Planet Antares Vending Inc.

2008-05-06T02:14:00.000-07:00

Looking At Route Commission Systems

Route commission systems are most suited in environments where the employee has a lot of control over the rate of production, based on his ability to work harder, smarter, faster and longer.

In industries with employees having less than total control over the rate of production, commission systems can be less effective. One of these industries is the vending industry with its unique vending route environment. For example: a route person who is paid on a commission basis knows that he will earn more by collecting more money on his route.

A vending route driver will learn how to refill and clean the Planet Antares vending machines at a fast pace. He must also reduce the amount of time spent at every location on the vending route, with the hope of saving more time to service machines and collect money on each trip. According to a survey, most vending operators pay drivers some incentive and not a straight salary. While some pay only commission, others pay a combination of commission and salary.

In contrast, there are several drawbacks of the commission systems as well. A route driver, in his haste to service more Planet Antares vending machines, may:

1) drive too fast
2) perform less than complete sanitation operations to meet the mahcine’s requirements
3) ignore simple, mechanical issues like removing a paper clip from a coin acceptor
4) ignore the activity of making sure that the mahcine works after refilling and servicing

All these factors can create conditions that lead to serious problems than the problem the commission system was designed to solve in the first place.

In itself, a commission system will not teach you how to schedule the route. The trick is to schedule the route person to service a Planet Antares vending machine after it has made enough sales to profitably justify the cost of service. This will go a long way in improving route productivity.

2008-04-14T01:51:00.000-07:00

Suggested Serving Size For Bulk Vending Machines

Once you have setup a vending business and got your vending machines installed in different locations, it’s time to start fulfilling customer desires and requirements for different products. For Planet Antares bulk candy vending operators, it is important to determine the right serving size.

Even though different vending machines have different serving size capacity, it is important to have an outline of the suggested size. This can help you in knowing the cost of each order and fix the price accordingly. On the other hand, the customer is happy when he gets adequate amount of candy in a reasonable amount of money.

The following can be used as a general guide to fix the serving size for your bulk candy vending machines:

--Peanut M&M's: 8-10 pieces

--Plain M&M's: 12-14 pieces

--Runts: 10-12 pieces

--Skittles: 12-14 pieces

--Reese's Pieces: 12-14 pieces

--Mike & Ike: 6-8 pieces

--Chiclets: 10-12 pieces

--Cashews: 10-12 pieces

--Hot Tamales: 6-8 pieces

--Pistachios: 10-12 pieces

The above are the serving sizes for the most common types of bulk candy products. These are very popular among different segments of the vending customers, be it toddlers, children, youngsters or adults. Mainly, kids and their family members form the majority of the customers for bulk candy vending machine products.

If you implement or try to implement the above serving sizes in your vending machines, your Planet Antares vending business customers are sure to be pleased with your services. This means, higher sales and more profitability for your business.

2008-03-12T04:13:00.000-07:00

Vending Machine Technology For Cash Counting And Sorting

One of the greatest issues in vending business is that of accountability. Majority of the vending machine business owners are facing problems regarding this element. Fortunately, Planet Antares vending operators can enjoy more accountability with the help of technical advances in money counting equipment and the ability to interface with management software.

Technical innovations like the newer coin and currency counting and sorting equipment enables operators to track and monitor collections at the Planet Antares machine level on a daily basis. This enables them to handle more business with fewer employees who have been assigned to collection, sorting and bagging of money because these systems have become more versatile and faster.

Every few days, coin and currency counting and sorting equipment manufacturers continue to introduce new features in vending machines. A recent survey of vending operators including Planet Antares vending operators indicated the varying views on the benefits of the different features available. It has been found that some small vending operators are using some of the most advanced counting and sorting equipment while large companies believe that manual counting and sorting is the most sensible decision.

Most of the Planet Antares vending operators agreed that significant progress has been made in the several years that have passed with the ability to interface counting and sorting equipment with management software. Currency sorters can interface with coin sorters and then interface with the main business software. This lets a Planet Antares vending operator to immediately know the total collected amount from a machine.

The need for someone to read handwritten totals from a ledger or a print out and key it into a computer has been eliminated with the help of a software interface. Such an automated process has greatly reduced the chance of human error. It has also given employees the ability to monitor machine collections on desktop computers as the coins and bills are counted and sorted.
Depending on your needs and business objectives, the process can simply interface the currency sorter with the coin sorter or interface with handheld devices and bar code readers.

2007-10-24T06:32:00.000-07:00

How To Buy An Existing Vending Route?

You may buy an existing vending route for various reasons. Some people may want to start a vending business this way while others buy a vending route to expand their business. A vending route owner may sell it due to:

Retirement

Illness

Shifting to another area

Other unforeseen event

It is imperative to find out if the previous owner had a good relationship with the business owners and other location owners. The machines should also be checked for being well installed and established for at least 1-2 years.

Buying a vending route is an important decision and expensive too. The average cost of a vending route may be $100,000. Before spending thousands of dollars on purchase of a vending route, verify that it is worth your investment. Make sure that bulk of the machines is in sound condition and well maintained.

Analyze the kind of equipment you are buying through the vending route. Is it easy to service and repair? Planet Antares vending machines are very reliable and durable without frequent breakdowns. If it needs frequent refilling and repairs, you may have to spend a lot of money later on. Also, examine the sales pattern in the last few years. It may be rising or falling.

Investigate into the reasons for such performance of the vending machines or products.
Don’t forget to review the financial statements of the vending business that you are planning to buy. Take help from your lawyer and accountant for accurate estimates of business figures. Outside verification is essential to make sure that your substantial investment is not going to waste.

