Wednesday, March 17, 2010

About Vending Business – Planet Antares

Although vending is not a new business, it gained popularity only in the past few years. Initially the use of these machines was restricted to dispensing of selected items. However, with changing times, vending machines also underwent lot of changes and reached its present stage where they are capable of dispensing almost everything.

How do these machines work? Customers just need to drop in few coins into the machine and enjoy the product of their choice be it a cup of coffee or sandwich or any other thing. With vending technology taking a whole new turn, this industry has been successful in offering excellent employment opportunities to several new and upcoming entrepreneurs. Modern vending machines are not the same as what we have seen in the last few years. These machines have drastically changed their appearance from typical metal boxes to versatile boards with flashy lights.

Advances in latest technology is opening new avenues for vending machines and thus boosting operator sales. Vending operators need to update themselves with these developments in order to get benefited from their usage. Though vending machines are used to vend a range of products, there are few machines which have helped vending business reach its peak stage.

Coca cola is perhaps the first company that has designed a vending machine that could raise prices when temperature rose. Though most customers did not like this idea, the company has not yet given up on coming with new and innovative thoughts like coupons, loyalty rewards, fliers and prizes. The company is also exploring radio frequency identification technology. This method will benefit customers who sitting in their offices can swipe the vending machine and enjoy their drink.

If you are thinking of starting your own vending business then you have taken a right decision. Little planning and care can help you reap huge profits. Before making initial investment, beware with licensing laws in your country. Next step is liability insurance. Though it is quite unnatural for customers in vending business to suffer from injuries, insurance could be vital for survival of vending business, why take a chance. The last and most important thing is to look for various options before finalizing one.

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Guidelines for Starting Vending Business – Planet Antares

Although a lot is said and heard about vending machine business, there is still lot of ambiguity in the minds of operators who are keen in pursuing this business. In order to help all such operators we would like to offer few guidelines to smoothen the entire process of setting up a vending business.

All doubts pertaining to setting up a vending business can be cleared by conducting a thorough market research. This research helps in acquiring information which can be further used for answering all your queries. Once you have decided to start your own vending business, your first move would be to come up with a rough estimate of the amount that is necessary for starting this business.

Once your have your financial ready, you can go ahead with deciding on the kind of machine you would like to purchase. It is always advisable to go for a new vending machine of reputed brand like Planet Antares. These machines are not only efficient but also come with a warranty.

After deciding on the machine, its time to identify the product you would like to dispense in this machine. Although there are several kinds of vending products available in the market, choice of product needs to be made keeping your target audience and vending machine in mind.

Customer reach is vital for successful vending business. Hence machines should be located in those areas with high customer traffic. Pricing of products offered is also equally important. The unique feature about this business is that it can be taken up by anyone and does not require any specialized skill set or technical knowledge. Another thing that makes this business attractive is the ROI it promises. The easy of operation, flexibility in working hours and no need of sales staff makes this a very cost effective business.

These simple aspects if borne in mind can give you huge success.

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Thursday, March 4, 2010

Tips for Selecting Best Vending Machines – Planet Antares Advice

Several models of vending machines are available in the market. Operators should device a clear cut strategy for their business and be careful while choosing the best vending machine for your business. If required you can also take suggestions from experts in this field. Experts can resolve any confusion about selecting the best vending machine for your business.

Selection of right kind of vending machine is your first step towards success. There are few tips that can assist you in choosing the best from amongst the available.

• Branded: Always go for a new vending machine of reputed or branded company. The main advantage with this would be their performance efficiency and low maintenance costs. Moreover a new machine would always come with a warranty so even if something goes wrong during this period, the company would take care.

• Build or make: Look for a vending machine that can withstand all kinds of climate and which can be installed easily at almost any location. An all steel vending machine is highly durable and at the same time ideal for all weather conditions. So operators can purchase one.

• Operators also need to look into the profit potential and the location in which this machine would be installed.

• Start up or initial cost of investment also needs to be considered while choosing a vending machine. If budget is your prime concern, go for basic model machines. On the other hand if you are willing to spend more money, you can go for a higher version of vending machine that comes with updated features. You can get advice on choosing the right vending machine from Planet Antares staff

• The choice of vending machine would also depend on the product you dispense, your target audience and number of machines you would like to start with. If you are a new entrant into this industry, start with basic models that can dispense standard products targeting kids. The main advantage with this is that standard products have consistent demand in spite of changing times. Thus you can be assured about your returns.

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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Advantages of Vending

In these times of recession, there is hardly anyone who is not looking for an additional income source. If you are one among them, then vending is perfect for you. However, this does not mean that vending can make you rich overnight. Like any other business, you need to put in a lot of hard work and dedication to become successful in this industry.

Vending is not only beneficial to its operators but also offers several advantages to its customers. Some of these have been mentioned below:


• Quick and convenient: Machines from companies like Planet Antares save a lot of time hence convenient to use. Once money is deposited and product is selected, it hardly takes few minutes for dispensing the product.

• Small areas: These machines can be placed in those areas where it is not possible to run a full time cafeteria.

