Vending machines represent a $40 billion a year industry in the United States, and current trends suggest that this figure is only going to grow. In our consumer-driven culture, vending machine manufacturers have developed innovative new ways of attracting business, while providing machine owners and operators with enhanced security features that protect their investments. As that technology continues to improve, the range of products that can viably be sold in vending machines also continues to grow, now including items such as disposable cameras, books, body care products and just about anything else that will fit in a coin-operated slot.

Vending Machines Can Now Be Used to Sell an Incredible Range of Products

One of the key technological advancements that’s led to the resurgence of the vending machine industry is temperature control. Not only do advanced cooling systems allow frozen foods such as ice cream to be sold from vending machines, less obviously temperature-sensitive items such as camera film can now also be securely stocked for longer periods of time. There’s also a flip side to the coin: it is now viable to vend items that need to be kept warm or hot, such as prepared food, coffee and tea.

In fact, coffee and tea vending machines represent one of the strongest growth sectors in the vending machine industry. These can make an excellent investment wherever large groups of people in need of a pick-me-up are likely to gather, such as cafeterias, university lecture halls, dormitories, and office buildings. A key factor in their ongoing success is the way these vending machines manage to anticipate and appeal to the everday needs of the people circulating nearby.

Vending Machine Marketing on a Whole New Level

Enticing customers to make vending machine purchases by stocking the machine with tried-and-true top-selling brands is an essential strategy. While the clearest examples of this have been demonstrated in the soft drink vending machine industry, dominated by the world’s two top soft drinks, Coke and Pepsi, the principle holds true no matter what type of products are being sold. Offering brand-name products enables vending machine owners to lure in business using the brand’s name and logo on the vending machine, a low-cost marketing tool when applied to products that already hold a substantial market share. Think Kodak for film, Johnson + Johnson for band-aids and Vaseline for skin care, for a few concrete examples.

Vending machine manufacturers themselves have begun to respond to customer demand for more designs oriented toward brand recognition. Advances in the manufacture of high-performance, sculptable plastics, stylized lighting and transparent materials allow vending machine operators to purchase a model that speaks to the preferences of their target market. Young people, for example, are known not only for brand loyalty but also for preferring sleeker, flashier displays that convey a contemporary, hip and “young” feel. Form should also match function: if you’re selling laundry soap, a classic, clean look can appeal to customers on a subliminal level.

In addition, vending machine operators are the latest in the bandwagon-jumpers who have realized they can translate nutrition trends into profits. Vending machines that offer products for people swept up in the low-carb craze, for example, are performing very well when placed in areas with high volumes of health-conscious people. With contemporary technology, the uses for vending machines is really limited only by the imagination of the people operating them, and significant profits await those who can discover a winning combination of marketing and product placement.

A mainstay of shops and businesses where kids gather in droves, toy vending machines have traditionally been used to sell small, encapsulated toys at inexpensive prices. However, improvements in the lightweight alloys and plastics used to manufacture vending machines, as well as advancements in the technology that powers vending machine payment systems, have allowed both manufacturers and vendors to get more creative. Today, toy vending machines are more versatile, with the ability to offer branded toys, must-have action figures, plush stuffed animals and much more.

Traditional toy vending machines are coin-operated, but nowadays they can also be configured to accept bills of varying denominations and, in cases where the machine’s application makes it feasible, credit or debit cards. While card payments are usually reserved for toy vending machines selling more expensive items, units with bill verification sensors that make change for customers have become the industry standard. Though the old-school machines which require exact change and vend out of a single coin-activated chamber are still around, they’re rapidly being replaced by newer models driven by more advanced technology.

How to Profit from Toy Vending Machines

The first, most basic and most important principle in choosing a location for your toy vending machine is to put it in a location where large numbers of children converge. Recreation centers, game parlors, bowling alleys, malls and child-themed eateries (like Chuck E. Cheese, for example) are all tried-and-true venues. However, creative thinking can also lead to untapped markets. Lobbies of popular family restaurants, where customers face wait times for tables during peak hours, can be a good spot to locate simpler toy vending machines. Anywhere parents might be stuck waiting with impatient children is a good place to consider; parents who want to keep their kids entertained, quiet and happy are more than willing to buy toys from vending machines to do it.

Another method vendors use to increase revenues at toy vending machines is to install token-operated models. Toy vending machine tokens can be purchased from machine manufacturers, and sold at a rate that adds up to be higher than a coin-operated vending machine would charge for the same toy. For example, a toy that would cost a quarter in a traditional vending machine could be sold for a token in a token-operated model, significantly increasing revenues if tokens are sold for, say, two for a dollar.

