40 Vending Machine Ideas

Published by Leanne Tan,

The person who thought of the vending machine is a genius for 2 simple reasons: you don’t need to hire personnel to man a vending machine like you would a store, and this keeps things in stock and available for the masses, 24/7. While most of the vending machines you are used to would dispense coffee, soft drinks, packaged food and snacks, these days we can find a lot more variety being offered.

Whether it is for convenience, or practicality, or to drive a concept or an idea home, here are 40 things you probably don’t expect to find in a vending machine, but now can.

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Live Crabs. Who would have thought that we’d see the day when crabs can be made available in vending machines. And they are alive! Grab one on the go if you are in China.

(Image source: The Atlantic)

Ice cream. I scream, you scream, we all scream for an ice-cream machine. This one is from Japan but you might have come across the ones from Ben and Jerry’s.

(Image source: Wikimedia)

Pizza (cooked). Want to get a steaming hot 9-inch pizza within 3 minutes? Then, keep a lookout for a Let’s Pizza vending machine. Most of these can be found around Europe and lately in America.

(Image source: Aol)

T-shirts. If you are a fan of Uniqlo T-shirts, this vending machine in Harajuku, Japan dispenses the whole line via vending machines. Shame it’s no longer there, though.

(Image source: Wired)

Noodles. Instant cup noodles aren’t the healthiest of snacks but if you still have a hankering for ramen or udon, this particular machine in Japan dispenses a hot bowl of these noodles complete with meat and veggies. Yummy!

(Image source: Techeblog)

Baguettes. Get fresh baguettes 24/7 with this particular vending machine, thought up by French baker Jean-Louis Hecht who got fed up with his customers knocking on his door at all hours of the day (and night) to get their hands on his delicious baguettes.

(Image source: Yahoo)

Guitar strings. For when you are on your way to a night gig and realize that your guitar needs a fix. It also dispenses guitar picks and drum sticks. This machine resides in Portland, Oregon.

(Image source: The Beer Chaser)

Bike parts. Cyclists will love this particular machine as it dispenses bike parts to replace the ones that broke in yours. You can also get your punctured tire pumped or grab a quick snack. It first appeared in Brooklyn, New York.

(Image source: Pop-Up City)

Cupcakes. Satisfy your sudden midnight sweet tooth cravings with this heaven-sent machine by Sprinkles Cupcakes. The machines can be found in New York, LA, Chicago, Atlanta, and Dallas.

(Image source: New York Post)

Burgers. It’s official, fast food cannot get any faster than this machine in the Netherlands. If you prefer having your burger being cooked thoughly, you can try Japan’s burger vending machine.

(Image source: Complex)

Bananas. When this vending machine first came out in Japan, people went bananas over them. I’d go bananas if I see this machine too.

(Image source: Tofugu)

Eggs. This vending machine is found in the mountains of the Northern Hyogo Prefecture, Japan and is the perfect way to keep eggs fresh and readily available for the residents there, 24/7.

(Image source: Tofugu)

Salad. Healthy and goodness, in a salad, in a jar, in a vending machine. Not all vending machines dispense fast food but while we’re on the subject…

(Image source: Daily Mail)

Caviar. Ain’t nobody got time to dress up, fight for reservations, and light candles for some fine gourmet dining no more. Want some roe? Just grab them from the machine and go. More commonly found in upper scale neighborhoods in LA.

(Image source: NBC News)

LEGO. Is there a reason why this is only found in Germany’s train stations? LEGO has some explaining to do.

(Image source: i am bored)

DIY Toys. A project built by development specialists Squibbles Ink and toy store Rotofugi, this DIY machine in Chicago allows you to make your own toy.

(Image source: PSFK)

Rice. Being the staple food of the Japanese people, this machine makes sense. Why isn’t this machine found in more rice-loving Asian countries?

(Image source: The Wiki Gullet Project)

Fantastic Delites. Love Fantastic Delites crackers? This guerrilla marketing tactic dispenses the snack for free if you would do the things the machine tells you to do. Check out how the public reacted in this video.

