A Little Analysis Can Boost Your Vending Business

Posted by Jason - July 3rd, 2009

Vending can be one of the most lucrative business opportunities available today. It doesn’t require much time, investment and effort from the vending operator to run it. At the same time, the returns from vending businesses are good. Unlike other businesses, you don’t have to spend a lot of time in planning and executing the business. Through the right bit of initial planning, the profits you can generate potentially really shoot up.

There are some analysis sources that can help you raising the “sales” graph of your vending business. A little analysis in the start can guide your business to success. Here I have tried to formulate few methods and plans that will help in doing so:

Identify the target customers.
Though anyone can purchase stuff from a vending machine, it is very important to identify the customers you want to target. Based on these customers, you have to choose the types of product you want in the vending machines. This can be done by conducting a small survey or by finding data pertaining to sales trends in the region. For instance, the spending capacity of customers in that region will also play a vital role in identifying the target customers.

Identify the location that suits the machine best.
Location is the key to a successful vending business. If you give a little thought in choosing the location, you can reap tremendous benefits. An ideal location is the one where foot traffic is high. Location of vending machine, targeted customers and product choice, all three factors go hand in hand and are vital to each other. You should spend some time in identifying and comparing different locations. Things to look for:

•    Number of people in a particular location
•    Spending capacity of people at a particular location
•    Targeted customer’s profile in a particular location
•    Popular products in a particular location

Identify the products.
Based on location and the customers you wish to target, you should find out which products would suit the best. Products can be found by noting top sellers in the region and finding out product preference from the customers through a quick survey. Even after you have started your vending operations, customers’ feedback should be taken often to try different products. It is always recommended to offer top branded products.

Find a reliable vending machine manufacturing company.
Among all the important decisions, finding a reliable vending machine manufacturing company is the most important one. You want a company that has been established in its success and stands behind its product.  Planet Antares offers machines that are state of the art, provides support and coaching to get your vending business on its own road to success.

Another point to be noted is to stay away from refurbished vending machines as they can be faulty machines repaired with non-standard parts. You should always look for brand new vending machines from Planet Antares.

A little forethought on these factors will help you in start your vending business on the right note and pave the perfect way to your financial freedom. All the best.

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Servicing The Vending Machines - An Inevitable Job

Posted by Jason - June 27th, 2009

Installation of the vending machine at a prospective location is not the final job that a vending operator needs to accomplish. The regular servicing and the maintenance of the equipment will keep it working in good condition. Frequent break downs can be avoided with regular inspection and servicing of the equipment. A successful vending business keeps the machines well maintained and stocked to avoid consumer’s inconvenience.

To retain the esteemed customers and achieve total customer satisfaction, a proper schedule of servicing your equipment should be prepared. Servicing includes:
•    Cleaning
•    Refilling
•    Repairing

These tasks should be managed effectively to ensure a smooth vending operation. The key to running a vending business for a long time lies in unfaltering services. The vendor has to ensure that the machines are clean and the food stored in them is fresh. Increased health awareness among consumers has left them asking for clean and fresh product vending. Regular cleaning of the machines and its surroundings would not allow the dwelling of bacteria that may spoil the food items stored.

The customers would never return to your vending machine if they purchase stale or expired products. The expiry dates of all the products should be noted down before being placed in vending machines and products that are about to expire should be replaced on time. The product replacement should be timely and should not leave the consumers disappointed. The consumers will form a bad opinion, if they don’t get the desired product from the vending machine. Improper functioning or break down of equipment while a transaction is being made proves to be a nightmare for a consumers as well as the operator.

Inspect the machines at regular intervals and repair them if required. Doors of the vending machines should be tight and secured. The temperature control units should be working efficiently. The vending operator should always be handy with the essential tools, in case a quick fixing of the equipment has to be done.

Planet Antares service support system provides extremely professional services to the distributor. Any technical difficulty is easily handled by the skilful support of the Planet Antares Coach or tech support. Planet Antares ability to provide regular services to your vending operation has helped to make it a success in the vending industry.