What to Sell in Toy Vending Machines

Generic toys specifically manufactured for sale in vending machines are readily available, and they are usually very inexpensive when purchased in bulk quantities. Costs per unit for capsule vending machine toys are normally only a few cents, and can sell for anywhere from a quarter to a dollar. However, the future of the toy vending machine industry lies in selling brand-name, popular toys through high-tech machines.

Children want items on impulse, and parents indulge them; to serve the changing needs of toy vending machine operators better, manufacturers have developed models that dispense packaged toys. Now, items that were once only available in toy departments can be sold virtually anywhere kids go, in vending machines that accept bills of varying denominations as well as electronic payments. The bottom line for vending machine operators is opportunity: with creative thinking and wise machine placement, excellent profits can be achieved and sustained.

Water vending machines provide a perfect example of how changing trends in nutrition awareness have translated into opportunities in the vending machine industry. Two major types of machines are available on the market. The first type is designed to vend bottled spring water, often alongside soda pop, juices and other chilled drinks. The second type is a drinking water vending machine, which customers use to fill their own water containers with fresh, cold water for a relatively inexpensive price.

Water Vending Machines and Branding

While vending machines designed specifically to market branded bottled water are still relatively uncommon, it’s a growing segment of the $40 billion-a-year vending machine industry. As water brands such as Dasani and Evian continue to increase in popularity, vendors are latching on to consumers’ name recognition of those brands and turning the bottled water craze into a significant and reliable source of income.

Bottled water provides an excellent alternative for health-conscious consumers who prefer to avoid the sugar, caffeine and chemicals contained in commercially prepared soft drinks. Especially in large urban areas, where tap water is usually recycled through a filtration system and highly chlorinated to meet high demand, many people prefer the taste and purity of bottled water, and they’re willing to pay extra for the luxury. By combining intelligent vending machine placement with widely recognized brand names and logos, water vending machine operators can realize significant profits.

Water vending machine operators are also cashing in on the recent trend towards ensuring that only healthy foods and beverages are offered in public schools. Consider the following facts:

• In the year 2000, only 8 percent of U.S. states outlawed the sale of junk food and sugary drinks in public schools. By 2006, that number had risen to 32 percent.
• Over the same period, the percentage of schools offering bottled water for sale in vending machines jumped from 30 percent to 46 percent.

These numbers continue to rise, and are generally indicative of trends outside the public school systems as well. People everywhere are making healthier choices, and vendors who offer those alternatives are enjoying the benefits.

Important Details About Drinking Water Vending Machines

Machines specifically designed to fill customer-provided containers (usually gallon jugs) with fresh drinking water are also becoming increasingly popular. These units typically cost several thousand dollars, and are coin-operated, requiring little in the way of service. They are automated to deliver fixed quantities of water, using a mechanism similar to what’s found in a gasoline pump. In fact, most vendors need to do very little upkeep other than collect deposited monies and refill the machine’s water tanks.

However, there are a couple of things to keep in the forefront of your mind when considering purchasing and operating a drinking water vending machine. First, and foremost, these units are not designed to vend anything but drinking water. While many vending machines offer more versatility (and therefore have a higher profit potential), these do not.

Secondly, it’s essential that vendors perform regular tests to check the levels of bacteria in the water for sale. Early studies being conducted suggest that because the water stands for a longer time, the bacterial levels can be higher. Fecal coliforms and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the two bacterial culprits you need to watch for.

If properly maintained, these units can perform very well wherever travelers gather or stop to rest: campgrounds, rest stops, national and state parks and any place with few or no sources of drinking water and a high volume of thirsty traffic.

Soft drink vending machines combine pre-existing brand recognition with convenience. This powerful combination can, in turn, translate into low-maintenance, reliable revenue streams. The most successful soft drink vending machines use a combination of branding, selection and placement to achieve a high sales volume.

Soft Drink Vending Machine Placement: Things to Consider

Figuring out where thirsty people gather is only part of the equation, since soft drink vending machines also attract impulse buyers. While conventional wisdom suggests placing machines in areas where people go to eat and drink, such as inside or near cafeterias and food courts in schools, on college campuses and in malls and office buildings, the convenience of vending machines opens up many other possibilities.