It is not sufficient to depend on the previous owner’s description of the vending route. You must visit the different locations yourself to check the suitability of the vending route for your business requirements and objectives. You may be a beginner or an experienced vending machine business owner. This step is a necessity in both cases.

A typical vending route will have a selling price of about 70% of the gross sales per annum. The average sales per machine will be multiplied by the number of vending machines in a vending route to get the total sales per year. A more lucrative vending route will be generally more expensive than a normal, average return generating route.

Estimate the average sales figures to be used as a reference for comparing the price quoted by the seller of vending route with the sales generated by the vending machines in that vending route.

2007-10-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

Where Can You Find The Best Vending Machines For Sale?

Perhaps the best way of finding vending machines which have the required features as well as suits your pocket is to go online. With so many vending machine suppliers using the Internet to increase customer base and profits, vending operators can choose from a wide range of vending machines. On the other hand, there’s a great chance of getting ripped-off too.

You may look for new equipment or go for used or refurbished vending machines. Another alternative is to get a vending route. This means that you can acquire already located vending machines from a retiring or shifting business owner. This is by far the cheapest and fastest way to enter the vending industry.

For beginners, used vending machines are a good option. This will reduce the initial investment on your vending business. Reputed vending machine companies like Planet Antares Inc even offer financing and leasing for purchasing equipment in an easy, affordable manner. You can pay in monthly installments and avoid a lumpsum upfront payment. This allows you to put your money in vending products to be dispensed through the chosen vending machines.

Many people don’t start vending as their main business. It is mostly treated as a source of additional income. Before you purchase vending machine supplies, research for a wholesale distributor and go for bulk purchases to avail discounts. Make sure that you have some storage space as well. Used vending machines need to be thoroughly checked for any malfunctioning or broken parts.

The traditional way is to get vending machines from a vending machine company or distributor. Planet Antares Inc offers a wide range of vending machines for both starters and existing businesses. You can even get branded, high quality vending products and benefit from services such as location, restocking, repair and maintenance of equipment.

Your choice of a particular kind of vending machines depends on your business objectives and profit projections. This will determine the amount of money that can be invested in the equipment, products, advertising techniques, servicing, etc. start with a small vending machine and expand as you get used to the business.

In the end, it’s a matter of smart shopping for equipment and supplies and creative locations that ensures your vending business success.

2007-09-26T04:55:00.000-07:00

Impact Of Consumer Perception On Your Planet Antares Vending Machine Business

Like any other industry, the customer is king in the vending machine business too. All the vital decisions such as machine type, product and location are made after considering the customer demands and preferences. If you ignore consumer desires, you may end up losing a lot of existing and potential customers.

Different people have diverse motives for using the vending machines. These can help you to determine the right strategies to attract and retain more customers. If you can successfully increase your customer base, there will be higher sales and consequently, higher returns.

The most common reason for customers to purchase products from vending machines is the ease and convenience offered by them. There is no need to go to a convenience store or leave your work desk for getting a meal or refreshment. You should ensure that customers can access your vending machines and get the desired products easily. Your machines should function smoothly and continuously. Good vending machine suppliers like Planet Antares Inc will ensure that your vending machines are repaired promptly.

Take adequate measures to build your brand image. Customers should be able to recall your brand name instantly and keep coming back for it. Use innovative and interesting marketing strategies to enhance customer awareness and demand for your products. Stock your vending machines with branded products that can be easily recognized and instantly purchased.

Health concerns may discourage people from using vending machines. It is important that you 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.

Tell your customers about the new technology used in your Planet Antares vending machines. Customized machines and cashless payment options are some of the features of updated vending machine models. These will encourage the customers to prefer your vending machine over simpler, less convenient versions.

Work towards building your customers’ trust in your products. Make sure that fresh and healthy items are stocked in your machines. Attract customers by 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.

Use this information to make your vending machine business as customer-friendly as possible. Once your customers are satisfied, be assured of fulfilling your profitability and sales targets.

2007-09-14T04:19:00.000-07:00

Healthier Vending Products: Challenge Or Opportunity?

The vending industry is facing a new challenge in the form of health concerns regarding vending products. Many government institutions and health organizations are discouraging the conventional snacks and beverages dispensed by vending machines. This has led to a possibility of fall in customer demand for products offered by a large number of vending operators.

As a Planet Antares vending machine operator, you can choose from a vast array of healthy, fresh and good-quality products for stocking your vending machines. There are various aspects to healthier vending which make it an opportunity to earn more profits, target new market segments and keep customers happy.

For snack vending machines, the product options may include:

Bagel chips
Nuts
Pretzels
Dried fruit
Yogurt bars
Low cal cookies
Black corn chips
Veggie crisps
Meal replacement bars
Grain bars
Nutrition bars

Apart from the above list, there are many new products being launched frequently. This makes it easier for you to choose the products suiting your machine type, customer preferences and budget.

New beverages have also arrived on the block. These are much healthier and encouraged by health organizations and experts, which helps you in convincing the customers to purchase them. Such beverages include:

Soymilk
Specialty soups
Yogurt
Energy drinks
Smoothies
Meal replacement drinks
Natural dairy creamers
Tea in various flavors

These products take care of the vitamin and mineral needs of the customers and help you earning good returns. Obviously, it is a win-win situation for everyone involved. There are evermore product options, be it in snacks, soda or cold food items. There is definitely a lot of potential in healthy vending products which can be tapped by you to earn financial rewards.

