Start A Vending Business - Business Ideas

Updated: September 15th, 2022
Start A Vending Business

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

Vending businesses make money selling snacks, beverages, sandwiches, detergents, and other products that customers can purchase through the vending machine.

The cost of starting a vending business is just that of buying the machine and stocking it. If your vending machine is within a shopping mall, you may have to pay a rental fee and business license for the local authorities to allow you to operate the business.

If you are considering starting a vending machine business, consider the possible products you can sell using the machine. You need to find a suitable location and choose the right type of vending machine.

Starting a vending business requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.

If you're interested in how to sell drinks, or selling drinks online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Key Stats

market size
$30.3B
starting costs
$18.9K
gross margin
43%
time to build
270 days
growth
SEO
time investment
Side project

Startup Costs

Min Startup Costs Max Startup Costs

Equipment & Supply Expenses

$66

$1,200

Retail Business Expenses

$1,250

$11,650

Inventory Expenses

$350

$14,750

Advertising & Marketing Costs

$75

$9,636

Software Expenses

$0

$425

Website Costs

$13

$215

Total Startup Costs

$1,754

$37,876

Successful Businesses

Business URL Rank

Wendor - Vending Machines in India

wendor.in

820,289

Vechnology

vechnology.com.my

998,929

Vending Machine Business Information

vend-resource.com

2,203,040

Red Seal Vending

redsealvending.ca

2,268,292

MyPPE Vending

myppedistributor.com

2,268,351

Sheehan Brothers Vending

sheehanvending.com

2,426,971

TSA Vending

tsavending.com

2,539,425

Just Now Vending

justnowvending.com.au

2,629,076

Online Vending

onlinevending.com

2,634,785

Piranha Vending

piranhavending.com

2,986,838

The Vending Bizz

howtostartavendingmachinebusiness.com

3,438,668

Pros & Cons

Pros Description

Rewarding work

Starting a vending business can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about.

Meaningful business connections

You never know who you will meet as a vending business. This could be the start of an incredible business opportunity!

Daily physical activity

Vending Business's typically involve a much greater degree of movement than other lines of work. Most days, you will spend your day walking, running errands for your business, and performing a multitude of tasks. This can have a positive impact on energy levels and your overall health.

Amazing perks and discounts

Working in the vending business comes with its perks! As a seller for these products/services, you typically also get to enjoy industry perks and discounts.

You are your own boss!

With starting a vending business, you are the one to make decisions for almost all of the operations. Calling the shots can be empowering and liberating!

Local Community

One of the best parts of starting a vending business is that you can develop a local following by selling your products at craft shows, farmers' markets, or even local storefront businesses! This gives you access to additional revenue streams and loyal customers.

Cons Description

Crowded Space

Competition is high when it comes to your vending business, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies.

Finding The Right Supplier

Most businesses in this space go the supplier/manufacturer route, which isn't a bad thing! However, finding the right supplier can take a lot of time, energy and trial/error. If done properly, this process can save you months (if not years) of time and energy. More on this below in the "finding a supplier" section.

Motivation of employees

If you plan to have a sales/content team on board, finding creative ways to motivate them can be a challenge. It's important that you're able to offer great incentives and a good work environment for your employees.

Low margins

The gross margins for your vending business are typically around 43%, which can make it more challenging to incur new expenses and maintain profitability.

High employee turnover

In the vending business, employee turnover is often high, which can be quite costly and time consuming for your business. It's important to try and avoid this as much as possible by offering competitive pay, benefits, and a positive work environment.

Taxes

As a vending business, you typically pay self-employment taxes which can be quite high. It's important to understand what you will be paying in taxes each year so you can determine if the work you're taking on is worth it.