Remember that the key advantage of soft drink vending machines is that they allow people to purchase drinks where they would otherwise not be able to. Thus, they can be profitable in any high-traffic area that isn’t serviced by nearby food and beverage outlets. For example, some of the more progressive public and college libraries permit patrons to enjoy food and drink while reading or studying, but very few of them offer on-site libations. The same logic applies to hotel and motel lobbies, office units, public and government buildings and high-traffic stores and businesses that lack their own food services. Soft drink vending machines placed in these areas enjoy a monopoly, of sorts, over thirsty shoppers and passersby.

Use Branding to Your Advantage With Soft Drink Vending Machines

While it may appear, on the surface, to be cheaper to stock a soft drink vending machine with generic brands of sodas and juices, machines that offer brand-name products tend to be more profitable over the long run. Vendors can even lease machines directly from major soft drink manufacturers (such as Coke and Pepsi). While the up-front costs associated with this option are usually higher, keep in mind that your vending machine unit will come with built-in advertising.

Since teens and young adults comprise a very significant demographic in the soft drink industry, it’s also essential to appeal to this market to maximize profit potential. It’s a well-known fact in the marketing world that young people, who generally have a higher ratio of disposable income than adults, are willing to spend more to get the products they want. Most youths, when given the choice between spending 80 cents for a can of generic cola or a dollar for a can of Coke, will choose the latter.

Purchase the Right Soft Drink Vending Machine

New technologies allowing for credit and debit card purchases and purchases that don’t require exact change work to help soft drink vending machine operators attract business through convenience. To choose the right machine, it’s essential to consider the needs of your target market. Are they likely to be carrying credit or debit cards? If not (and many students, for example, don’t), then you can save yourself some money by opting for a less expensive unit that simply accepts paper money and makes change. However, it is important to bear in mind that operators can charge a premium on their products if card sales are permitted. Most shoppers don’t mind spending a few extra cents if it means they don’t have to dig for change or find a place to get cash.

Finally, if you’re wondering how to finance the purchase of a soft drink vending machine, you should be aware that many manufacturers offer low-cost financing plans, which include small or no down payments, low interest rates and low monthly payment schedules. Thanks to the surging vending machine industry, manufacturers want to ship units quickly and are more than willing to offer competitive financing arrangements to facilitate the sale.

Designed to vend a variety of laundry products, including stain treatment products and single-use detergent portions, soap vending machines are a convenient amenity to add to shared laundry facilities. Typically found in dormitories, youth hostels and budget-range accommodations, soap vending machines can also be profitable at truck stops, in apartment complexes and at camping areas.

The basic soap vending machines manufactured for the commercial market will hold, at minimum, about 40 different items. Typically designed as wall-mount units, these vending machines usually contain a minimum of five columns, and feature easy-loading compartments utilizing a first-in, first-out system that automatically pushes older products to the front. Because the number of products a basic soap vending machine model is designed to carry is limited, most offer only a narrow pricing range for each individual product column. However, if you’re looking to diversify your product selection, you are better off shopping for a soap vending machine that allows for individual pricing. While these models are typically more expensive, they are frequently more profitable because the increase in available selection means a higher turnover of product volume.

Simpler units are lighter in weight and more compact than the elaborate soap vending machines. A no-frills, 40-item unit usually weighs between 75 and 90 pounds. It can conveniently be mounted on a wall, with little required in the way of additional support. Operators concerned about the security of their soap vending machines can also shop for a sturdy design; however, most commercially manufactured soap vending machines are constructed from durable heavy-duty steel, making them very difficult to tamper with.

Soap Vending Machines with Advanced Features

If you’re looking for a soap vending machine with advanced and enhanced features, manufacturers also offer debit and credit card operated models, as well as units with up to 24 product chambers or more. These units can be a boon to property owners and managers looking to increase profitability at high-traffic shared, public or commercial laundry facilities. Not only are these types of units designed to hold a wide variety of products (which will, in turn, attract more business), but the convenience they offer can also be used as justification for charging higher-than-normal prices for the products offered. Studies have shown that vending machines that accept credit or debit card payments can be significantly more profitable than their change-only counterparts. There are two simple reasons for this increased profitiabily: first, people are more likely to spend money if it doesn’t require them to part with physical cash; second, the convenience of paying with a card often wins business when customers aren’t carrying cash or exact change.

You can also split the difference between the basic and higher-end models available by purchasing mid-sized soap vending machines that offer some conveniences but still keep your up-front investment costs low. The best example of this type of machine is a unit that accepts both bills and coins, and makes change for customers who don’t have the exact amount of money required to make a purchase. More elaborate models like this come equipped with readers than can detect different bill denominations, useful if you want to offer products that cost a little more money. In addition, they make a good compromise between the small and easy-to-mount basic units that offer relatively few products and the large, space-consuming but more versatile high-end models.