2007-08-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

How To Make The Most Of A Vending Locator

If you have a vending business or plan to start one, you should be aware of the importance of the right placement of your machines for maximum customer access and sales. A good location depends on your understanding of the products, customer desires and business premises owners’ requirements. Here are a few tips to find the right location for your vending machines.

Trust your instincts

If the location selected by your vending machine locator does not appeal to you for some reason, make sure that you don’t agree to it until you are satisfied with its viability to serve the customers and your own needs. Ask questions to make sure that you understand all aspects of the locator’s services and decisions.

Be alert

Don’t leave the entire location task on your vending locator. Once you have purchased a vending machine, look for new and untapped locations which could be potential profit spinners. There may be places which you did not notice before or others which can be procured with the help of your vending locator’s professional approach.

Different locations for different vending

A bulk candy vending machine or a toy vending machine needs to be placed with heavy traffic including kids and their parents. On the other hand, a snack or soda vending machine is larger in size and usually suitable for offices with more than 20 employees.

Personal attention

You must have personal contact with the vending locator assigned to you by the vending machine supplier or locating company. The locator should preferably be from your area rather than a faraway region. Also, tell him your business goals in terms of sales and profits as well as potential locations which you have observed. You must also visit various locations with him/her to learn the locating strategies.

Do it yourself

Once you’ve learnt the ropes, you can try to secure locations yourself. Its all about being creative and convincing the business owners to install your machines.

There are no foolproof methods to find lucrative locations but it is not difficult if you follow a good vending locator’s guidelines and use a few strategies to find the right locations for placing your vending machines. Planet Antares provides vending locator services to its customers for locating their vending machines in well-performing places.

2007-08-28T23:39:00.000-07:00

Successful Vending Tips

If you are thinking of starting a vending business, you must consider various factors before taking the plunge. The most important decision is that regarding the vending machine. You must carefully analyze and compare various vending machine options before purchasing a particular one for your vending business.

Make sure that the selected machines are an asset to your business and not a liability. This means that the vending machines should contribute to the profits of the business rather than adding to the expenses. Even though there are many vending machines offered by manufacturers and distributors with attractive features and prices, you will need to do some basic research before making a decision.

Your budget also affects your choice of vending machine. Used machines are recommendable if you have a low budget but you can purchase new machines if you are ready to invest a reasonable amount of money in your vending business.

Buy vending machines which are in good condition, especially used or rented machines. Inspect the various parts of the vending machine before buying it. The coin receptacle and other parts should be in workable state.

Avoid buying a vending machine which has complicated features and is difficult to operate. Planet Antares vending machines are easy to use, especially by kids, who form a big part of the vending business clientele.

Research the kind of customers you want to target, products you want to sell and the business locations for your vending machines. Location is a critical factor for determining the success or failure of your vending business. You need to understand customer preferences, popular products and requirements of the premises owner.

Safety is another issue of concern. Make sure that there is a minimum possibility of accidents with the machine you purchase. Your customer’s safety is very important. Buy your machine from a reliable and reputed vending machine supplier.

Your work does not end after you have purchased and installed your vending machines. You must know how the machine works because you will have to refill it and even carry out repairs if the machine has minor problems. Most high quality vending machine providers like Planet Antares offer after-sale services including repair and maintenance of the vending machine.

After taking all these things into consideration, you can buy the best machine for your vending machine. The newspapers and Internet provide a vast amount of information about vending machine suppliers and the various deals available.

2007-07-19T00:25:00.000-07:00

Focusing On Brand Name in Vending

With snack and beverage vending machines, there are a wide variety of products that you can place in the vending machines. The products that you place in your Planet Antares vending machines play a big role in the success of your vending business. Before you place products in your vending machine, you will need to carry out research on which products are popular with the public. This is information that you can get from moving from location to location and watching what people buy from the vending machines that are there. Asking kids questions about which products to place in the vending machines will also help you to know which products are popular.

Placing branded items in your Planet Antares vending machines will save you all the trouble of advertising your products. Branded items are already popular with the public and of course they are always being advertised on the media. When you have these kinds of products in your vending machines, they just literally sell themselves. Even though branding is one of the factors that contribute to successful merchandising, it has long been underutilized in vending.

Becoming more brand focused
Retail competitors, such as c-stores and supermarkets have long been marketing their branded products. They are way ahead of the vending industry when it comes to that. This is something that the vending industry can learn from the retail industry.

Planet Antares vending machines sell items such as sodas, juices and all types of snacks. These are products that should always be branded. For example Coke and Pepsi are branded beverages. When you place them in your vending machine, there is no doubt that someone would buy them. They have been around for a very long time and they are always being advertised on TV, radio, signboards and other forms of media. This is why you will not have any trouble selling these brands in your vending machine. All you have to do is place the machine in a strategic vending location, then let the branded products sell for themselves.

You can have all types of products in your Planet Antares vending machines, but always keep in mind that brand always sells, so make sure that you keep the branded products as well. Try out new products in your vending machines. Don’t think that you should only sell branded products. You never know which product can become popular with the public. You can find this out by placing new products in the vending machines. If the product is marketed well and it becomes a hit, you will end up increasing your sales profits. Nonetheless your main focus has to be on brand name products, because these are the products that always sell, even on slow days.

2007-07-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

Full-Proof Ways of Protecting Your Vending Machines

Vending machines that have been placed in locations need to be protected at all times. The vending business suffers from the problem of theft and vandalism. This is something that you can keep in check so long as you protect your vending machines. Once you have placed a Planet Antares vending machine in a location, someone can easily rob or vandalize the vending machine. The safety of vending machines depends on the location that you have placed the vending machine. There are some locations that don’t have someone to supervise the location, while there are locations where there is no one around every hour of the day or night. Avoid placing your vending machines in bad neighborhoods. If it cannot be avoided, then you would need to have fool-proof ways of protecting your vending machines. Whether your vending machine is in a good area or a bad area, you will need to protect your vending machine from theft or vandalism.