(Image source: Coloribus)

Fresh Lettuce. Lettuce doesn’t get fresher than this, in this machine in Japan that is. Perhaps this will help encourage more people to eat their greens rather than falling back on processed foods… naah!

(Image source: Huffington Post)

Pet Food. In order to feed its stray dogs and cats population, Istanbul came up with this vending machine. You slot in an empty plastic water bottle and it’ll dispense food at the bottom for strays.

(Image source: EarthPorm)

Wine. If there are vending machines that dispense beer, why not wine? Now everyone can get their booze, pronto. Pennslyvania first introduced this machine in America in 2010.

(Image source: Daily Mail)

Mashed potatoes. Singaporeans probably loved their tay-toes, mashed and available on the go. Why else would this machine exist?

(Image source: The Huffington Post)

Pies. Yes, you heard right. Berdoll Pecan Candy & Gift Company’s vending machine at Cedar Creek, Texas dispenses entire honest-to-goodness Pecan pies.

(Image source: Team Hall & Nass)

Umbrellas. Never be caught out in the sudden rain again. Just grab an umbrella from this machine and off you go to your next destination. This vending machine is placed around Hong Kong.

(Image source: Calvin-C)

Condoms. If you aren’t a fan of getting condoms from a supermarket aisle or a pharmacy, this is the perfect solution like this machine that resides outside an Italian pharmacy. Now, there is no reason why you can’t practice safe sex.

(Image source: Wikipedia)

Socks. This machine is a must have for all bowling alleys. And the socks should be as cute as these ones from South Korea. (P. S. We hate Mondays too!)

(Image source: DramaFever)

Shoes. You never know when the bottom of your sole may break under your constant jogs, so being able to just dump the old pair and grab a new pair from this Onitsuka Tiger machine in Carnaby Street, London is a great idea.

(Image source: Hypebeast)

Flip flops. Broke a heel? Overdressed for the beach? Just love walking around in flip flops? This Havaianas flip flop dispensing machine got you covered, in Australia, Europe and Indonesia.

(Image source: summersinhavaianas)

Jeans. If you are a fan of the Italian brand, this is great for getting an exact replacement of the jeans you love. I said exact because you can’t return purchased jeans once they’re out of the machine.

(Image source: Annytime)

Books. This is a bookstore masquerading as a vending machine – a novel idea indeed. If you are going to be stuck in the airport at the UK or Australia for a while, why not grab a book?

(Image source: Daily News)

Used Books. A great idea to promote reading, pick up a book from this machine in Canada or drop in one of your own. It’s better than leaving them on your mantelpiece, collecting dust.

(Image source: Oddee)

Skincare Products. If you can get it via the store or via the shopping network, why not from a vending machine, right? Keep a lookout for them at any American airport.

(Image source: Wikipedia)

Makeup. You might have come across a few of these in American airports, since Sephora introduced them in 2010. They are a boon for the female traveler in need of a touch-up.

(Image source: Imgarcade)

Baby Essentials. Forgetful parents who forget to pack their little one’s diapers (or any other essentials like pacifiers, baby wipes, lotion, powder, etc.) will consider this vending machine a lifesaver. This machine was spotted in Seaworld, Florida.

(Image source: Strangely Blogging)

Envelopes. Not a fan of sending emails? Go old school with envelopes in these vending machines found in Taiwan – stamps included!

(Image source: midori-japan)

Bicycle-For-Rent. Trust the bike-loving Dutch to come up with this very convenient means of transport. The machine allows you to rent the bike from one end and return it at another machine.

(Image source: Gizmodo)

Gold. Yes, this is a gold ATM, you know, a machine that dispenses gold instead of cash. The vending machine comes with security measures to prevent robbery, and money laundering. These extremely valuable machines can be found in New York, Las Vegas, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Lisboa, Mendrisio, and Tirol.

(Image source: Gold to Go)

Last Minute Gifts. Found at the JFK airport in New York, this one is very handy for super-last minute shopping right before you board your flight. Grab items from branded sunglasses and scarfs to cameras and even Beats headphones.

(Image source: BK Vixen Gone MD)

Marijuana. Now before you all get excited over the possibility of smoking pot easily, you need one thing to purchase the weed in this machine: a doctor’s prescription. Also they are only available at certain states where medical marijuana is legal like California and Colorado as well as Canada.

