Bulk Vending Tips
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Bulk vending machines are those plastic bubble devices on metal stands that dispense bubble gum or a handful or peanuts or candy for a quarter or nominal amount of change. Bulk vending machines are the least expensive way of getting into the vending business. A person can usually purchase these devices much cheaper at a large discount retailer rather than buying them online or from a business opportunity magazine ad.
Shop Around For Your Product
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You will likely have several different types of products in your bulk vending machines. Shop around and find the lowest price for your gum, candy or peanuts. A good place to start is a retailer where you can buy in bulk.
Locating Your Machines
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Never hire a professional locator to place your bulk vending machines. They always charge a large fee per location. Locate your machines yourself. Find high-traffic stores or retail outlets. Some will want you to pay them or take a percentage of your profits. Try to keep those to a minimum. Always negotiate the lowest amount possible. Also, keep your locations to within a 10-mile radius of your home if you are starting out with a relatively low number of units. This will help you better manage your machines until you learn the business.
Stocking Your Machines
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It is best to stock all of your machines about two-thirds full to start. This will allow you to determine which locations are pulling the best without having a lot of product go bad. Always keep track of your sales and expenses at each location. Try relocating the bottom 10 percent to 20 percent of your units periodically to better locations. This can help increase your income dramatically.
Clean Machines Regularly
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Always keep your bulk machines clean. This includes cleaning both the bubble, dispensing area and stand. People will not want to buy food products from a smudgy, cobweb-infested unit. Also, do not touch the candy when you refill it. Let people see you pour the candy from a container. People always appreciate sanitation.
No Stickers
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Do not use stickers on your bulk vending machines. Stickers are hard to remove. Besides, you may want to switch your products occasionally at the store's request.
Products
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Do not vary your products too drastically among locations. It will make running your route much more difficult. Stick with the products you have as long as they are selling. You may need to have two candy dispensers rather than candy and peanuts in some locations. However, limit the total number of items you sell.
Adding More Units
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Common sense will tell you that you will make more money with more bulk vending units. It is not uncommon to start with 50 or 100 machines. However, you have to know your limit. If you are working the business part-time, you will not be able to service 100 machines on a regular basis. Expand your number of units only if you have the time.
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