The different types of snack vending machines available for the commercial market are almost as varied as snacks themselves. Vending machines now take in about $40 billion a year in the United States alone, and even the most conservative of estimates suggest that number is going to do nothing but increase in the years and decades to come. Snack food sales make up the lion’s share of that figure, too, so if you’re looking to get involved in the lucrative snack vending machine market, you’ll need to know what to do to maximize the returns on your investment.

Places Where Snack Vending Machines Perform Well

The first thing you’ll need to think about is where to position your vending machine to reach people with the munchies. Generally speaking, the only outdoor locations where snack vending machines are viable are on commercial properties such as strip malls, outdoor shopping centers and areas where no food stores are available–think campground check-in centers and rest stops. Otherwise, operators usually seek out indoor locations with a high volume of pedestrian traffic.

Be creative in your approach. Conventional wisdom rightly suggests that cafeterias and lobbies of multi-purpose buildings make good choices. But what about spots like workplace lunch rooms and hospital waiting areas? Sit down and make a list of places–any and all places–that you can think of where people gather or pass through in large numbers. Check them out, and take notice of how many of them are already serviced by snack vending machines. If vending machines are already present, consider yourself on the right track; if not, you may have identified a need in the marketplace which you can then act to fill.

Know the Types of Snack Vending Machines Produced for the Commercial Market

Broadly speaking, snack vending machines are manufactured in two different styles: those designed solely to sell snacks, and snack food/soda combination machines.

Units designed simply for snacks usually have lower operating costs, since, unlike combination machines, they don’t have to increase power consumption to run a refrigeration system. The largest snack vending machines normally stock about 48 different products, with at least a couple of rows dedicated to different product types. Since chips, candy bars, nuts, licorice and candies all come in different-sized packaging, the best-designed vending machines offer dedicated chambers to use the machine’s interior space most efficiently. Thus, while one row of chambers may be designed to carry five different brands of potato chips, a row dedicated to candy may be able to offer a dozen or more different treats. Smart vendors know that machines that offer varied choices tend to outperform machines with narrower selections, even when the additional costs of supplying the machine with various products is taken into account.

For this reason, combination machines are often worth the extra investment because they generate greater sales volumes. After all, nothing washes down a bag of chips like an ice-cold soda, and if a consumer can get both from the same machine, it’s the operator who profits. However, the initial cost of a unit like this usually runs into the range of several thousand dollars; on the other hand, the simplest snack-only machines might only cost a few hundred dollars. Also, keep in mind that you can save some money by purchasing a used unit, though it won’t come with a warranty. It depends whether you’re looking to supplement your income by operating a snack vending machine or two, or whether you want to get into a whole new line of work. If you’re in the latter category, a good financing plan will work wonders to help you get your new business off the ground.

School vending machines present entrepreneurs with excellent opportunities to create income streams by selling a variety of foods, drinks and other goods. You should, however, begin your research by looking into laws that apply to school vending machines in your state, county and/or city. You should also be aware that certain jurisdictions, particularly on the county level, have also overtaken the job of managing school vending machine contracts. In such jurisdictions, school boards have complete control over the operation and management of vending machines and usually take half the profits, with the other half being pumped back into the school. Independent operators do not stand to profit from vending machine operation in these jurisdictions, which have turned to self-reliance in an increasingly health-conscious society.

Industry estimates suggest some 20,000 school vending machines are in operation across the United States. Each of them is governed by federal and state laws regarding hours of operation and, more frequently nowadays, the types of foods and drinks that may and may not be sold. Almost all elementary, middle and junior high schools in the country now enforce strict policies which do not allow foods of “little nutritional content,” particularly soda pop, chips and candy bars, to be sold in vending machines. However, high schools that do permit the sale of sweets and treats in vending machines hold the potential to earn their operators high profits.

Consider the following statistics, drawn from a recent study:

• Approximately 71 percent of the items students purchase from school vending machines are soft drinks.
• Similarly, 71 percent of the student body surveyed in the study purchase soft drinks from campus vending machines on at least a semi-regular basis.
• Of students who use vending machines at least semi-regularly, 68 percent of them usually buy at least one snack item in addition to a soft drink.