(Image source: Vancouver 24 hrs)

Everything You Can Find In A Convenience Store. Because, why not?

What items do you find in the vending machines where you live? Tell us in the comments below.

Vending Machine Profits, How to Guide

by Suzanne Kearns

The ads are alluring: “Make $500 an Hour in the Vending Business!” “Earn Money While You Sleep in a Vending Machine Business!” But they sound way too good to be true. Can vending machines really be a viable way to earn cash?

The National Automatic Merchandising Association reports that 18 percent of vending-machine operators make between $1 million and $5 million a year. But proceed with caution: The Better Business Bureau warns of scams, and a search of “vending machines” on the Federal Trade Commission’s website unearths dozens of fines and lawsuits.

Here are a half dozen tips for getting into the vending-machine business safely and profitably. 

1. Decide on the vending machine type. Many vending machines are filled with a selection of drinks and snack foods. Others focus more narrowly on a particular category, such as ice cream, popcorn, cigarettes, videos (think Redbox), or personal hygiene. Some machines dispense individual units; others offer items in bulk, such as hard candy and gumballs.
2. Get the proper licenses. In some states you’ll need a seller’s permit to operate vending machines, and many states require you to charge sales tax on the items in the machines.  The tax varies by state, as does the minimum price that launches the requirement to collect the tax.  Be sure to check with your local licensing office to find about the requirements in your area.
3. Buy the machines. Decide whether you want to buy new or used machines. Prices can vary wildly: A new machine often runs a few thousand dollars, while used ones go for a few hundred or less on Craigslist, eBay, or Amazon. Keep in mind that all machines eventually break down, so you’ll need to either hire someone to repair them or learn to do so yourself. (Tip: You can buy parts from a manufacturer such as Vendors Exchange International.)
4. Buy or lease a truck. Depending on how large your operation is, you’ll need a van — or, perhaps, a specialized beverage truck — to carry products from machine to machine. A used truck starts at about $5,500 at places like Specialty Trux, or you can lease a basic truck for about $500 a month.
5. Find a supplier. You can buy products in bulk at a local big-box store or go online. Check out sites like Candymachines.com for bulk candy, or SmartVending for a full line of supplies. Markups will vary, depending on the product. Bulk items, such as candy and gumballs can be marked up 200 to 300 percent, while single items can typically be marked up between 60 and 100 percent.  Of course, the more products you buy, the better price you’ll get, so you may have to settle for lower markups when just starting out in order to be competitive, and then increase them as you add machines.  
   
6. Secure a location or two. Where you place your vending machines will determine how successful you are. Check out each site before you approach its owner. Look for a place that gets a lot of foot traffic, such as an airport, a parking lot, a shopping mall, a large office building, or a busy waiting room. Once you select a location, approach the owner and work out a deal. Some vending machine operators offer the owner a small percentage of their profits; others donate a portion of sales to charity. NAMA, in its publication Vending 101 [PDF], suggests that you sign a written contract whenever you place a machine.
7. Service your machines. Once your machines are placed, it will be up to you to keep them clean, well-stocked, and in working order. You may be able to do this by visiting once a week, but if the machine is popular, you may need to turn up more often.

Of course, all of this isn’t quite as easy as earning money while you sleep. But with careful planning, hard work, and a little luck, you can run a successful vending-machine business.

What you didn't know about vending machines

by: Paul Lawrence

When Steve and his father met with the vending machine distributor’s salesman, warning bells should have gone off in their heads the first time he opened his mouth. “Listen,” he told them, “if you want a guarantee, go get a CD at the bank. If you’re businessmen, then let’s do business.”

That’s when they should have said, “No thanks.” But they had pre-sold themselves on the deal. So they plunked down a quick $5,000 to buy two machines, and they were promised excellent locations.

Now Steve and his father weren’t outright swindled. But the locations they were given didn’t perform nearly as well as the salesman had promised. Steve’s father badgered the distributor for better locations, but they refused. As far as they were concerned, they’d honored the contract – and the lawyer Steve checked with was in agreement.

