One of the things that make the vending machine business so attractive is the very same thing that makes hard. It’s a business with a low barrier of entry which basically means anyone with $100 and a dream can start a vending business. This in turn means lots of competition. Does this mean you can’t compete and make a living at it? No, but it does mean you’ll have to work smarter and harder than your competition.

Vending is not a get rich quick scheme. You can make a decent living by growing your vending machine business slowly over several years or investing a large amount of money upfront to get started, but whichever route you choose it will not be easy. This does not mean it can’t be done, but I warn you to have realistic goals and not believe the hype that some people are selling. I’ll cover more of the hype in the biz op section of this website but suffice it to say that if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

The vending machine business allows you to be your own boss, set your own hours, and schedule your day however you like. This can be a blessing or a curse depending on your temperament and abilities. Not everyone is cut out to be their own boss. Some people are lazy, some are disorganized, and some don’t play well with others, only you can judge for yourself whether you have the personality traits that are suited to an entrepreneurial endeavor. At the very least, you will need to have good time management skills, be self motivated, have general book keeping skills, and some limited people skills. If you have this and a dash of common sense, don’t let me talk you out of anything. But if you don’t see yourself in this description, proceed at your own peril.

With vending machines, your machines are always working even when you’re not. This is generally considered a passive income stream and is one avenue to building long term wealth and security.  At some point in the future you may want to hire someone to service your machines and this is an option that can further increase your revenue streams.

Vending is a numbers game; this is very true in bulk vending, but less so in full service vending. By this I mean you will need a lot of bulk vending machines to make any decent money. What’s a lot of bulk vending machines and what is decent money? Consider that an average bulk vending machine makes $7. per month per head, so a triple machine is expected to make $21 per month. Mind you, this is gross not net. Add in anywhere from 20%-35% cost of goods and you get a general ball park. And this is given as an industry standard for bulk, not everyone will achieve this goal. My experience is that $5. per head is more likely.

I’ve about covered the basics on the pros and cons of the vending machine business. I’ll be adding more topics and information as I develop this website. I’ll be covering biz op scams, full line vs. bulk, how to buy an established route, and whether to go with new or used equipment. Plus anything else I think might be helpful.

If you’re thinking of starting up your own vending business, make to read the articles on buying used vending machines, buying an existing vending route, coffee vending, coin operated machines and getting your vending machines on location.

With a vending machine business easy to begin and operate, it is referred to as having a low barrier to entry. This translates into the fact that anyone can start a vending business. Tons of people with a few spare bucks get into vending every year. The lower the barrier to get into a field the more competition you will have to compete against. I’m not saying that you can’t make it in vending, just that you will have to be that more dedicated than the next guy.

Vending machine business opportunities (biz ops) are to be avoided. A big biz op scam these days seems to be energy pills or gel. There are many others out there, but energy seems very popular recently. For the dear price of about $15,000, a biz op will get you equipment, get you in businesses and offer to help you with your whole start up. Biz ops make grossly exaggerated profit claims. Vending is numbers game. In vending, it is all about the numbers – tons of machines churning out a small monthly profit to get ahead. After losing lots of money to a biz op scam, some become disillusioned and quit the business. Tons of unused machines are sold by these frustrated people.

If you have been duped by a biz op, your options are few, you can complain through the Justice Dept., the BBB, or get an attorney. That money will more than likely never be seen again. It’s good to be informed when starting any business. The people that are pushing biz ops and promoting vending as a way to make easy money are not to be trusted.

When starting out in bulk vending or full line vending, have a workable business plan before you quit your job. It is not my intention to deter you from the vending biz, but instead, I am hoping to give you information that will help you on your business path. Most single heads make seven bucks on average. This is an industry average, not a guarantee. Venders don’t always make seven dollars. Personally, my machines are averaging five dollars per head. As you can see, a double head machine making $14.00 per month is going to require a lot of machines to pay your mortgage.

Please be alert to the possibility of locator problems. Locators help you by making lots of phone calls to zip codes you provide to help you get your machines placed faster. Sometimes you can hire a person to drive around and place machines. To get a machine placed by a locator using a phone is about fifty bucks. I have no experience with an in person locator personally, but it is about the same price. To expand your business more efficiently, a locator can be a real asset. Locators vary in their placement options. Some promise a certain amount per machine, some do not. Despite what you may hear, excellent locators can be found, the problem is finding one. A good way to find a locator service is on forums that are dedicated to the vending business. Other people in the business can help you avoid getting ripped off by unreliable locators.

The vending machine business is not a get rich quick plan. Vending requires a lot of time and commitment to be successful just like every other business. A lot of folks that start vending business will fail, but this doesn’t mean vending isn’t a viable business. Too many people are really not up to the challenge of managing their own business. With vending, you can start without a lot of cash. All you have to do is get a couple vending machines located, service them for a short time and you’ll have a good indication of how things work. One of the great things about vending is that you can do it at your own pace while keeping your day job. A plan to grow your vending machine business, based on your experience will be infinitely better than the impossibly dreamy goals others may give as their results.