by A&M Team | Aug 15, 2020 | Machines, Start A Vending Machine Business, Vending Tips
These days, only 41 percent of Americans carry cash around with them. And the millennials leading this trend dismiss paying by cash as “inconvenient.” Convenience is the driving force of any vending machine business. As such, installing a credit card reader on all your machines is essential to thrive in our near-cashless society.
Although it’s not only the days of customers smoothing down dollar bills to pay for snacks that could be about to disappear. Contactless payment systems are finally starting to take off in the US. This means that standard chip and PIN card payment systems might not cut it anymore either.
But before you invest in contactless vending machine accessories, it pays to know the top types of payment systems available. Keep reading to find out more.
The Top Contactless Payment Methods
Contactless payment systems use near field communication (NFC) technology. This allows consumers to tap their card, smartphone, or another device near a contactless reader to pay without entering their PIN.
With contactless phone or smartwatch payments, consumers don’t even need their card. This offers added convenience for vending machines in gyms, where customers might not have their credit card to hand. Contactless payments are also a lot more hygienic, which is a bonus for vending machines in locations like hospitals and clinics.
If your vending machine card readers aren’t NFC-capable, don’t panic. Our new card readers have the necessary hardware to install no contact payment systems. Here’s a rundown of the top payment systems around:
Apple Pay
Apple’s 43.9 percent share of US smartphone sales makes Apple Pay popular with retailers. Consumers can set up Apple Pay using their iPhone, Apple Watch, or iPad. Although, iPads won’t work for contactless payments. To ensure your vending machines can accept Apple Pay, they must have an NFC-capable PoS terminal and the correct software.
Google Pay
Google Pay allows retailers to accept contactless payments through the customer’s Google account. Unlike Apple Pay, consumers can use their tablet for contactless Google Pay payments. Google Pay also works with any Android phone or smartwatch with Android 5.0 or higher, NFC capabilities, and host card emulation (HCE). To accept Google Pay contactless payments your vending machine must use a Google Pay processor.
Samsung Pay
Samsung Pay isn’t as well known as its competitors. Although, Samsung’s 26.9 percent share of US smartphone sales makes it a good option for your vending machine business. Not least because Samsung’s technology also allows contactless payments via magnetic strip terminals.
Visa payWave
Visa has driven 100 million Visa-branded contactless cards into the US market. This move has allowed Americans to continue paying by card as their preferred contactless method. With NFC capabilities, your vending machines can take advantage of this continuing preference.
Your Guide to Contactless Payment Systems
The trend for contactless payments is finally gaining momentum in the US. Consumers are now recognizing the speed, convenience, and safety contactless payment systems offer.
As a vending machine operator, this is a trend you can’t afford to miss out on. For more information on updating your vending machines with contactless card readers, contact us today!
by A&M Team | Jul 24, 2020 | Start A Vending Machine Business
With a market size of $8 billion, the American vending machine industry is a huge one. If you’re someone who works installing and maintaining these machines, you have a lot to consider. After all, your machines likely get a lot of use, and maintenance is key to making sure that they continue to be lucrative!
Here, we’re going to talk about the vending machine accessories that you may need next time you perform this maintenance work. Read on to learn what parts you might need to buy and how you can get in touch with us to purchase these add-ons!
Bill Validators
Since validators come in various voltages and sizes, you’re going to need to make sure that you get the appropriate one for your machine. Check out the label of your current validator for the make and model. You likely will want to order the same one again.
Our rebuilt bill validators come with a 90-day warranty despite the fact that they already have been tested thoroughly. This ensures that you will be getting the best possible product for your machine so that it works well for a long time! You also can choose what bills you want the machine to accept. Some only take $1 bills, while others take up to $20 ones.
Coin and Bill Changers
Coin and bill changers are quite possibly the most essential part of a vending machine (besides the food and drink, of course). If yours is broken, it’s important to take action right away and keep your machine on par with these images. Once installed, they will dispense your choice of bills and coins (including nickels, dimes, and quarters).