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COLD BEVERAGE VENDING MACHINE

Posted by Jason - June 18th, 2009

One of the most coveted vending machines in US has been the cold beverage vending machine. Thirst can arise anywhere and the need to satisfy thirst was felt. Planet Antares vending machines met the need and offered cold beverages. Whether you are looking for a soft drink, bottled water, juice, isotonic or energy cold beverage, Planet Antares has all that to meet your preferences.

In order to attract huge traffic Planet Antares has also come up with combination vending machines which not only provide drinks but also snacks with it. All recognized brands are kept in such machines so that consumers can identify with the products and do not hesitate to buy when the need arises.

Such machines work well with most locations as anyone can feel the need to drink anywhere and these machines help them satisfy their thirst. Places such as gyms, parks, schools and shopping malls are the hot favorite though, as these locations can be served with a particular category of drinks. Offer a product mix and the adoption of category management will help the operators make a good business.

Brand preference can differ with the different locations. Study what brands are preferred over another at the place you wish to place your cold beverage vending machine. Make an effort to stock your equipment timely and check that the drinks are not expired. Regular servicing and checks are also required to see that the temperature is maintained in the equipment.

It will bring in poor name if the machine does not dispense cold products. So it should always be ensured that the required temperature is kept in the equipment all the time. The customers should not turn away with disappointment. Planet Antares operates many beverage machines which offer only healthy drinks which are low calorie, non carbonated and non caffeinated.

With the health issues raised in the schools, the authorities have come up with a solution to vend only juices and other healthy drinks available in the schools keeping in mind the health and the growing age of the children. Planet Antares comes up with a whole range specially crafted for children. Glass front vending machines are used for the vending cold beverages.

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ISSUES RELATED TO VENDING IN SCHOOLS

Posted by Jason - June 8th, 2009

Schools have been the most desired location among the vending operators. They cater to the desires of children and earn huge revenues there. A nation wide survey of vending machines conducted by center for science in the public interest (CSPI), in middle schools and high schools finds that 75 percent of the drinks and 85 percent of the snacks sold are of poor nutritional value. Planet Antares health food program looks into positive contribution to children’s diets and health.

Children are unaware of the healthy eating habits, even if parents and teachers guide them into what is good for them to eat and what is not, children are swayed away by the wide variety of junk provided by the vending machines. Obesity rates have doubled in children and tripled among adolescents over the last two decades. Studies show that children’s soft drink intake have increased exceptionally and increased soft drink intake means increased calories which ultimately leads to obesity.

In order to encourage healthier food habits among the school children, traditional snacks and food habits are being replaced by nutritional products in the vending machines. Planet Antares vending operators have started filling their vending machines with bottled water, juices, low fat snacks, nutrition bars etc. in order to promote healthy eating among the growing children. The assumption that the vending machines will only be profitable if they are stocked with junk foods have been brushed away by Planet Antares vending operators as no loss in revenue have been marked by switching to healthier or nutritional food.

The changes in the attitude of people towards healthy eating habits have been well appreciated by Planet Antares vending operators and alterations have been made in the type of food stocked in the machines. The stocking of organic or other nutritional products could be expensive, Planet Antares vending operators provide all the products at affordable prices and students can save their pocket money while adopting healthy food.

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Deciding Upon A Vending Machine Company

Posted by Jason - April 27th, 2009

Now that you have made up your mind to start with the vending business, it is imperative that you decide upon the right company that can provide you with the right kind of vending machines for your business.
Planet Antares  INC offers quality vending machines at right price and also offer all the information that you will require to start your vending business on the right node.

Vending business is not similar to other businesses; this is a business that can be carried out from home but needs visiting to vending locations regularly.A vending business can be handled by an individual, small enterprise or a large company with a staff prepared to take your order. Planet Antares Corporation is such a large company with experts who are ready to guide you from the very start of your business. The company has a lot of experience and has hundreds of satisfied vending operators who have set up well paying vending business.

For establishing strong, long term relationships, you need to find the right vending machine company. It is essential to do your homework and carry out thorough research about vending companies before making a commitment to purchase from them. After all, you will not want to switch vending machine companies’ right in the beginning of your operations.

Steer clear of vending machine companies that continuously put obstacles in your path to smooth operations. It will be worthless to develop good relations with such companies and only waste your time, money and energy.
Go for a reliable company like Planet Antares Inc to get best results!

