STAY AWAY FROM PLANET ANTARES. ITS A SCAM.

Planet Antares Is A Scam Company

2010-11-17T06:16:00.000-08:00

Do not invest with Planet Antares Inc. According to the latest information, Planet Antares Inc is engaged in vending machine scam. In span of more than 20 years, the company has worked with many names. The last one was Antares Corporation which was changed to Planet Antares Inc.

Our investigation reveals that company is master in scamming people. The company was fined USD One Million by Federal Trade Commission for wrongfully promoting vending machine business. Planet Antares shows vending business as a medium to earn a lot of money in very short span of time whereas vending business involves a lot of hard work to set it up. The company comes out with expensive marketing campaigns and organizes wealth builder seminars across United States and Canada. Planet Antares targets people to buy their expensive vending machines with guarantee to provide full support. Whereas the reality is that the vending machines sold by the company are sub-standard vending machines manufactured in Asia. Similar vending machines can be bought at less than half a price.

Another complaint received by many vending operators is that Planet Antares vending machines start giving trouble after few months of operation. Users either have to face machine jams while vending products or they are dispensed different product then the one ordered for. The most common problem faced by Planet Antares vending operators involves coin jam where the machine does not return any cash.

A general experience of vending operators is that the company just wants to sell their vending machines. Tech support quality has also deteriorated over the period of time.

Our recent findings through vendingscam.com makes us believe that company is trying to mislead people into buying their products. It looks like as if Planet Antares Inc has started a big campaign to fill out webspace with fake positive testimonials. The company has launched series of websites to counter search results for “Planet Antares Scam”. Please read details about it at VendingScam.com

There are many websites presenting genuine information about Planet Antares. They are:

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/jan/16/company_has_checkered_past68551/

http://edumacation.com/PlanetAntares

http://www.trustlink.org/ViewQuestion.aspx?QuestionID=345

http://www.friendsinbusiness.com/board1/index.cgi/noframes/read/127673

http://www.la.bbb.org/Business-Report/Planet-Antares-Inc-13012540

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/1999/0614/6312322a.html

http://repeatrich.blogspot.com/2009/02/financial-freedom-bashor-alert.html

WE DO NOT RECOMMEND BUYING PLANET ANTARES PRODUCTS

How Can Product Selection Influence the Success of Your Planet Antares Business?

2010-04-08T09:56:00.001-07:00

Nowadays people are preoccupied with their hectic life schedules that they hardly have any time for themselves. In this situation they are in constant look out for new and convenient methods to satisfy their needs. Vending machines is one such means that can satisfy customers by dispensing products of their choice.

The success of vending machine business has inspired companies to come up with new and innovative products that could be sold using these machines. As a result several hundreds of products have been and are being constantly introduced in to the market. In this situation, choosing one product to be dispensed in your machine is quite taxing.

The choice of products to be dispensed is influenced by several factors. A wise operator need to analyze all the available possibilities, analyze them and finally choose one from among them. Success of this business depends on the kind of products dispensed by you. Let’s look at how this works:

• Vending is an instinct based business and the product you dispense should be able to attract customer and create a desire to purchase the product. Then only you would be able to increase your sales.

• While choosing products to be dispensed in your machine, demand and supply for the same have to be considered.

• Customer tastes and preferences are not static and keep changing with changing times. Hence operators need to update themselves constantly and make necessary changes in the products offered by them. This alone can help in attracting new customers and at the same time retain existing ones.

• Try to target children and youngsters. These two age groups form the major crunch of vending machine business.

• Branded items have also gained huge prominence in the past few years. Offering them in your machine can also boost your sales.

These few aspects if considered can make your business a huge success.

Things to Be Considered While Purchasing Planet Antares Vending Machines

2010-03-16T11:21:00.000-07:00

Several hundreds and thousands of vending machine models are available in the market. With increasing number of users, these machines are designed in various shapes, sizes and colors. The scale of operation and kind of equipment procured for establishing this business depend on the financial ability of the operator, target customers, location and kind of products dispensed.

Besides these operator also needs to consider few other aspects while purchasing a vending machine. These are:

• Planet Antares Vending machines come in various sizes like Compact vending machine, full line vending machine and counter top machine. The location you choose influences the size of the machine you need to purchase. A small machine can be easily placed any where as it occupies less floor space whereas this is not the same with larger machines. However, each of these has its own benefits and drawbacks.

