Setting up a vending machine service for your business can sometimes be confusing. If you are researching vending machine services, you may try to decide which is better: self-fill vending machines or full-service vending machines?
How much responsibility do you want when it comes to having a vending machine? Do you want to be the one who decides what products will go in your machine? Do you want to handle all the restocking or maintenance if there are issues with the machine? For example, when it’s not giving out the correct change? If you want a hands-off vending machine, full-service vending machines are just that. But, if you want more control over the products and the profits, you might prefer a self-fill vending machine.
Self-Fill Vending Machines Pros and Cons
A self-fill vending machine is one that you own and you are in charge of. You get to decide what type of vending machine you want, what products you want to sell, what you sell them for, and how much profit you make. You handle everything if you have a self fill vending machine.
Pros
- Self-fill vending is more affordable because you are not having a third party stock, are clean, or maintain your vending machine.
- You have more control over which products you sell and when.
- Once you buy the vending machine, all profits are yours.
Cons
- You or an employee has to stock and manage inventory.
- You will need to clean, replace bulbs, and maintain the vending machine.
- You remove expired items. If an item expires, you incur the loss.
- You must take care of any repairs or malfunctions with the machine.
Full-Service Vending Machines Pros and Cons
Full-service vending machines are maintained by an outside company, like J Bos. When you work with a quality vending service, they can maintain, stock, and manage every part of your vending machines operations. Your vending services can be completely hands-off. This is often the best solution for larger companies, but there are some pros and cons.
Pros
- Your vending machines will be restocked and rotated regularly
- You won’t have to worry about repairs or customer complaints. The vending machine service will handle all of this for you.
- A vending machine service person will collect all the money, and you will receive a commission.
- You will never have to troubleshoot issues with your vending machine.
Cons
- It’s more expensive to run a full-service vending machine.
- You may have to wait for a company representative to come and restock your machine if you run out of an item.
- Some full-service vending companies have limited product selection.
When choosing a vending machine for your business, decide how much work you will do. A self-fill machine might be the best choice for you if you only have one location, but if you have multiple locations, it is better to go with a full-service machine.