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Start-Up Guide For Planet Antares Vendors

Posted by Jason - March 24th, 2009

Planet Antares Inc offers some unique home based business opportunities that can help you get into the snack and beverage vending business – fast. The vending machine business is a booming industry that virtually anyone looking for a lucrative business opportunity can participate in.

Primary Research
If you ignore this aspect of the business, you may end up losing your hard earned money due to lack of proper research and information for making decisions. To avoid making these mistakes, you need to be wary of “new” vending concepts. It is essential to carry out lots research before venturing into the vending business.

Traditional products bear lesser risk as compared to non-conventional ones. Selling fresh juice, newspapers, or frozen yoghurt isn’t as certain as selling the more traditional products like snacks and beverages. That is the reason why with the right vending program, you can never go wrong with a Planet Antares vending opportunity.

Planet Antares vending operators must ensure availability of sufficient capital. You can start off with one or two Planet Antares vending machines, while running the business from home. This can be done on a part time or full time basis. If you want to run it as a part time business, you will find that you are restricted in the type of locations that you can have.

Full time job holders will need to adjust their schedule, so that they can service the vending machines efficiently. Speaking to existing customers to get advice will help you avoid making beginners mistakes.

Right vending machines and locations
Planet Antares offers quality vending machines as well as great vending programs that will help you choose the right locations for the vending machine. This is important since the two have to go well together.

The research conducted in the beginning comes handy while looking for strategic locations. If the location doesn’t look right or feel right, it most likely isn’t. Make sure that the location is suitable for the type of vending machine that have. A snack and beverage vending machine usually does well in high traffic locations.

Success in the long run will require you to invest in quality vending machines. There should not be frequent mechanical problems with the vending machine, since it will lead to loss of sales.

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Selecting A Lucrative Vending Business Opportunity

Posted by Jason - March 20th, 2009

Newcomers in the vending industry often make the mistake of thinking that vending is just another shortcut to making money. If you are one of them, it will be difficult to setup and run it smoothly. Thus, it is imperative for you to start on the right foot. In this day of information, there is no reason that you should make any mistakes.

Firstly, you should steer clear of high priced, poor concept vending equipment that doesn’t deliver what it promises. Perhaps, the vending company wants more from you than they are willing to offer. Don’t fall a victim to this!

Planet Antares Inc is a company that does not make any false claims and offers durable machines. Actually, they provide effective and high quality vending machines at very affordable prices to you. It is also possible to get the equipment financed from them and pay in easy installments.

A number of factors have an impact on the success of your Planet Antares vending business. Location is one such element of importance. Carry out research on the type of locations that are available and it is crucial to see this location yourself. Make sure that the chosen location has a large number of potential customers. Observe the products sold by other vending machines in the area to get an estimate about the competition.

Look for the ideal products for your Planet Antares vending machines. This means going for the branded products that are popular as this is what the customer will want to buy from your machines.

Your Planet Antares vending business operations can allow you to earn substantial money. Choose a company that will show you the real picture of how to make a successful vending business.

Planet Antares Inc will suggest you the best vending opportunities with estimation of their income expectations, which is very high. If you really want to start and work towards successful vending, Planet Antares vending programs can be perfect for you.

All these factors need to be kept in mind while setting up a vending business. Once you have decided to enter this lucrative business, you will be able to earn enough money to make a good living and some have even decided to move from a regular job to full time vending.

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Public Concern About Vending Business

Posted by Jason - March 19th, 2009

Nowadays, two main issues are grabbing the headlines in the vending industry - health and nutrition. As a Planet Antares vending operator, you can read about it every day, mostly in relation to schools and college campuses.

In fact, the vending industry didn’t create the obesity crisis and are a part of the solution. Huge amounts of money are being spent by many trade organizations to spread this message and make the public aware. They also aim to make the media and government officials realize their role in public health and fitness.

Planet Antares Inc offers its support to vending operators in these efforts. Actually, these activities are viewed as a price they must pay for being in a business that is involved with the public health. Their aim is to contribute to the well-being of the general public and reduce any negative impact on their health.

For the average vending operator, obesity and nutrition have very little to do with daily business reality. Vendors will be happy to provide good quality items which are also nutritious to customers. To bring about changes in the customer’s purchasing habits is essential to deal with health concerns. Sadly, these remain the same as ever for majority of them.

