How to Make a Vending Home Based Business Work For You
By Candice Clem
Of all the home based businesses out there, none seem simpler to successfully run than
a vending machine distributorship. Really, how hard can it be to purchase a vending
machine, find a home for said machine, fill it with a variety of products, and stop by
every now and then to scoop up a bucket-load of quarters?
As I look back on my own life, though, almost every time I've asked a question
beginning with the words "how hard can it be," I've ended up with a task infinitely harder
than I'd obviously anticipated. And that can very easily become the story of any vending
franchisee blissfully unaware of what challenges are actually ahead.
If you can anticipate any foreseeable problems, the vending machine can be a very
lucrative home based business, so to save any unsuspecting small business buyers the pain
of finding the challenges out the hard way, we'll take a look at some of the very
important aspects of successful vending that are often overlooked.
Research
One of the most important things to do when starting any small business is to do all
your homework before investing in your franchise business. Most likely, if you're reading
this article, you're already taking care of the research side of things, but there is
still something specific that a potential vending franchisee should be looking at, and you
may not be aware of its importance to the future of your business. That detail is machine quality.
It may come as a surprise, but not all machines are built the same. In the past, many
were built of various plastics, which meant that although they were cheaper to purchase,
they required a variety of replacement parts since plastic isn't terribly durable under
constant mechanical wear. The better way to go is metal, and one company with outstanding
machines is Uturn Vending. Despite having many moving parts, their machines are said to be
some of the toughest candy machines in the business.
Location
As with all businesses, vending location is key to a lucrative business. Most
successful candy vendors find so much success precisely because they chose to put their
machines in high-traffic locations where people tend to stop and stand for some time. Bus
stops, train stations, waiting rooms, grocery stores-anywhere that the machine will be
present before a relatively stationary crowd is good place. While crowds often equate to
big profits, make sure that the machine's location matches its product-or visa-versa.
DVDNow machines, which offer DVD rentals, do not go in public restrooms any more than a
Love Maine Lobster Claw machine, which actually vends live lobster, belongs in a bank;
just use common sense. If for some reason you have a hard time nailing down your locations,
many franchisors will do the service of selecting appropriate locations for you.
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