Vending Rules

Ignore the Naysayers

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:14:24 +0000

I cannot tell you how many people tried to stop me from starting a vending business. The excuses ranged from “you’ve already got a good job” to “vending is controlled by the mafia”. You have to keep in mind that these people are trying to stop you. Probably not because they want to harm you, [...]

Keep Your Vending Machines Clean

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:08:56 +0000

In order to have a clean vending machine you do not need to spend hours scrubbing it. A machine that smells of harsh chemical cleaners would not help business much either. I have a simple routine I go through. Before I place a machine I do indeed scrub the machine and get it as clean [...]

Vending and Taxes

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:03:21 +0000

According to the IRS, if you make money, you MUST report it. If you make enough money (regardless how you earn it) you WILL be expected to pay taxes on that money. One of the most unique aspects about the vending business is that by it’s very nature you have THOUSANDS of small cash transactions [...]

Vending Exit Strategy

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:58:47 +0000

Once you have decided that vending will support your personal goals you will need to develop a plan for the business. Do you want to create a true business – meaning you hire others to run the day-to-day operations? Is this a temporary venture until the kids are old enough to go to school (or [...]

Personal Goals and Vending

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 20:45:20 +0000

Many people look for a business that they believe will not be difficult to start and then form their life around it. How many of us have done that with our jobs too? Get a job and force your life to revolve around it. I suggest taking just the opposite approach – it is a [...]

Building a Compact Route

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:40:59 +0000

I am often asked how many vending machines you need to be able to make good money. That can be a tough question because I know people who have developed a nice side income off only 15 machines and others who are constantly struggling to stay afloat financially with the same number. The difference between [...]

Manage Your Inventory

Fri, 22 May 2009 20:23:42 +0000

If you do not manage this expenses properly you could very well be losing 10% – 20% of your profit – every month. To put this in the correct context imagine that people somehow figured out how to put less money in your machine but still get their product. Hopefully that helps you to see [...]

Find and Keep Good Locations

Sun, 10 May 2009 20:05:49 +0000

A vending machine can be either an asset or a liability. While it is in your garage it is a liability, while on location it is an asset. Your goal is to have more locations than machines. You should be waiting to get new equipment, NOT have extra equipment in your garage waiting for a [...]

Learn From My Mistakes

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:01:50 +0000

The real measure of a genius is not someone who doesn’t make mistakes, just someone who learns from and avoid other peoples’ mistakes. Let me tell you about one of my mistakes. When I first wanted to get into the vending business I spent about $3000 for a kinetic gumball machine (I bought 3 actually, [...]

Vending is a Real Business

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:55:52 +0000

One of the most important points to remember is that a vending business is a real business, be sure to treat it like one. Now this does not mean that you have to immediately run out and start a corporation and hire an accountant or attorney. Quite honestly you do not need the extra overhead [...]

Your Child’s First Vending Business

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:31:59 +0000

I am often asked by people if they think their kid could start a vending business. Assuming of course that the child is mature enough to handle money and the work I think it is a great idea! Of course the question remains, “How does a child start a vending business?” My answer is that [...]

Vending Machine Contracts – Part 2

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:27:09 +0000

This post is a continuation, be sure to read Part 1 first. Now one caveat. I do have them sign an “Ownership Acknowledgment”. It is a simple document that says the machines belong to me and that I can pull them out whenever I want. To make it easy to sign I also include statements [...]

Beware of Vending Biz-Opp Scams

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 21:36:40 +0000

I guess it was inevitable with all the fear in this economy that the vending Biz-Opp promoters would begin to come out in force. Buying an “packaged deals” or existing route might seem to be the fastest way to get your feet wet in the vending business, but unless you use extreme caution, you could [...]

Anti-Socials Need Not Apply

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:40:55 +0000

If you have trouble getting along with your boss and coworkers and your communication skills are not the best, perhaps you are thinking that owning and operating a successful vending machine route will be the solution to all of your problems. After all, your days would be spent counting and sorting merchandise, stocking machines, collecting [...]

Benefits of Bulk Vending

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 03:12:20 +0000

The greatest benefit of starting and running a bulk vending business is that you can easily do everything yourself. Even with a route almost 100 machines I am still able to place, service and mange it easily without the need of employees. Personnel is the most taxing and costly aspect of running any business. A [...]

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