• Quality: Even branded products can be vended using these machines. So quality is no more a concern.

• Service: The services of vending machines are available 24/7 round the clock without any interruption.

• Variety: Vending is no more restricted to few limited products. Customers can purchase almost anything from these machines.

Advantages to operators:

• Cost: The cost of starting a vending business is low when compared to any other businesses. This business does not require huge floor area, manpower and maintenance costs are also very low.
• Cash: This is a complete cash business hence there is scope of bad debts and collection issues.

• Flexibility: This business offers flexibility in terms of working hours. You can take up this business either in a full time or part time basis while still continuing with your routine job.

These are just few benefits associated with vending business. However, one thing is for sure. Vending industry is growing and has a huge scope for further growth.

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

Quality Highly Significant In Vending Business

There are so many vending operators operating in this market. But why is it that only few of them are able to make huge profits while the others do not may as high profits as intended by them. Quality of products offered and service provided to customers makes all the difference.

Vending is a customer centric business. So if you want to become successful in this industry, you need to offer the best at the most reasonable prices. It is quite challenging to satisfy modern buyer. He is very conscious about the quality of products he is purchasing. Most often, he is even willing to spend additional amounts rather than compromising on its quality.

Vending machines are usually located in offices, schools, colleges, hospitals and similar other places where customer traffic is very high. Besides aiming to enhance sales, operators should also concentrate on providing hygienic food and on the kind of services they offer. To make sure that your machines work smoothly and uninterruptedly, cleaning, maintaining and refilling of vending machines should take place on a timely basis.

Operators also need to collect money from their machines regularly and provide service depending on the kind and number of machines owned by the operator. Since, inadequate and inappropriate servicing could not only damage your machine but also spread ill will among customers. In case you have rented a premise and installed your machine there, improper maintenance could disappoint the location owner with your services and he may even ask you to remove the machine.

Another important function of an operator is prompt refilling of the machine. Try to keep track of sales and stock levels in all your vending machines installed at various locations. This would help you in timely refilling of your machine. Design a schedule for refilling your machine and make sure that your machine does not run out of stock.

The aim of a vending operator is to make sure that his customer never returns empty handed. This will boost your sales and create positive reputation in the market.

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Importance Of Vending Branded Products

We often get to hear that dispensing branded products is often more beneficial when compared to unbranded ones. But what is Brand? And why is it so important? The typical definition of brand goes like this: Brand is the name or logo that is commonly used to identify a product or service offered by a company. Branding is important for every business and vending industry is no exception to this. Why is it that we instantly associate one product when we hear its brand name? This alone shows the significance of brand.

Branded products are easily recognised by customers and so there is no additional marketing required for these products. Moreover selling them using vending machines would make operators machines gain popularity among customers. Modern customers are also brand conscious since more and more people relate themselves with popular brands. Few brands like Pepsi and Coke have been marketing their products since a long time and they are trusted by everyone. So, selling those products in your Planet Antares machine would be helpful in increasing your sales.

Understanding the pulse of customers helps operators in offering what they want or look for. Operators need to adopt new strategies for making their products more appealing and attractive and also introduce some offers. A couple of coupons or mailers can be tried out initially or discounts should be offered for a limited period so that your sales shoot up. More and more promotional activities should be taken up to keep your customers motivated and happy.

Selling branded products also helps in boosting your sales and most importantly keeps your customers well satisfied. One most important benefit for an operator selling branded products is that he need not worry about the expiry date of the product as this is going to be taken care of by the brand owner himself. Another benefit is that branded items are usually of very high quality and hence operators need not worry about the quality of these products.

Thus vending branded products is not only beneficial for customers but also for operators.

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Friday, January 8, 2010

Four Guidelines for Successful Vending Business

One of the very few businesses that require very little input when compared to the output it generates is vending business. This 100 percent cash business is proven to be highly profitable when machines are purchased from reputed manufacturers like Planet Antares. Some of its unique features that assist in generating huge revenues are negligible initial investment, no employee, no specialised skills and minimal overhead costs. Therefore if you are looking at taking up this business, just follow the below mentioned guidelines for becoming successful:

• Right location: Location is one of the important factors that influences the success or failure of your business. While choosing location, look for one that has maximum footfall. Theatres, parks, movie halls, shopping malls etc are some of the ideal choices for locating your vending machine. Avoid installing your machines in isolated locations as this could invite vandalism and theft.

• Maintain sufficient quantity of stock: Whenever you start a vending business, make sure that you conduct a thorough market research. Try to purchase stock directly from manufacturers as this could help you in minimising costs and thus make higher profits. Also ensure that your machines are always stocked sufficiently. This will prevent customers from returning empty handed.

• Scale of operation: When you start vending business for the first time, do not go in for too many machines in the initial stage. It is always advisable to start small with may be one or two machines. Once you gain confidence in yourself and on the way things are moving, you can expand by going in for more number of machines.

• Reputed/established manufacturers: Always make sure you buy machines and products from established or reputed manufacturers. This will reduce the risk of purchasing faulty or poor quality items.

These simple guidelines if followed carefully would guarantee you in reaping huge benefits from vending business.

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