Employee wellness programs have emerged as a not so visible revolution in the private sector. Many of the employers have been forced by medical costs to consider multi-faceted wellness programs to ensure healthier employees and lower health insurance premiums.

Most vending operators including Planet Antares vending operators have allowed their national trade association to carry the weight of the health issue burden. A lot of them are learning that the issue has a direct affect on their vending business as well.

A campaign to offer tools that help operators to address the media at local level and enable them to participate in legislative initiatives at both the local and state levels was launched recently.

Some of the other initiatives include group support from dieticians who are ready to help Planet Antares vending operators work with legislators and other public officials on the behalf of the industry can also work well for elevating public concerns like nutrition value of vending products.

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Vending Industry Issues: Standardizing DEX Standards

Posted by Jason - March 16th, 2009

As a vending operator, you will surely know that most vending operators are ready to blame the equipment manufacturers for not doing enough to standardize their DEX hardware and software. Certain people believe that the manufacturers did not adopt a set of standards and these are too broad.

Planet Antares vending operators want to see NAMA opt for more stringent DEX standards. This view is supported by several equipment manufacturers as well. Surely, the standards can be improved to a certain extent. During their first attempt with utilization of DEX, some of the operators have had problems.

In certain cases, the DEX standards have been too broad. The more stringent ones may be able to sort out the problems that are being faced by some Planet Antares vending operators. According to equipment manufacturers, not all machines require the same type of data. There is risk of extra cost in excessive standardization without providing any additional benefits.

Don’t forget that standardization will not always assure Planet Antares vending operators that manufacturers will abide by new protocols. Some manufacturers even claim that competitors have not supported existing DEX standards.

In itself, this is a judgment based on technical interpretation. Moreover, it has been pointed out by equipment manufacturers that the task of gathering data in a usable form is one that should be handled by the software company only.

Even if additional standards are adopted by NAMA, manufacturers will add to that list for specific equipment needs. Whether minimum standards are essential to begin with is open to question, since many protocols are already being followed for the sake of convenience and simplicity.

Still, there is some DEX data that is standard in all vending machines including Planet Antares vending machines. These include:

  • Coin mechanical fields
  • Coin to tube
  • Coin to coin box
  • Coin from tubes
  • Total coins
  • Cash from validator
  • Total vends
  • Total cash

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Opinions Of Vending Machine Users

Posted by Jason - March 13th, 2009

No matter what business you run, keep in mind that the customer is king. In the vending machine business, this will bear an impact on all crucial decisions like machine type, product and location. By ignoring this crucial element of your Planet Antares vending business, you may end up losing existing as well as potential customers.

Different people have different motives for using vending machines. These variants can provide an insight about the right strategies to attract and retain more customers. In order to ensure higher sales and returns in your vending business, you need to increase your customer base.

The ease and convenience offered by Planet Antares vending machines attracts many customers. No longer will you have to leave work in between or go to a c-store for getting a meal or refreshment. The trick is to ensure that customers can access your vending machines and get the desired products easily.

Check whether your vending machines are functioning smoothly and without any breakdowns. Good vending machine companies like Planet Antares Inc will ensure that your vending machines are repaired promptly.

Apart from these factors, you need to focus on building a brand image for your vending business. Customers should be able to recall your brand name instantly and have a constant interest in the same. You must utilize innovative and interesting marketing strategies to enhance customer awareness and demand for your products.

With more and more people becoming health conscious, they may not want to use vending machines. Thus, you need to provide healthier options for snacks and beverages to maintain brand loyalty and sales. Food items such as milk, tea, nutrition bars, energy bars and other healthy products have been introduced in schools, colleges and many other locations.

One way to retain your vending machine customers is to spread awareness about the new technology used in Planet Antares vending machines. Customized machines and cashless payment options are some of the features of updated vending machine models. As a result, you can have an edge over simpler, less convenient vending machines.

Work towards developing the customers’ trust in your vending products. Keep only fresh and healthy items in your machines. Start emphasizing the quality of services, products and technology at the point of sales. New design and display options are available for effective advertising and promotion to induce impulse buying.

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