We offer both new and refurbished coin and bill changers so that you can choose whichever option best fits into your budget. Like with bill validators, you’ll likely want to purchase a coin changer that’s the same model as your old one. This will avoid any difficulties with installation.
Credit Card Readers
If your machine doesn’t take credit cards yet, you should invest in a credit card reader. Many people don’t carry cash around with them, so this is an inexpensive and convenient way to get more sales. In fact, credit card capabilities have been proven to boost sales by around 20%!
You can purchase new readers and have them installed quickly. This also applies if you have an outdated or broken credit card reader installed on your vending machine. It’s critical that you have maintenance done regularly to ensure that your machine is working at maximum efficiency.
Get Vending Machine Accessories Today
Now that you know some of the best vending machine accessories on the market, it’s time to get started. Contact us online or call now at 770-482-7993 to inquire about getting accessories for your vending machine line. We offer all of the above services- and more- at an affordable price, and our experts are more than happy to answer any lingering questions that you may have!
by A&M Team | Jun 15, 2020 | Research, Start A Vending Machine Business, Vending Tips
The vending business is attractive to many entrepreneurs because it creates a mostly passive income. You gain the freedom to do the things you love while the machine works for you. But really, it’s not as simple as it sounds. Creating a profitable vending machine business requires a lot of thought and work, especially when identifying a good location.
When looking for ideal vending machine locations, you’ll want to consider not only the location but also your target customers. Are you targeting school-going children or adults checking in and out of the gym? Whichever your target market, ensure that you go for a spot with significant foot traffic.
Steps to Finding the Best Vending Machine Locations
1. Do Some Preliminary Research
Identify potential spots and get a feel of the most common traffic in that area. What kind of products could go well with that location? Are there other options available such as a convenience store or another vending machine?
2. Identify What You’ll Be Vending
Depending on the locations you’ve identified, you’ll want to identify the type of products you’ll be selling. Some of the things to consider include the product’s cost, shelf life, and profit margins.
3. Choose The A Location That Is A Good Fit For Your Business
From the already identified potential spots and the possible product(s) that most appeals to your target market, you can now go for the location that will be the best fit. Some of the qualities to look out for in an ideal spot are:
- High traffic: An area with high foot traffic such as train stations, airports, shopping malls, schools, event centers, and government buildings are suitable for a vending business.
- A spot with no existing vending machines and other competing companies
- An area where people have to wait or line up for services is also an excellent option for vending machine businesses. These include repair shops, medical centers, salons, public libraries, and even hospitals.
4. Draft A Proposal And Approach The Property Or Business Owner
Once you’ve identified your most qualified spots, you’ll want to prepare a proposal outlining how the vending machine will be a game-changer in that location.
Even if your preferred location has an already existing vending machine, you can find something different to offer that the property owner may like. You can also identify how you can out-compete other existing vending businesses by providing superior services and offerings.
Remember: Value proposition = location acquisition
When pitching your business to the property or business owner, be sure to outline how your business will also add value to their business. For instance, placing a vending machine in or around a hotel or motel can help keep their customers refreshed throughout their stay without needing to drive or walk so far away for refreshments.
Best Vending Machine Locations That You Should Consider
Are you looking for a great vending machine location but are unsure if you’ve found the right spot? Here are a few popular options to install a vending machine:
1. Apartment Communities
An apartment complex with popular amenities such as a pool, laundry room, gym, party room, or a clubhouse is an ideal location for a wide variety of snack and food vending machines. These areas have a flurry of activities and are usually highly trafficked by the members of that community.
2. Hotels and Motels
Look for motels and hotels that don’t have micro-markets and request to install a vending machine on their lobby or side entrances.
3. Gyms
Gyms are a great option to vend healthy products such as shakes, protein bars, and sports drinks.
4. Manufacturing facilities with lots of employees
Due to the consistent flow in these facilities, you can pitch to vend cold drinks and snacks to the hundreds of people working in the facility.
5. Schools, community colleges and universities
Schools have tremendous foot traffic that you can leverage to sell healthy, child-friendly beverages, snacks, and meals.