I’m not going to sit here and tell you that every distributor who sells vending machines in the classified section of your local newspaper will give you lousy locations. But Steve’s didn’t produce enough income to cover his investment in the equipment.

So one of the first “insider secrets” I learned about the vending business is that your written agreement with the distributor must describe the kind of locations you will be getting. It’s unreasonable to expect them to guarantee that a particular machine in a particular spot will bring in a specific minimum income. But you can negotiate for other things. Like traffic – the number of people who work at the location or the average number of people who walk by each day.

If, for example, your agreement calls for the distributor to provide locations in buildings with a minimum of 100 employees onsite, there’s a good chance your machines will be profitable. If you don’t specify the number of employees in your vending location, you could end up in a building with 100 of them… or with five.

You can also negotiate to include a non-compete clause in your agreement stating that no other machines at that location can sell the type of product you’re selling (beverages, snacks, etc.). You may also want to include a pre-approval clause so you can check out the location before your machine gets delivered there.

Admittedly, there are some landmines in the vending business that newcomers have to learn to watch out for. But if you know how to sidestep them, this is a very real profit opportunity. More than 100 million Americans use vending machines every day, National Automatic Merchandising Association spokeswoman Jackie Clark reported to The Christian Science Monitor. And it’s a nearly $30-billion-a-year industry.

The vending machine business is…

Simple: If your machines are at locations that aren’t too far from each other, you (or someone you hire) can easily service your route in one day. And all it requires is loading them with merchandise and collecting the cash.

Lucrative: If you have 10 to 20 vending machines, you can bring in as much as $2,000 a day.

Flexible: Whether you want to be a part-time operator or a major player, this business can accommodate you. You can have as few or as many machines as you want. Some well-capitalized operations have as many as 500 or 1,000 machines.

If you want to get started in the vending business, here are some of the basic steps:

Decide What You Want to Sell

You can sell gumballs, condoms, ATM services, phone cards, beverages, snacks, health sundries, etc. in vending machines. I’ve even seen machines that sell makeup, iPods, cellphones, headphones, DVDs, USB devices, and more.

Purchase the Machines

You can buy new or used machines from the distributor who will be supplying you with merchandise. I preferred used machines, because I could buy them at a fraction of the price of new ones – and they had very few mechanical problems.

I began with one used snack machine that I bought for $50. Within a couple of weeks, I’d made enough money to buy a number of small machines that dispensed handfuls of candy. These were also cheap – less than $100 each. Within a couple of months, I had a 100 percent return on the cost of those machines, so I started buying some larger snack and beverage machines. In a matter of months, I had a 40-machine route that made a profit of almost $500 for every day I worked it. When I eventually sold the route, I made a profit of 400 percent on the cost of the machines, because they’re worth a lot more on location.

Secure Your Locations

Like retail, this business is all about location, location, location. You want your machines in places that have lots of traffic – large companies, auto dealers, hospitals, colleges, airports, etc.

If you buy from a distributor that supplies the locations as well as the machines, follow the advice I gave above to negotiate for good spots. If you’ll be finding the locations yourself, you’ll have to do some work. For my first vending route, that meant marching into business after business and getting a hundred rejections to hit that one “yes.” For my second route, I saved time and energy by using direct mail to get leads that I would then follow-up on in person. You can also hire a third party to scout out locations. Most of them get a flat fee that is negotiable, but it usually ranges from $150-$500 for each spot they find for you.

No matter how you find good locations for your machines, you’ll have to use the powers of persuasion you’ve been learning in ETR to convince the owners or managers of those properties to let you set up shop. ] Some of them will want a percentage of the profits. (What you agree to is negotiable, but I would suggest no more than 10 percent.) Others will just want to make sure you will keep the machines well-stocked and in good working order.

Service the Machines

Machines in really hot locations may need to be serviced more often, but for my vending business, a weekly visit to the machines to collect the money and restock them was enough. The distributor you buy the machines from will train you on how to do it. It’s not hard. I’m not a very mechanical person, and I had no problems.

So give a little thought to the vending machine business. If you do it right, it’ll be a nice source of side income for you.