• Power consumption: The machine you purchase need to be energy efficient as none of us want to pay huge power bills.

• Ability to give competitive advantage to operator: Identify products and machines that are not very common. Do thorough market research for finding products and machines that are unique. This will help you sell and locate your products without much difficulty since no similar products or machines are available.

• Source from which you are purchasing the machine: Now that you have finalized on the product, location and kind of machine you need, your next step would be to purchase a machine that best fits your business requirements. Always prefer machines of reputed and established companies. Avoid purchasing used or refurbished machines. The price of these may be tempting but remember that you end up spending more than what you have invested. You will spend many time more that what you have saved by purchasing a used machine.

Always Start Your Business With A New Vending Machine Planet Antares Tips

2010-03-12T13:30:00.001-08:00

In spite of the business you take up, a thorough market research is mandatory for making it successful. Vending is no exception to this fact. Market research is not just required at the time of establishing a business but it is required whenever you need to take vital decisions.

Purchase of vending machine is the first step in the process of starting a vending business. Market research is essential even in this case. As we all know there are several models of vending machines available in various shapes, sizes and prices. Choosing one among them is quite challenging unless the operator is aware of the various models prevailing, benefits of using them, models in demand and those that are used by your competitor. These are few things which operator needs to enquire before purchasing any vending machine.

One common mistake committed by new entrepreneurs is with the intention of reducing their set up costs; these people get attracted towards used vending machines. Buying used machines may be advantageous initially it has been proved time and again that these machines have more chances of break downs and repairs. Thus cheap and used vending machines cause a lot of inconvenience to the operator the impact of which is directly shown on the sales of the products vended.

Secondly, it is important for the operator to remember that these machines have been subjected to severe wear and tear by their previous user before being sold to you. So their performance efficiency would invariably be low and hence they are more prone to frequent break downs. So all the money that you have presumed to have saved in this deal would only go wasted while you incur additional expenses on its maintenance and repairs.

Purchase of a new vending machine from Planet Antares on the other hand is a very wise decision. The state of art technology that is inbuilt in these machines will help you in providing better services to your customers. Most importantly, the attractive and stylish appearance of a new and branded vending machine will be able to attract huge customer traffic thereby increases the sales.

Customers are in constant look out for latest products, so it is highly recommended that operator adapts himself to changing market needs and purchase machines that include latest technology. This ensures prompt and high quality services to customers.

Product Selection One of the Main Determinants of Vending Success

2010-02-25T08:21:00.001-08:00

The kind of product you choose to dispense in your Planet Antares vending machine can make a lot of difference between its success and failure. The ultimate sales of your business would depend on your customer and the product he would like to purchase. So how can you determine which product to sell in your machine?

Before starting any vending business, conducting thorough market research becomes mandatory. Customers due have a lot of choices when it comes to purchasing of a product from a vending machine.

There are several factors that determine the type of product you need to place in your machine:

• A thorough market analysis that includes basic demographic profile of customer needs to be conducted. Operators need to gather as much information as possible about their customers at least in the location in which you are about to install your machine. Since different customers have different tastes, it is essential that operators understand their target customer requirements and look for various means for satisfying them.

• Now that you have understood the requirements of your customers, you need to identify those products that sell well and offer them in your machine. You can also ask your customers to list their likes and dislikes.

• Another factor that is crucial in product selection is variety. Operators should rotate or change their product selection regularly. Try to remove outdated or slow moving products in your machine and replace them with those that have maximum demand.

• Try to update your self with changes taking place in the market and enforce these changes in your business to maximise your profits and boost your sales. For instance: healthy vending is the modern day mantra. So operators should make use of this change and replace their junk food with more number of healthy snack or food items.

These simple aspects if noted can bring in huge success.

How to Maximize Profits in Vending Business

2010-02-18T08:48:00.001-08:00

We have taken up vending business with a view to make profits. How to enhance profits? This is a very important question. Maximization of profits is possible either by increasing prices, reducing expenses or improving sales. Improving sales is always a better option when compared to the other two. One way of increasing sales is by placing your vending machine in the best location. Try to identify locations that are affordable and at the same time has maximum customer traffic.