6. Auto Shops
This is one of the low-key areas that is mostly ignored. Yet, auto shops have hundreds of customers who have to wait to have their cars fixed. Having a vending machine nearby can be a great reprieve and make the wait more tolerable.
7. Hospitals and medical facilities
Hospitals and other health facilities have traffic flowing throughout the day and night. Having a vending machine that offers meals, beverages, and snack choices not only generates you passive income but also provides a convenient solution to visitors, patients, and health personnel working in the hospital.
Other excellent vending machine locations include:
- Skateboard Shops
- Grocery stores
- Laundromat
- Golf Course Lounge
- Bank
- Zoo
- Warehouse
- Assisted living center
Putting It All Together
The success of a vending machine majorly depends on its location. Identifying and getting a fit-for-business location will place you ahead of the curve, help you generate significant passive income and allow you to scale up over time.
Once you’ve identified a good location for your business, ensure that you also choose vending products that fit well with your target customers. Most importantly, don’t forget to offer exceptional customer service to help differentiate you from other vending businesses and carve out a loyal market for yourself.
by A&M Team | May 15, 2020 | Maintenance, Start A Vending Machine Business, Vending Tips
Do You Need Vending Machine Repair?
Are your vending machines damaged, tired, ready to quit, or dated? Instead of going into debt purchasing a new vending machine, you can have them refurbished and repaired professionally. A comprehensive vending machine repair and refurbishing process guarantees that you get trouble-free services affordably.
A company with a dedicated team of experienced vending machine repair and refurbishing technicians will transform your machine from “as is” status to “like brand new.” In this guide, you’ll learn about repairing and refurbishing a machine. Bringing the machine to its mint condition.
Transforming Your Vending Machine To A Brand New Look
A modern-day design of a vending machine should be fancy and sleek. A complete vending machine repair and refurbishing process will change the outward appearance of your machine immaculately. The process involves pulling out all the parts of the machine. To then replace the damaged ones, painting everything anew, and adding new finishes to all the sides.
What Can Go Wrong With a Vending Machine?
Many vending machine owners, especially those located in high foot traffic areas, experience coin or dollar bill mechanism issues. At some point, the mechanisms simply stop accepting money. While you can prevent these problems from regularly occurring by cleaning the dollar path and the coin path, you should consider a comprehensive machine refurbishment.
In 2020, it’s more cost-effective to have your machine’s changer and validator remanufactured to the highest OEM standards. This will help avoid technical problems that may lead to unnecessary downtimes. An established vending machine repair and refurbishing servicer provider will give you a warranty. This will act as a sign of backing their mechanisms remanufacturing process.
Your machine will be fully updated to the newest MDB standards. This means upgrading the changer and validator to MDB standards.
The process also involves putting guaranteed delivery on the machine, which is a force field that tells the vending machine that a customer has received his/her product in the delivery bin. Meaning, if the product fails to drop through the guaranteed delivery field, the machine will prompt the customer to make another request.
This allows the customer to know whether he/she prompted an empty selection or select to get his/her money back. This is a surefire way of ensuring all your customers are satisfied when using the vending machine on your premises.
Enhanced Product Display
Displaying the products in your vending machine in the most appealing way is super important in the vending machine business. A vending machine refurbishing process will typically involve pulling out your old fluorescent bulb. Next, you will look to replace it with a new LED strip.
The LED lighting will give your products a more 3D look by giving off a different color light. The new lighting will entice potential buyers more and increase sales dramatically. Additionally, this is a more cost-effective upgrade because the LED lighting can last up to 10 years.
Increase Energy Efficiency
The LED lighting upgrade is more energy-efficient than the dated fluorescent bulbs found in old vending machines. The vending machine refurbishing technicians will also install a Vendmiser, which is a motion detector, at the back of your machine.
The motion detector minimizes the amount of energy your machine consumes by cutting your machine off for up to 45 minutes when it detects that nobody has been to the break room for a long period.
When Should you Repair Your Vending Machine?
While professional vending machine repair services may seem expensive, it’s advisable to seek professional help to avoid extensive damages and costly repairs down the road.