Thieves and vandals have become more sophisticated in their efforts to beat the vending machine. As a Planet Antares vending operator, you should look for ways that you can curb vandalism and robbery from occurring on your vending machines. There have been cases where entire vending machines have been stolen. Full line vending machines like those provided by Planet Antares are too heavy to move, this makes it practically impossible for thieves to even think of stealing one. The damage that is done to a vending machine during robbery or vandalism is staggering. The doors are usually pried open and the dollar bill acceptors with the money intact and the products inside the vending machine are stolen. To repair the vending machine, it can cost you anything from $50 to over $1000. These kinds of extra expenses should be avoided.

Technology
New technologies such as charge card accessibility and cashless vending. With this technology, smart cards are inserted into the vending machine instead of cash. If there is no cash in the vending machine, thieves will stay away from the vending machine.

Electronic Locks
Electronic locks can also protect your Planet Antares vending machine securely. External theft and internal theft are both a major problem in a vending business. It is very hard to pick an electronic lock and to gain entry into the vending machine; it has to be a keyed entry.

Alarm Systems
Vending machine alarm systems are also available to protect your vending machine. There are those that will sound a loud siren if the door is opened without a proper code and then there are those that will sound an alarm if the vending machine is tilted or roughed up. Some systems can even take a photo of the attendant every time the door is opened without a code.

Security Cages
A security cage is designed to wrap around a vending machine, allowing access only to small openings at strategic areas. These cages are also designed to protect all sides of the vending machine. This is the best kind of protection that you can get for the full body of the vending machine. It will protect your vending machine from theft and vandalism.

2007-07-06T08:35:00.000-07:00

The Basics to Increasing the Profit Potential of Your Vending Business

A Planet Antares glass front vending machine has the capability of giving numerous benefits to vending operators who want to maximize their versatility and marketing capability. You can effectively market a higher number of products in a small amount of space than what a drop-shelf unit can provide. Planet Antares glass front vending machines provide a larger number of selections in a compact space.

These vending machines will also allow you to calculate sales and reduce wasted inventory through visual and electronic tracking. This will provide you information on which products are the quick sellers and the ones that are not. There are a large number of products to choose from today. Products may be popular today and not so popular the next day. You just need to find a way of keeping up with the product trends, to ensure that you only have winning products in your vending machines. A wider variety of products means more choices and a greater potential for revenue. You can also maximize your revenue by offering branded products, which customers are already familiar with.

When it comes to the methods of payment, keep in mind that vending is all about convenience. The easier the mode of payment, the more the business you’ll do. Cashless vending is the new technology that vending operators all over are installing in their vending machines. This technology makes it easy for customers that do not have cash money with them, to make purchases from vending machines using credit or debit cards. When you offer such payment options in your Planet Antares vending business, you will have more customers making purchases from your vending machines. This will of course increase the profit potential of your vending business.

The durability of a vending machine is a factor that you should take into account when choosing a vending machine. There are factors that make vending machines prone to damage, such as vandalism, weather and general deterioration. Quality vending machines are built from galvanized steel, which has been painted with protective powder-coat paints. Choose vending machines has been designed in such a way that will make it theft and vandal proof. This will prevent financial losses in your vending business.

The location that you choose for your vending machine is very important. The first thing that you should do is carry out research on the potentially profitable locations in your area. This will help you pick the right one. The most obvious place to place the Planet Antares vending machine in the location would be a centralized position. This can be a position that can be easily seen from the entrance of a facility. Centralized positions also include areas where the foot traffic is the highest. Keep in mind that convenient access to products will mean increased sales.

Making sure that your customers know what you are offering is another way of increasing your profit level. You can do this by making it easy for customers to identify what products are for sale and at what price. Signage is a quick way of doing this.

2007-07-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

The Adoption of Cashless Vending

Cashless vending is technology that has really become popular with vending operators today. It has changed the way people buy from vending machines. In addition to the public’s increased attraction to self service technologies and online applications is a growing interest in the implementation of alternative payment options for traditional cash based transactions.

There are some parts of the vending industry that already accept card payment systems. Innovative payment technologies that are designed to reshape vending transaction are being adopted at an unprecedented rate. If you have a large Planet Antares vending business, you should think about implementing the technology in your business.

Customers favor cashless vending
In the past there was a slow adoption rate for cashless vending. This can be attributed to customer reluctance to use cards for low value dollar transactions, a lack of operator experience with new technology, and its perceived high costs. This is something that is changing, as more Planet Antares operators and other vending operators are becoming aware of the impact that cashless transactions has on a vending operation.

With more than 8 million machines, the vending industry can be described as the largest all-cash business in America and certainly the most all-encompassing retail in terms of number of locations.

The cost of hardware, software, and transaction processing has ceased to render cashless a much more appealing payment option. This is a payment option that can be considered by large Planet Antares vending operators. Since the technology is still quite expensive, you stand to gain financially, if the vending operation is large. This technology will make the vending experience more pleasant for the customer. Installing the technology in your Planet Antares vending machine will mean that you are offering more convenience to your customers and at the same time increasing the chances of having an increase in sales.

Steady rise in cashless vending
Over the past decade, there has been a steady increase in the preference for credit cards as a method of payment. Economists have pointed out the fact that credit card transaction volumes have seen a significant increase. To date the vending industry, which is dependent on convenience and service, remains the only major retail channel that does not universally accept cashless forms of payment. It is estimated that 2 to 3 percent of U.S. vending machines offer a credit card payment option. This capability is projected to be 50 percent by the year 2009.

