HOW MUCH
MONEY CAN A VENDING MACHINE MAKE?
The amount of money a particular machine can make
depends on several factors:
- How big is the existing bottle water market? How much bottled
water is on shelves in local grocery stores? *This is a good
indicator of local consumption and the perception of city water.
- What are the demographics in your location? *Families and ethnic
groups tend to be more interested in high quality drinking water
at affordable prices.
- How busy is the location? *The greater the foot traffic, the
more customer potential for business.
- What type of location is best for the machines? *Grocery stores
have traditionally been the best income locations but there are
many other locations which can support drinking water machines.
Unlike
establishing a fixed retail location, a vending machine can be
moved at minimum cost should your location selection not prove
profitable. A good sales target for any location should be $750
per month or 100 gallons per day at $.25 per gallon. This would
represent 20, five-gallon bottles. Most customers bring two, five-gallon
bottles a trip, therefore, you would need about 10 customers per
day.
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR
WHEN SELECTING A GOOD LOCATION?
We suggest you focus your attention on the following factors:
Look
for a location with a lot of traffic.
- Look to place your machine close to the entrance of the retail
location
- Look to place the machine in lower to middle income communities
- Look for discount store locations
- Look for machine placement easily seen from the parking lot
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WHAT MAKES OUR MACHINE BETTER THAN COMPETITORS?
Water Vendors by Us prides ourselves in producing a well-engineered
machine to give you years of trouble-free operation. We do this
by keeping construction as simple as possible and utilizing the
finest components. We want no service calls and have found, with
extra attention to detail, the majority of problems can be eliminated.
Of course, each competitor’s machine is different. Generally
speaking, here are some of our key benefits which provides good
comparative information. We would be happy to further discuss differences
and benefits with you before buying.
- Our fiberglass cabinets utilize
a hand laid method. Every other fiberglass cabinet on the market
today uses the chop gun construction method. While cabinets might
look the same, to the untrained eye, there are major differences.
Just ask anyone who has purchased both. Quality fiberglass boats
utilize the hand laid method because of the enormous stress which
occurs while boats plow through the water. This extra durability
and security are what most far-sighted buyers appreciate and
want - a machine that lasts.
One of our customers recently experienced a Florida hurricane
that blew our machine 20 feet from its location. He brought it
back, replaced a few internal parts and had it working and still
looking good in no time.
- Our vending control systems have been tested world wide and
proven extremely reliable. We have two controllers which utilize
microprocessors to control functions and provide vending flexibility.
Some competitors who utilize less sophisticated relay controllers
speak against microprocessors. Often home computers problems
are cited as an example against microprocessors, but this is
not a viable comparison. Home computers use microprocessors for
operations but the problems occur with the integration of various
software programs and RAM memory overload. An overwhelming majority
of vending machine manufacturers use a dedicated controller and
software to produce extremely reliable products. The world’s
electronic manufacturers use the proven microprocessor. Water
Vendors by Us backs its microprocessor controller with a ten-year
warranty.
- Over 25 years of trial and error expertise has been used to
design a machine which is easy to service and maintain. Many
competitors have over engineered machines and created complexity
which makes it more difficult to troubleshoot.
- Water Vendors by Us uses only the highest quality components.
Our philosophy is –extra quality/investment to do the job
right up front will keep the customer happier in the long run.
We have bet our business life on it. One machine working reliably
24/7 has more value than five machines down due to malfunction
problems.
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WHAT TYPE OF LICENSE DO I NEED TO OPERATE A VENDING
MACHINE?
Each state varies on requirements but most require
a NAMA certified machine. We will supply you with our certificate
and in most cases, this in enough. Many states have a small annual
license fee and require a bacteria test every six months. Each
operator is responsible for obtaining his or her own license. Contact
your local health department to obtain their requirement.
WHAT ABOUT VANDALISM?
Vandalism is largely dependent upon the machine location. It is
important to locate the machine in a well-lit area. There are several
options to reduce vandalism.
- An alarm system can be installed to
sound whenever tampering occurs with the machine.
- Our stainless
steel machine can be purchased which is 99% vandal proof.
- A metal cage can be installed around the machine to further
strengthen the machine.
Generally speaking, vandalism is usually not a big concern, but
it does happen. The best policy is, when in doubt, protect against
it.
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HOW OFTEN DO I CHANGE FILTERS ?
The
timing on filter changes will vary depending upon the quality of
the incoming water and how much water is being sold. The following
is an average guideline:
- 1 st Stage Sediment Filter every 2 months
- determined by PSI pressure drop
- 2 nd Stage Carbon Filter every 2 months - determined by Chlorine
test
- 3 rd Stage Carbon Filter every 2 months - determined by Chlorine
test
- 4 th Stage Reverse Osmosis every 2 years - determined by
TDS test.
- 5 th Stage Post Carbon Filter every 6 months - determined by
taste of water.
- 6 th Stage Ultraviolet Lamp every 12 months - determined by
intensity life.
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HOW DIFFICULT IS THIS BUSINESS TO MANAGE?
Consider these facts. There are no products to stock and fill
like other vending operations so a big truck is not needed. The
main operation is to keep the machine clean, especially the vending
chamber. A typical visit to the machine requires a vend test, checking
water quality, picking up money and cleaning the machine; all of
which should take about 15 minutes. Some unscheduled service calls
can most likely occur around the coin or bill acceptance function.
This can either be a coin jam or dirty bill validator. Many issues
can be avoided by doing preventative maintenance. The machine runs
24/7 to make money for you if you follow simple steps.
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WHAT
IS THE BEST WAY TO INCREASE SALES?
Promotion, Promotion, Promotion. Promotion is especially necessary
when installing in a market where bulk water vending machines are
new. Promotion can also be key with growing established markets.
There are several methods of promotion which work.
- Hand out one-gallon
samples at the machine. This gives the customer a chance to meet
you and look at the inside of the machine. It also allows the customer
to take a sample home and compare it to their expensive bottled
water or bad tasting tap water. There’s no better convincer
than a taste demonstration.
- Mail or distribute paper coupons. Each machine, equipped
with a bill validator, can also accept paper coupons. These paper
coupons give the customer a free vend. Some operators give them
to the location to pass out to customers. Giving a simple brochure
to explain the machine is also helpful.
- Sell the water at a steep discount for several weeks with a
banner stating “Introductory Offer”. We had one operator
which priced water at 10 cents until they reached a certain volume.
They then adjusted to normal pricing. It is advisable to leave
the normal pricing on the machine with the banner stating the
discounted price. When “Introductory Offer” goes
away, the customer already knows and expects the normal price.
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