We, at A&M Equipment Sales, offer steadfast shipping protection, which includes sturdy corner boards, 2×4 pallets’, shrink wraps, double metal bands, and leg runners to ensure your machine arrives at your location undamaged.
Our partnership with reputable carriers ensures that you get the most negotiated shipping rates on the market regardless of your location across the globe.
by A&M Team | Apr 25, 2020 | Start A Vending Machine Business
There is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now with the Coronavirus running rampant. This is a modern pandemic that we’ve never seen before, and it’s left a path of destruction in its wake. The Coronavirus pandemic has caused thousands to die, but there is a much deeper economic problem brewing.
That’s why, today, I want to show you how to navigate the harsh economic landscape brought by the Coronavirus. The economic impact has definitely been felt, and unfortunately, this is how it’s going to be for a while.
It may sound bleak, but it’s the truth. Now, while all hope may seem lost while everyone is stuck indoors, I’m here to tell you that there is no need to panic. Having a future-proof vending machine business is not impossible, but you need to follow the right steps.
By the end of this post, not only will you know how to thrive during the pandemic, but you’ll be able to provide a service that people truly need. So, without wasting time, let’s dive right in.
What to expect during the Coronavirus pandemic
The Coronavirus has introduced social distancing that’s never even seen before. People need to remain 6 feet apart, and all non-essential businesses have started to close their doors. Nobody knows how long this will go on for, so I want to spend some time going over what the impact of this will be on the vending machine industry.
The Current State of Vending Machines
While a lot of businesses are closing, that doesn’t mean that vending machines are suddenly irrelevant. Believe it or not, the opposite is actually true. While there may be rules and regulations surrounding walk-in businesses, there has been no legislation or temporary holds put in place on vending machines.
I also want to mention how helpful vending machines can be during the pandemic. There is little to no human interaction, and people can safely get the products they need without risking their health or the health of others. It’s a win-win, which is why they remain open.
A trend we are starting to see is many of our venders are replacing their Micro Mart setups with automated vending machines because of new safety issues due to COVID-19 and the easy spread of germs. This trend is because, with Micro Marts, customers can touch the merchandise before purchasing.
So, if you were worried about closing up shop for a while, hopefully, this puts your mind at ease.
Adjustments You May Have to Make
As I mentioned a moment ago, vending machines are still able to operate as they were. Now, while this may be the case, that doesn’t mean that you won’t feel an impact. Depending on the location of your vending machine, there could be a huge fluctuation in foot traffic. If you have a machine in a non-essential business, trust me, you’ll definitely want to find a new spot as soon as possible.
On the other hand, if you have a vending machine in a good location or essential business, you can actually expect a very similar profit margin. So, when push comes to shove, it really comes down to your location.
Keep in mind that some situations may be unique, so just keep a close eye on the location of your vending machines to see if you may need to move.
The future-proof vending machine business: how to turn a profit while helping the community
I’m sure many of you are worried about maintaining the costs of your machines and potentially losing out on the profits you’ve been expecting. I know how frightening that can be, but it doesn’t have to be that way. As a vending machine owner, you’re actually in a great position to make some money. Let me explain.
Choosing a High-Traffic Location
The first thing you’ll want to do is choose a location that has high-traffic. During social distancing, my advice is to look into food service locations. These can be supermarkets, pizzerias, parks, and any other place that people might flock to when it’s time to leave their homes.
Even if it’s only temporary, moving your vending machine to one of these locations can be very profitable. Think about it, if people only have a few places to go, you have a chance to get your vending machine in front of all of the potential customers you need.
It may seem strange to look at it this way, but vending machines are in a unique position to actually see an uptick in business.
Choosing The Right Products
Location is only half the battle, so you need to be clever with your product selection. With the pandemic impacting supply and demand, people are typically only buying what they need. For a vending machine that carries snacks, this can be a bit problematic. Luckily, all you need to do is focus on your customers.