2007-06-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

Offering Variety in Your Vending Machines

Offering variety in the Planet Antares vending machines in your business is very important in keeping your employees and customers happy. By offering variety, you are catering to different needs. For example, some people like Coke while others prefer Pepsi. On the other hand some people would prefer to have health drinks. Consumer’s preferences vary, account by account. The more people there are in a vending location, then the more the diversity in their tastes. There is no way that people can have the same tastes.

If you provide only Coke products in your Planet Antares vending machine then that means that there will be a sizeable percentage of the consumers will be excluded. If you keep a variety of soft drinks in your vending machine, it will make all the consumers happy. Contented consumers will mean repeat business for you. Branded snacks and beverages always do well in vending machines because they are easily recognizable. Placing branded products in your vending machines does not mean that you place only one kind of brand. Have a variety of branded products in your vending machines, so that you cater to everyone’s tastes.

The supplier that the vending operator has engaged should provide high quality, fresh merchandise. Make sure that all products that have reached their expiry date are removed from the vending machine in time. You would not want your employees or customers to consume something which has expired, because this might be followed by a complaint. This would have a negative effect on your vending business.

Product variety strongly depends on the location that the vending operator has chosen to place the vending machine. There are some products that would be popular in one location and not so popular in the next location. For example the products you vend in a school successfully may not be as profitable in a shopping mall. The same products cannot work in all location in the same way. Having a Planet Antares vending machine in your business, means that you are catering to your employees, as well as guests of your business. A vending operator will let you choose the snacks, beverages and food items you would want in the Planet Antares vending machine. The right product mix in the vending machines would keep your employees happy.

Branded products in vending machines always work. This is because customers are already familiar with these vending machines, so they are more compelled to buy them from the vending machines.

2007-06-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

All about the Popularity of Snack and Beverage Vending

Snacks and beverages in vending machines have become main meals for many people these days. This is all because of changing lifestyles, where people are so busy that they actually don’t have the time to sit down for a meal. They can only eat in a hurry. This is what has made Planet Antares snack and beverage vending machines more popular than other vending machines.

Customers demand a product that they can munch on when in the car or maybe when walking from place to another. As a result of this trend, consumers have become less concerned with eating junk food and more concerned with convenience.

Snack and beverage vending machines are usually in demand in most locations because of the consumer’s need to have a snack or a beverage at any point of day or night. If you place a Planet Antares vending machine in an office or a business, you can be sure of having sales being made from the vending machine. If the vending machine has been placed in a lunch room, people would prefer to buy a snack from the vending machine, rather than go out of the offices premises to look for a place to eat. The vending machine allows them to save on time. If the vending machine is in a location that is frequented by youngsters, you can be assured of good sales. This is because youngsters love snacks and sodas more than anybody else, so if your vending machine is ideally located, you will get maximum sales.

The kind of snacks and beverages you place in your Planet Antares vending machine really matters. Different locations have different tastes, so you need to understand what the location wants. You can never go wrong with branded snacks and beverages. These are items that people are already familiar, thus if they love the product, they would not waste time in buying the product. Snacks with bold flavors have become quite popular with the public. On the other hand healthier snacks have also grown in demand. Consumers want healthier snack choice but at the same time they still demand full flavor and good value for their money.

Snacks and beverages are definitely popular in vending machines and that is what will make Planet Antares vending machines continuously profitable. Profitability depends mainly on the locations that have been picked for the vending machine and the products that go in the vending machine. The locations and products that you pick need to work for your vending machines.

2007-06-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

An Independent Vending Machine Operator

An independent vending machine operator would be the right person to engage for your business. All that you would have to do is keep the vending machines in your facility and the vending operator will take care of the servicing of the machine. A Planet Antares vending operator would be ideal for your vending business if you have a good number of employees in your business, because this is a snack and beverage vending business. If you get guests or customers in your business, then having a Planet Antares vending machine would be an added advantage.

When looking for an independent vending operator, the best place to look for one would be the Internet. This is a place where you will find most of the vending operators listed. Some of them have websites where you can look up information on the kind of vending services that they are providing. The websites of these vending operators have to be updated periodically. If you come across an independent vending operator with an outdated website, then that means that the vendor probably provides poor vending services. This is of course not what you would want for your business. A Planet Antares vending operator with quality vending services can be located online. Reading other customer reviews would help you in knowing more about the standard of vending services that these vending operators provide. Once you have found one that you deem suitable get in touch with the operator.

An independent vending operator will provide you with the vending machines that you require for your business. If you require only one vending machine, you will also be provided with that. A Planet Antares vending operator for example, will then install the vending machines in your location. The responsibility of the vending operator would be to restock the vending machines and generally maintain the machine. Restocking of the products would be conducted according to how the vending machine empties. If the vending machine is in your business, then it would probably need restocking several times in a week. The vendor should make sure that the vending machine is also cleaned, so that the vending machine is hygienic.

Having a vending machine in your location, would mean that you will also get a share of the profits along with the vending operator. You will just need to work out a commission percentage that you would require. Agree on a percentage only when you are satisfied with the figures.

The vending operator should also keep only the products that are in demand. An independent vending operator will allow you to choose the menu so that the vending machine can only have the products that your employees would want. Popular products are important because these are always sure sellers. With the financial success of the vending business, you will also get a share of the profits.

