, you will benefit by receiving payment immediately for products instead of being paid in arrears like other business models.
With vending you will have some decision as to the hours that you work so you can avoid rush hour traffic and work whenever you want to without having a boss to order you around.
To be successful though you will need to be organized and it also helps to have good communication skills when it comes to convincing ‘decision makers’ to take your machines. Six figure vending business operators are also usually quite analytical in that they have a desire to keep fine tuning their machines and product range so that every machine and every product sale is optimized for maximum profits.
Aside from being able to fix machines (and it is easy enough to hire people to do this) there are few barriers to entry and set up costs are low. As you won’t have the large monthly overheads that other businesses face if you run a home-based business you will find that there is less risk in vending compared to other businesses.
There are a few start up requirements for business in the vending industry and you should check with your city to confirm exactly which licenses and permits you are going to need. You will also find it easier to win new machine locations if you have liability insurance.
When setting up a vending business you can decide to work by yourself, with a partner or to hire staff to work for you. Most successful vendors take on a sales role, constantly trying to get more of their machines out there, while they employ staff to re-stock machines and maintain them when necessary.
The opportunities for locating machines are only limited by your imagination. While you will be able to persuede many site managers to allow you to put your machines on their premises just by highlighting the convenience that they provide, others will insist on a commission on machine takings. There are locator services out there that will help you find machine locations for a fee but it can be difficult to find a reputable one and you will probably find much better locations if you take the time to do it yourself.
You might want to start out with your own independent vending business or you may prefer to buy an existing route or a franchise. Just remember that the vending industry has had its share of scams in the past and you must do your due diligence before you put your investment funds at risk. Check with the national vending association to find a list of reliable machinery suppliers.
The vending industry in the United States and internationally should continue to grow over the coming years. For savvy people who are dedicated to learning the fundamentals of vending, vending can be an opportunity that is only limited by the business owner’s imagination. So what is stopping you! Start a vending business today!