During the pandemic, people’s needs have changed. People will be more eager to get essentials like fruits, vegetables, groceries, and bulk goods. While vending machines may not be able to house large stocks of products, you can still help the community while turning a profit. To do so, consider stocking vending machines with products like:
- Hand sanitizer
- Canned goods
- Tissues
- Masks
- Gloves
- Disinfecting spray
If you stock products like this, I bet you’ll have no problem keeping your level of profits or even increasing it.
Final Thoughts
It may seem like social distancing is going to go on forever, but like all things, it will come to an end. The good news is that a future-proof vending machine business is easy to maintain during the pandemic. Plus, not only can you survive this, but you can help others do the same.
While there may be less foot traffic, think about the opportunity. A lot of businesses will be closed down, which leaves people with fewer options when it comes time to grab essentials. Filling your vending machines with the right products can help you keep the profits coming in while providing people with a service that can truly make a difference.
by A&M Team | Mar 10, 2020 | Start A Vending Machine Business
Today, I’ll be showing you how hair vending machines can play a crucial role within your business. To be blunt, no matter the beauty business, a vending machine fitted with the right products can help you supplement your income.
If you own a hair salon, you know exactly how it goes; one day will be up, while the next may be down. Even the best businesses face temporary lulls in income, but what if there was a way around this? I know exactly how to solve this, and the answer might surprise you.
So now that you know what you’ll be looking at, I hope I have your attention because it’s time to learn all about how hair vending machines can be of service to you.
Leasing or buying hair vending machines
Before I get into just how effective hair vending machines can, I want to set some time aside to speak to you about your options. This is due to the fact that there are a few ways to go about obtaining a vending machine, and it depends on your goals.
Leasing hair vending machines
When you lease a vending machine, think about this process as renting out an area of your business. A company will come in, set up the machine, and be on their merry way. This is a great way to earn some passive income, and there are plenty of companies out there ready and waiting.
Now, while it may net you a profit, let me be the first to tell you that those profits are going to be slim. Why? Because it’s not your machine, and you’ll only get a percentage of the actual profits.
Buying hair vending machines
In my opinion, for a hair/beauty salon at least, buying a vending machine is a much better option.
Let me explain why:
Sure, it might cost you upwards of $6,000 depending on the machine, but the profits will pay for themselves. Trust me, hair vending machines in the right location will make you plenty of money.
You want to know what the good news is? That right location is your beauty/hair salon. Think about it; people already have an interest in your service if they’re shopping with you, so why wouldn’t they get the products they need all in the same place?
What should I stock in hair vending machines?
Now that you’re thinking about getting your hands on a little money maker, you’re probably curious about what products you should choose. Don’t panic, though, because I’ll give you some good ideas.
Hair related products
Now, if you own a hair salon, this is definitely a given. If you’ll be using hair vending machines, be sure to carry hair related products like:
- Weaves
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Hair dye
- Hair spray
- Moose
These are only a few ideas, but you see what I’m getting at, right?
Creams
Having body creams is also a great idea, and friendly for any beauty oriented business. Here are some ideas for you:
- Face moisturizers
- Edge Cream
- Shaving creams
- Exfoliating creams
- Foot cream
- Hand cream
When it comes to these products, please, feel free to get creative.
Accessories
Accessories is a broad term, and that’s due to the fact that so many different types exist. Now, for hair vending machines, you’ll want to stick with products like:
- Fake eyelashes
- Hair extensions
- Stick-on nails
- Makeup items
Like I said earlier; feel free to get very creative with this.
What products work the best in hair vending machines?
Now I’ve shown you the products, you’re probably wondering which route is the most profitable one. This is understandable, but what if I told you that you should carry a wide variety?
So instead of just carrying hair products in hair vending machines, why not throw some accessories and creams in as well. Think about it; the more product diversity you have, the better your chances of creating a sale can be.
Final thoughts
Hair vending machines are definitely something of a hidden gem within the beauty industry. It’s something that not a lot of people think about, but I hope that I have you thinking about it.
Vending machines may seem useless, I get it, but the second you have one you’ll immediately notice the difference. Even if you only make an extra $50-100 each day, which is the average in high traffic areas, that’s almost another $3,000 in income for your business.
So what are you waiting for?