2007-06-14T03:59:00.000-07:00

Installing a Cashless Payment System

Advances in vending machine technology have begun to revolutionize the vending business as a whole. Today there are different forms of technology available in the vending business. One of the technologies that have brought about a significant change in the business change is cashless payment options in vending. The expansion of cashless payment options in snack and beverage vending machines has seen rapid growth and support in recent years. If you have a Planet Antares vending business, you will find that installing a cashless payment option will help you increase your profits.

Installing a cashless payment option in your Planet Antares vending machines will benefit you as the vending operator as well as the locations where the vending machines have been placed. Major credit card companies have been teaming up with large vending machine companies to release vending machines that are already equipped with the new technology. If you install the system in your Planet Antares vending machine, they will be configured to accept conventional, magnetic-strip credit and debit cards. In order to make a quick purchase, customers will just have to insert their cards in the vending machines and the product will exit from the vending machine.

The installation of a cashless payment option in vending machines will mean that both credit card companies and vending operators will expand their customer base and increase their revenue. A cashless payment option would mean that the customers of your Planet Antares vending machines will experience a faster and more efficient service. Increased convenience to customers will mean increased sales. No longer do your customers have to struggle with crumpled bills or waste time looking for change. Not everybody walks with spare change in their pockets. This is something that has stopped many people from making purchases from vending machines before, but that can all change with a cashless payment option. Consumers are growing more accustomed to cashless payment options in vending machines. This form of payment is already being widely used in other markets. It is just the vending sector that lagging behind the rest of the market.

If you invest in this technology for your vending machines, it will be able to pay itself off within a short period of time due to increased vending machine sales. Moreover, customers will continue growing accustomed to this new form of payment that it will soon become a more frequently used form of payment. Consumers will get used to seeing it in vending machines and they will seek out vending machines that have the technology. People sometimes run out of cash to use a vending machine, but a credit card is something that is always being carried around. If you have a vending machine that has the cashless payment option, an individual does not have skip making a purchase from your machine just because they are out of cash. Installing this technology in your vending machines will make your vending business more profitable, which means that your business will expand faster.

2007-06-07T06:24:00.000-07:00

How to Cut Down on the Initial Investment of your Vending Business

Investing in a vending business takes a certain amount of capital to get it started. The amount of capital that you have for investment is what will determine the kind of vending business that you will start.

The first thing that you should do is acquire information on the vending industry as a whole, so that you can know the kind of investment that you will be required to make. There are a large number of vending machines in the market that you can choose from. The most popular vending machines are snack and beverage vending machines like the ones that are provide by Planet Antares Inc. These vending machines sell products that are popular with the public. This is what has made them a favorite with entrepreneurs.

Vending machines can be bought new or used and they can also be rented or leased. Again, it all just depends on the amount that you are ready to invest in your vending business. If you want to cut down on your initial investment, buy used vending machines or rent vending machines. On the internet, you will find information on where used vend and rented vending machines are available. With these vending machines, you will cut down on your investment because you will not spend as much money as you would have, had you decided to buy brand new vending machines.

The used vending machines that you decide to buy should be quality vending machines. Just because you are buying them second hand, it doesn’t mean that you should compromise on the quality of the machines. Try to go for reliable vending machines like those by Planet Antares. The advantage that these vending machines have is that they are reliable and durable. They are known to stand the test of time. If you buy a used Planet Antares vending machine, you will not have to worry about spending lots of money making repairs and you will not have to worry about the vending machine breaking down at any point of time. This will make your investment worth every cent. When you are renting the vending machines, make sure that they are quality machines.

When you buy used vending machines that are durable, it won’t be long before you start making high profits. The same also applies to rented vending machines. When you are making good profits, it means that you can eventually reinvest in your vending business. You can even decide to make your latest investment on new Planet Antares vending machines. Within a certain amount of time, there will be a significant growth in your vending business. You will be providing services to more locations and you will also be servicing more vending machines.

Investing in used vending machines or rented vending machines will allow you to save a good amount of money. One doesn’t really need a huge amount of money to start a vending business.

2007-06-01T04:02:00.000-07:00

Become Your Own Boss with a Vending Business

A Planet Antares vending opportunity is a great way to start your own business, where you will get to be your own boss. There is really no experience needed to start a vending business. You can buy a vending business with one or two vending machines and learn the ropes as you go along. A vending business is not a get rich quick scheme and it requires an initial investment. When you have an understanding of the vending business and are ready to make an investment, you will be ready to start a Planet Antares vending business.

Having a regular 9 – 5 job means that you are working under someone and you are unable to choose your own hours. With a vending business you will get to work your own hours and be your own boss. That will leave you with plenty of time to spend with your family and friends. When you start a Planet Antares vending business, you will be required to buy one or two snack and beverage vending machines which you will be required to service whenever the machines need servicing. This would include refilling, cleaning and maintaining the machine, as well as collecting money from the vending machine. To service the vending machines, you get to choose the hours to carry it out. With a snack and beverage vending business, you might be required to service the vending machines 2-3 times a week. This leaves you with plenty of free time to do other things. You can choose to spend time with your family or you can find leisure activities to participate in. With all that free time and a handsome income from the Planet Antares vending business, you will not have a hard time finding something to do.

If you have a regular job, you can still start a part time vending business. This means that you will have to service your vending machines during the evenings and weekends.

When you are your own boss in a vending business it means that you will get to make all the decisions concerning your vending business. You will get to pick the kind of vending machines that you want and you will also pick the locations where you would want the vending machines to be placed. As the vending operator, you will also be required to choose the products that you want in the vending machines. These are just some of the main decisions that you would have to make.