The study also found that consumption of sugary beverages is higher in schools that are located in close vicinity to fast food restaurants, owing to the habits kids form from indulging in quick, cheap lunches. To the vending machine owner considering operating in a school that permits high-calorie snacks and sugary drinks to be sold, these figures suggest a combination snack-and-soda vending machines placed in a school near a high concentration of fast food restaurants are the most likely to generate sustainable profits.

Stocking School Vending Machines Healthfully

Of course, one way around the restrictions on foods offered in vending machines is to stock them with healthier alternatives. But will kids accept them? It seems they will. Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Florida made changes to high school beverage machines in 2004. Only one-third of their machines still stock soft drinks. Another third offer only low-fat milk, and the remaining third offer water and juice. Water is an increasingly popular choice, and revenue from the more health-conscious machines increased by $400,000.

Yogurt, nuts, string cheese, fresh or dried fruit and vegetable-and-dip packets are popular choices for restocking snack machines. With technological advances in refrigeration, machines that accept swipe cards and other innovations, it is becoming easier than ever before to offer healthy options such as salads, sandwiches and fresh produce to school children.

Thanks to emerging technologies, a wider range of snacks, drinks and products are available through office vending machines than ever before. Not only are machines offering quick pick-me-ups, like soft drink and snack machines, more secure and compact than ever, but advances in temperature control now permit office buildings to include highly profitable coffee vending machines as part of a complete range of products.

Consider the following facts:

• Coffee is the world’s second-best selling commodity.
• Approximately 70 percent of the U.S. adult population drinks coffee.
• Half of all coffee drinkers consume three or more cups per day.
• Office vending machines that retail coffee are becoming ever less expensive.

It’s easy to see how a well-placed coffee machine could quickly rack up significant profits in an office environment, where workers frequently turn to caffeine to beat the fatigue that comes with the daily grind.

Specialized Office Vending Machines Can Create Large Income Streams

As people are becoming more and more health-conscious, vending machine operators are finding ways to parlay nutrition into profits. Recent statistical analysis showed, for example, that milk is far outperforming soft drinks in terms of market share growth, with an annual dollar-volume increase of about 350 percent better. Soft drinks and packaged cold beverages, such as juices and water, enjoyed an annual dollar volume increase of 7.3 percent over the duration of the study. This was by far the most significant percentage increase among the snack, ice cream and cold beverage categories–except, of course, for milk, which posted a whopping 25.6 percent increase in sales, in terms of dollar volume, during the same period.

Diversifying the range of snacks and items offered for sale in an office vending machine is also crucial to maximizing returns on your initial investment. While there will always be a place for chips, candy bars and nuts in snack vending machines, today’s larger units promote a larger selection of products without adding a lot to your start-up costs. Top-end office vending machine units designed solely to vend snacks typically permit at least 12, but as many as 24 different product slots. Owners can use the extra space to offer specialized products. In addition to the not-so-healthy but nonetheless popular snack items, vendors can include granola and cereal bars, crackers, dried fruit snacks and other low-calorie, low-fat alternatives. The result is an all-in-one vending machine that manages to strike an immediate appeal with a large segment of its target market.

What to Look For in an Office Vending Machine

Selecting the right office vending machine from the many available on the market can be a daunting task. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Machines that don’t require exact change tend to attract more sales.
2. Customers prefer the convenience of office vending machines that accept credit and debit card payments. They’re also willing to pay higher prices for products for the convenience.
3. Office vending machines that can read bill denominations are attractive to operators because those machines allow for more expensive product offerings.
4. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Combination-item machines are not only the most versatile, they also tend to attract the most business. Offer soft drinks, snacks and convenience products together in a single machine; purchase a specialty hot beverage unit that vends not only coffee but also tea, cappuccino and espresso.

By combining planning with some marketing savvy and due diligence, it’s not all that complicated to operate a profitable vending machine. Place fast-selling items in high-traffic areas, and you’ll soon be enjoying a positive cash flow.

Perhaps no segment of the vending industry has benefited more from improvements in computerized technology than the ticket machine sector. Featuring everything from touch-activated screens to customized ticket printing in mere seconds, ticket vending machines are widely used for many applications, notably in the transportation and entertainment industries. Proprietors and operations managers of movie theaters, sporting venues, parking lots, subway stations, bus and train terminals and anywhere else ticket lines get long can improve efficiency and manage customer demand by using ticket vending machines.

