How Much to Pay for a Vending Machine Spot

The vending machine industry has spawned numerous businesses with high profits, but machine placement--a process and expense known as location--can quickly eat into the income produced. With some knowledge about the vending industry and a professional approach, a proper vending machine location contract can be created to ensure profitability for all parties involved.

1. Some Locations Require Fixed Fees

   • In some locations, particularly hospitals and office buildings, managers or facilities personnel who approve the installation of a vending machine require a fixed monthly or quarterly fee to pay for "rental" of the machine's location. This fee varies depending on the type of machine installed, but typically ranges from around $5 per month for simple stand-alone machines, such as gumball machines, to as much as $50 per month for coffee and snack vending machines that require electricity or water.
     

   Some Locations Take a Percentage

   • While some locations require payment of a fixed monthly fee, other locations are somewhat more flexible and will accept a predefined portion of the proceeds collected by the machines. Depending on the environment and type of business, the required percentage typically ranges from 15 percent to 25 percent of the machine's gross income. In some exceptional cases, a location owner may accept a percentage as low as 10 percent of the machine's gross income, though most location owners expect at least a 15-percent compensation.
     

Read more >>