Many of us take vending machines for granted, and don’t realise what a competitive market it is. The financial success of a vending machine is largely down to its site, or position, so choosing a good vending site can make a big difference to the profits to be made.

Why tell you about vending sites? It’s because running vending machines is potentially very lucrative and, with the right support and training, can be a great way to make money without having to work full-time.

Why is a vending site important?

Pick the wrong site for your vending machine and you’ll never get any customers. It’s a basic marketing strategy to look at areas where there’s a lot of footfall – people passing by – and where a vending machine could work. There’s a lot of competition for good sites, but equally, there are a lot of places where there are no vending machines at all, so identifying the type of sites that work well and then finding those businesses, retailers or leisure outlets that need additional vending could see the profits rolling in. Picking the right site is the difference between profit and loss.

Which sites work well?

There are several areas where vending machines always work well:

Company canteens – many companies are saving money by reducing the staff and food availability in their in-house canteens. Vending machines are the obvious replacement and can also be sited in staff areas and internal and external smoking areas.

Leisure sites – vending machines are popular with gyms, swimming pools and other leisure outlets. Whether they are offering energy drinks, water or regular snacks, there is always a demand from those who have been exercising.

Shopping centres – although large shopping centres usually have cafes and food outlets, they also need to cater for people who want a snack on the run, and who don’t want to queue for a meal or wait for a coffee. Centrally-located vending machines, near to entrances, cash machines, lifts and escalators are usually profitable.

Finding the right site for your vending machines is as important as what you’re selling from them. Get it right and you could find yourself at the head of a successful vending operation.