Features of Today’s Ticket Vending Machines

Depending on its specific application, a typical ticket machine will come equipped with a variety of features designed for user convenience and easy management. As sophisticated technology powers most modern ticket vending machine designs, the vast majority of ticket vending machines being produced by manufacturers today accept a wide variety of payment forms, including credit and debit cards, bank notes, coins and specially created vending cards. Ticket vending machine manufacturers that service subway stations, for instance, can accommodate special pass cards issued by the municipality’s transit authority. These features can both enhance customer accessibility and improve the machine’s intake of revenue.

Data transfer within ticket machines is managed by a centralized computer system, and can usually be set according to the requirements of the machine’s application. Usually, vendors have the choice of two options for data transfer: the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) or a Local Area Network (LAN) configuration. Both permit users to customize their ticket purchases, and are very useful for vending tickets when a variety of options are available to the consumer through the machine.

The touch-screen interfaces of modern ticket vending machines can also be customized by the operator for virtually limitless uses. Programmed into the computer technology that drives the machine are endless settings options that allow proprietors precision control over the types of ticket products offered and their costs.

Types of Ticket Vending Machines

Three common sub-types of advanced ticket vending machines are manufactured for commercial markets: mobile, stationary and cashless. The difference between a mobile unit and a stationary unit is simple–mobile units are stand-mounted for easy transport between different end locations, while stationary units are wall-mounted. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Stationary units are smaller but less versatile, while mobile units have more uses but are costlier. Cashless units typically fall at the high end of the pricing spectrum and feature sophisticated electronic technology to process sales rapidly while simultaneously logging comprehensive details of every purchase.

Simpler ticket vending machines provide a cost-effective alternative when the machine is needed only for a single application. These machines often employ similar user features, such as varied payment options, but use much simpler technology. They’re ideal for providing an alternative to long lines at ticket kiosks in businesses, such as amusement parks or concert venues, which sell general admission tickets at a single price. No matter what you intend to use it for, when shopping around for ticket vending machines, it’s recommended that you make direct inquiries with the manufacturer to determine a particular machine’s suitability for your intended application.

Found in public restrooms, gas stations, convenience stores, motels, outdoor recreation areas and many other places, medical supply vending machines offer a convenient, low-cost alternative to hunting down an all-night pharmacy. Packing single-use over-the-counter medicines, contraceptives and first aid products, these machines provide an essential service to customers as well as steady income for their operators.

The most basic medical vending machines offer 4 to 8 selection chambers, and are typically either wall-mount units or furnished with a space-saving stand. Elaborate, bulky units are generally not used to sell medical supplies; rather, the cabinet of a typical medical vending machine averages about 24 inches in length by 18 inches in width. Units are usually only a few inches in depth, depending on how many selection chambers there are, and how many products each individual chamber holds. As with vending machines designed for other products, medical vending machines can be configured to accept coins or card payments. You can also find units that accept bills and make change (which tend to cost more) or ones that don’t.

When shopping for a medical vending machine unit, keep in mind that manufacturers often charge for a unit’s individual components, rather than a single base price for a complete model. The cabinet itself is frequently sold at a fixed rate, with wall mounts or stands available for an extra charge. All reputable manufacturers offer solid customer warranties with their new products, so you should avoid purchasing medical vending machines that don’t come with at least a standard 12-month warranty on all parts.

Products That Sell in Medical Vending Machines

Once you’ve chosen the unit you want to purchase and have done your homework in finding a marketable, well-traveled area to locate your machine, all that’s left is to decide which products to stock.

Medical vending machine owners consistently report pain killers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen among the top-selling drugs. These items sell particularly well in places where travelers stop to use the restroom, such as hotels and motels, rest stops and camping and picnic areas. Vendors can purchase single-use packets, containing 2 to 4 pain killing caplets, for individual sale to consumers at significantly higher rates than pharmacies charge. Customers are willing to pay extra for the convenience, and few people looking for immediate pain relief are going to forgo it in the interest of saving a few nickels and dimes.

Antacids and cold symptom treatments, such as nasal decongestants and cough suppressant tablets, also sell particularly well, the latter even more so during cold and flu season (spanning approximately November through March). Most vendors operate their medical vending machines like mini drug stores, offering a selection of products a person might look for in a pharmacy. To cater to a need that will always exist, many operators choose to include contraceptives as part of their product selection.

No matter which products you opt to stock, the industry’s track record shows that brand name products sell better than generic ones, so keep your machine stocked with the familiar names people trust, such as Vicks, Pepto-Bismol and Bayer. Remember, brand recognition is a low-cost form of advertising your vending machine; take advantage of the pre-existing popularity of trusted brands to help your medical vending machine garner more revenue.