Being your won boss beats working under someone else because you are the person that is in charge of your day to day vending operations. You answer to nobody but yourself. As your vending business earns more revenue, you can think of expanding your vending business. This is something that you can do gradually. How you run your vending business is entirely up to you, just make sure that you gather all the necessary information that is required to start a vending business. When you are prepared to run a vending business, you will enjoy being your own boss.

2007-05-30T03:54:00.000-07:00

Managing a Vending Business Successfully

The vending business is undoubtedly one of the most profitable home based businesses around. To be a part of this lucrative home based business, you can take up a Planet Antares vending business, which will offer you a unique vending opportunity. When you are running a vending business it is very important that you manage the vending business successfully, so that it can be profitable.

The first thing that you should do is to buy top quality vending equipment that will give you a smooth running vending operation. Planet Antares vending machines are the best kind of snack and beverage vending machines that you can find in the market. They are strong, durable and will not let you down.

The location that you choose for your Planet Antares vending machines has to work well with the machines. When choosing a location, you have to carry out research on whether the location is well populated, and you should also find out about the competition in the location. Make a point to find out what kind of machines are in the area and if they are vending the same products. Finding other vending machines in the location, does not mean that you shouldn’t place your vending machine there. On the contrary, it means that the location is profitable for vending machines. That is why other vending operators have kept their vending machines there. Once you have secured a location, cater to all the vending needs of that particular location so that they are satisfied with the kind of services that you are providing them with. If there are other vendors in the same location, offer a better vending service by introducing some kind of technology in your vending operation. If this is financially not possible for you, you can try offering better products or you can make sure that your vending machines are never out of merchandize.

The maintenance of your Planet Antares vending business should be carried out effectively. Servicing the vending machine on time is very important. The customers should not find a vending machine out of their favorite product. The vending machine needs to be well stocked at all times and they also need to be kept clean. If you are using a route driver to run the vending route, make sure that they understand the importance of servicing the vending machines successfully.

Find a supplier who can provide you with a wide variety of products. The supplier should also carry health products, just incase there is a request from one of the clients for the products.

Vending is a very profitable business. Of course it will only be profitable if you manage the vending business well. There is no training required to start a vending business. Almost anybody can start a vending business. Those who are successful are those that manage the vending business efficiently.

2007-05-25T04:24:00.000-07:00

The Best Source for Vending Machines

People usually wonder about the best place to buy vending machines from. There is a lot of information on the Internet on places where you can buy vending machines. There are vending machines distributors and vending machine companies that sell vending machines. Planet Antares is a vending company that also manufacturers their own vending machines. Apart from selling vending machines, they also provide vending services. Such companies are considered as the best sources of vending machines. Planet Antares offers quality snack and beverage vending machines that are attractive and reliable.

A vending company is your one stop source for vending machines as well as vending services. If you are thinking of starting a vending business, the first thing that you would need to do is get some information on the vending industry. You will need to get to know how everything works. Planet Antares will be provided with all the vending information that you would require to get your business started off on the right foot. Everything that you would need to start, grow and manage your vending business will be provided. There will also have a team of experts that are there to assist you with all your vending needs.

When you buy your vending machines directly from a manufacturer, you can get to know how do carry out some simple repairs on your vending machine. Of course if there is any serious repair that has to be done, you will be required to seek the services of a vending technician.

A vending machine manufacturer will offer you the best rates for their vending machines. Planet Antares makes it easy for you to own a vending machine because the rates are among the most reasonable in the market.

When you buy vending machines, you need to make sure that they are of the best quality. Vending machines need to function without any hassles. This will play a significant role in the success of your vending business. No matter where you buy your vending machine from, just make sure that you are not overpaying for the vending machine and that you are buying a vending machine that is durable and reliable.

The advantage of buying a vending machine directly from the company, you will get all the necessary information that you will need about the vending machine that you are buying. The vending company will also show you simple steps that you can use to make minor repairs on the vending machine. This information can prove to be useful when the vending machine breaks down unexpectedly.

2007-05-23T04:28:00.000-07:00

Changes Brought About By Cashless Vending

The technology of cashless payment options has brought about significant changes in the vending industry. Cashless payment options in your Planet Antares vending machines will help increase the customers of your vending operation. This is because of improved consumer satisfaction.

The Federal Reserve Board stated that electronic transactions exceed payments made by check or cash. In addition to this, credit card and debit card purchases continue to grow at an annual rate of 7% and 27% respectively. Cashless payment options are used in most of the industries. The vending industry is slowly catching up. There are a large number of vending operators that have installed this technology in their vending machines.

Some years back, the public were a bit reluctant about using credit and debit cards for small dollar transactions. However with the prevalence of cashless transactions, having a cashless payment option in your Planet Antares vending machines will be extremely beneficial. Today small dollar cashless transactions take place in coffee shops and gas stations. These sectors have seen an increase in their sales as a result of this. A cashless payment option in your Planet Antares vending machines would bring about a significant increase in your sales.

Enhanced convenience and accessibility
With cashless payment options in vending machines, there will be a significant increase in convenience and accessibility. This is something that will make the vending machine industry more profitable by encouraging impulsive vending machine purchases. It has been noted that the public is inclined to make impulsive purchases when paying with a credit card. Increased impulse buying will result in improved sales and profits. Planet Antares vending machines are usually impulsive decisions, mainly because the vending machines are glass front vending machines. In this regard, the presence of a cashless payment option will serve to increase the sales of the snacks and beverages. If a person has the option of using a credit card or a debit card in a vending machine, he/she may be inclined to buy a soda or a snack.

