What’s The Catch With Free Vending Machines?

In this day and age, we are very sceptical when we see a deal that seems too good to be true. Nothing comes for free these days, which is why many business owners that are offered free vending machines packages in Melbourne immediately assume a scam. While it is certainly a great deal for business owners, the reason that it is free is because the company is getting something out of it.

Now, this isn’t a bad thing. Essentially, the company just wants to make their products accessible to a larger number of people. Supermarkets are becoming increasingly competitive such that it is near impossible for local or lesser known brands and products to be stocked. Even if they are in demand from supermarket buyers, the rates for this service are still incredibly high. From the candy or beverage seller’s point of view, they are looking for a cheap (or free) place to locate their stock and sell it.

Unusually, this space would be rented in a high traffic area. However, small to medium sized businesses are hardly high traffic areas. The vending company is only going to make money from what employees buy, which may be a couple of items per day. So, this is why they don’t in fact pay you to house their vending machine. Keep in mind that the vending company will also pay for service, maintenance and restocking, as well as of course the original product costs.  The price margins are rather minimal, so you and your employees are still getting a good deal.

In fact, it is a great deal. With no large mark up of product prices like in some monopoly vending machine locations, you will pay close to supermarket prices.  You will enjoy the increased convenience of not having to duck out of the office in heavy traffic and waste valuable time every time you need a sugar hit or a drink. There are also vending options which stock healthy choices for bars and drinks if you are conscious about your brand image or hyperactive staff. Consistent peer reviewed consumer research studies have found that employees who indulge in the occasional vending machine treat are more productive at work. One such study suggests that consuming items we consider to be vices or naughty, increases a measure called vitality, which is essentially an energy boost. Of course, the sugar doesn’t hurt either.

If productivity if your main concern, then perhaps you might consider a coffee vending machine. This one would no doubt get a work out several times over the course of the day. Recent research conducted on a digital media company found that the installation of a coffee machine, and subsequent increase in employee coffee consumption, lead directly to a massive 19% increase in productivity over the course of three months. Clearly this is not simply a short term fad result, and these results are quite staggering. As well as increased productivity, coffee also correlated with decreased anxiety, higher mood, motivation, concentration and performance. This level of improvement is something that is dreamt about by any company. 

So, in all, there is no catch. Yes, someone else is making money off of you, but it is money your employees would be spending elsewhere anyway and you receive the benefit of the extra convenience and hassle free operation. If you cannot decide between drinks and snacks, or sweet or savoury, then talk to your local supplier about combination machines or a package deal. To begin discussing with a Registered Vending Machines Supplier in Melbourne about how you could take advantage of this excellent package.

Vending Machines Could Be a Wise Business Alternative

Have you considered the displaying your product in the popular mini-environment? Versatile Vending Machines in Melbourne have proven successful business ventures for those with emerging products or small businesses who are looking for slower growth.

Avoid over-committing

A common trap for the amateur entrepreneur is to bite of more than they can chew. In this day and age, it is truer than ever that a physical shopfront is far from a necessity. There are countless businesses which rely on an online presence through a website and active social media profiles. Obviously, many businesses will need to physically present their stock for sale, and a Vending Machine Can Offer in Melbourne this perfect solution. It can be tricky negotiating with stores to try and get them to stock your product, when the competition is so intense. Bigger stores like supermarkets and department stores can reject most new approaches which aren’t extremely low priced, as the profit margins are too slim. A vending machine is big enough to make an impact but small enough to be manageable. For certain products, a vending machine is the perfect display case. An entire store is not needed, and rent will be wasted. It is also well known that if you have more space than you need, you will be tempted to fill it with bits and pieces that don’t really fit your plan just to stop it from looking empty. This brings us to the next point

Hone your product and visual merchandising strategy

Having a limited space will allow you to reconsider and reprioritise exactly what it is you are selling and how you market your brand. A restricted number of shelves and space will cause you to think creatively about positioning and branding. Think about what is selling the quickest, and where customers’ eyes tend to fall.

Flexibility

A Vending machine is a portable object. It can be moved around the room or even from building to building without much hassle at all. This means that the owner can experiment with optimum placement and customer experience. You might notice that when it the device is beside the door, customers walk right past it, whereas when it sits straight ahead their attention may linger. Shops try to renew their displays as often as possible to remain fresh and relevant, but it is a time consuming process. The result is that products and displays can be stagnant. A well-presented Vending Machine will impress new customers and always give repeat customers something new.

No staff needed

A huge part of any business budget is staff wages. What would happen if you didn’t need staff? The answer is a big boost in direct profits. A vending machine essentially does the work of a retail cash handler. What’s more, it isn’t subject to human error and giving incorrect change. The only job that you will need to perform or hire someone to perform is restocking the shelves. However, this can be done sporadically depending on sales, and only requires an hour or so every now and then.

At the very least, a vending machine will promote brand awareness, and at a much cheaper cost compared to large scale advertising. It is the perfect way to enter into the world of retail without jumping into the deep end that is so often far too deep. Many companies offer short term hire, which is the perfect way to test out whether this strategy might be beneficial for your business. Contact Benleigh Vending Systems for information and affordable vending machines rates in Melbourne at http://benleighvending.com.au.