Innovative technology
The public is becoming increasingly attracted to self-service vending machine technologies, as well as cashless vending machine payment options. This technology has changed vending industry. By using this technology in your vending business, you will see increased profitability and an overall improvement in your vending business.

2007-05-17T06:58:00.000-07:00

Defining the Brand of Your Vending Business

The most competitive asset of your Planet Antares vending business is brand. When people hear the term ‘brand,’ they often think it means logo, store sign, package label or website. However, a brand is much more than a symbol. You can view it as everything an organization says and does – the sum of its behavior, the services or products it offers, and its presentation.

The brand of your Planet Antares vending business will create an emotional connection conveying value, trust and personality of your Planet Antares vending operation. It will also separate you from others in the market. A strong and well developed brand is a powerful and strategic weapon.

Effective branding
Effective branding requires a disciplined focus, consistency of message and proactive attention. This is a process, not an event. It must be research driven and aligned with your business objectives. It also must also provide a clear direction. A successful approach for effective branding involves a four step process:

• Defining a brand strategy that is relevant because it is rooted in fundamental customer needs, differentiated because it reflects unique value, and credible because it is authentic and true.
• Translating those findings into a memorable and meaningful positioning statement and visual brand identity that clearly articulates the operator’s value and is aligned with their key business objectives.
• Executing the brand strategy through integrated communications that support the positioning and build strong, favorable associations in the minds of existing and future customers.
• Measuring and evaluating progress to judge changes in perceptions and awareness, while making necessary adjustments along the way.

For branding to be effective in your Planet Antares vending business, you can transform your vending business and place your brand at the center of your corporate strategy. This would mean that you are aligning all your communications, operations and systems to your brand mission and values. Making all your employees effective ambassadors for your brand will also play a significant role successful branding. The brand of your vending business has to have a way of communicating directly with customers. When you are able to accomplish this, you will know that your branding was effective.

2007-05-08T05:02:00.000-07:00

Advantages of a Glass Front Vending Machine

Glass front vending machines like those that are provided by Planet Antares Inc. have greater benefits than enclosed vending machines. This is simply because of the fact that the snacks and beverages in the glass front vending machines are visible. Vending machine purchases are impulse buys. In other words people buy from vending machines because they see the products in the vending machine and they are enticed to buy them.

Vending machines do well when they are placed in the right location. A vending machine has to be visible from all angles in a location; otherwise the number of sales will be less than what it should be. In order for a location to work well with a glass front vending machine, the traffic in the location has to be high. This is because the more people see the vending machines, the higher the sales will be. They will be compelled to buy from the vending machine because they can see what they are buying. Access ways, shopping malls and waiting areas will make good locations for glass front Planet Antares vending machines. As soon as you place your vending machines in these locations, they will straight away start making money for you.

The Planet Antares vending machine is designed with state of the art engineering and quality workmanship and at the same time it allows for the most beneficial combination of snacks and beverages. You can have cold sodas, fruit juices, sport drinks, chips, cookies and more in the vending machine. The possibilities abound with these Planet Antares vending machines.

Glass front vending machines, allow customers to see what they are buying. They don’t have to wonder about what product is in the vending machine. They can see it for themselves. This gives the customer a wider selection to choose from.

When you place a galas front vending machines in a location, the products will be visible from even a long distance. If you place branded products at the front of the vending machine, they will be easily recognized from a long distance. This will compel the customer to buy from the vending machine.

With a glass front vending machine, make sure that you have the right products in the vending machine, particularly at the front of the vending machines. This is because this will be first visible part of the vending machine. This means that the products have to be eye catching. When your vending machine attracts customers, it translates into sales.

2007-04-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

The Importance of an Effective Vending Business Plan

If you are starting a vending business, you need to have a business plan that will help you set up a thriving vending business. A good business plan will give you foresight about what is supposed to be done in a vending business. The information provided by a vending business plan is necessary when there are important decisions to be made.

Studies have shown that over 50% of small businesses fail within the first year. The success rate of Planet Antares vending businesses speaks a different story. This is because the chances of a vending business being successful are higher than most other businesses. However, good business planning is essential and requires thoughtful consideration.

1) Sufficient capital When you want to start a Planet Antares vending business, the first thing that you should do is make sure that you have sufficient capital to invest in your vending business. There is no point of starting a vending business when you are already broke. If things don’t go according to plan, you might end up being in a bigger financial crisis.

2) Associate with reputable vending company. Search the Internet for information on the vending companies in your area. This is an integral part of your vending business plan, because a vending company such as Planet Antares Inc. can provide you with the right vending machines, the perfect vending program and all the vending information that you require.

3) Choose the right locations. Before you buy your vending machines, you need to have an idea of what the vending locations in your area are like. In your business plan get to know which locations in your area would require vending machines, so that you can choose the right vending machine that will suit that location. Have a good relationship with the owner of the location, so that all your business dealings will run smoothly.

4) Good management of supplies. When it comes to the snacks and beverages for your Planet Antares vending machines, make sure that you are dealing with the right kind of supplier. A good supplier should be able to provide you with sufficient stock of the products that you want. Just keep in mind that too little and too much stock can be disastrous. The wrong type of stock can also be bad for your vending business. People will never buy what they don’t want to buy.

5) Anticipate growth. If you have a vending business that is running successfully, the time for expanding your business should not surprise you at all. Be prepared for rapid expansion. There are times that keeping up with growth may overtax your scant resources and you end up getting too big too soon, simply because you didn’t plan for growth. This won’t happen if you are prepared for growth in your vending business.

A vending business plan can help you make good decisions. A good business plan will help you plan ahead, so that you can make the most of your vending business.