Jot down the expenses which you usually incur for running your business efficiently and try to cut down or avoid unnecessary expenses. In case you have installed your machine in a rented premise, try to bargain the best possible bid while installing your machine in that location.

Since vending is an instinct based business, selection of high customer traffic location becomes very crucial. In case you are aiming to maximize profits by boosting your sales, make sure you vend fresh products or those that have consistent demand. Offering latest and new products can also enhance your sales as some customers have fantasy for new products.

Customers usually get draw to clean and attractive looking machines. Operators can make use of this character and boost their sales. Wondering how this is possible? Try to keep your machine clean. A clean and well maintained machine is successful in grabbing customer attention. You need not spend hours together servicing your machine. A weekly servicing scheduled is sufficient to keep them in good working condition. If you are using a glass front vending machine from Planet Antares, then make sure that the front glass is clear enough for the customers to view the products offered for sale.

Operators may also need to take up some special promotional activities like free draws, gift coupons etc for boosting their sales. Some of these methods if followed properly can help you earn huge profits.

Glass Front Vending Machines from Planet Antares Highly Popular-Why?

2010-02-09T08:18:00.001-08:00

As more and more customers are switching to vending machines, various models of vending machines are being designed and made available in the market. Coin operated vending machines were initially used. In order to overcome the faults in this machine, mechanical vending machines were developed. Gradually glass front vending machines were developed. Of all these glass front vending machines have been highly popular.

It is quite surprising to know that the traditional vending machines have undergone tremendous changes before reaching its present form. Glass front is one famous model among them. These machines which were initially used for vending few selective items are now able to dispense almost all kinds of goods and services.

What has made Planet Antares glass front vending machines so popular? The answer is quite simple and straight forward. The benefits associated with this machine are prime reason for its growing popularity.

• Increased sales: In a front glass vending machine, customer can see the product which he is going to purchase. Hence it is believed increase sales and draws the attention of passers by.

• Attractive features: These machines come with illuminated motor and pull forward trays that increase the ease of dispensing. They also come with several eye catching features that give complete customer satisfaction.

• Shelf space: A glass front vending machine comes with small shelf space that can accommodate more products when compared to drop shelf unit.

• Customer interaction: Customer involvement is more in a glass front machine when compared to an enclosed one.

• Unnecessary wastage: Glass front vending machines come with electronic tracking which is used to track movement of products. This helps in tracking fast moving products and also prevents wastage.

• Wide choice: In a glass front vending machine, customer has more items to choose from.

• Branded products: Glass Front vending machines are best suitable for selling branded products.

Advantages of Vending Business Industry

2010-01-25T01:49:00.000-08:00

“Necessity is the mother of invention”. The more we start using or accepting a product or thing, the try to make it simpler and easier. This is what happened with the vending industry. The traditional vending machines were quite complicated and cumbersome. However, as demand for these machines grew up, several novel models with latest features from manufacturers like Planet Antares have been introduced into the market.

Present day operator has a wide choice to choose from when it comes to purchasing a vending machine or finalising the product which he would like to vend. Nowadays vending machines are available in all ranges making them within the reach of all operators of all financial capabilities. Besides all these, the simple advantages of this machine make it very famous:

• High profit margins: This business has extremely high profit margins when compared to any other business.

• All cash business: Vending is a complete cash business. There is no scope for bad debts or out standing amounts. Revenue gets generated from the moment the machine is set up.

• Additional source of income: You can continue with your regular job and take up vending business on a part time basis. Once it clicks, you can gradually expand this business by reinvesting the profits generated by the existing machines.

• Flexibility: This business provides allows unique flexibility in terms of working hours. You can service your machine whenever you have time. Moreover there are no fixed working hours and you can operate your machines round the clock.

• Sales personal: You need not appoint any sales force. Your machine does sales 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

• Advertising costs: This business does not require huge advertising or marketing costs. Most of the advertising is done by customers through word of mouth.

• Instant cash: Revenue generation starts instantaneously from the moment you set up your machine in a location.

• Tax advantages: You also have the tax advantage from this business.

Challenges While Taking Up Vending Business

2010-01-18T07:35:00.001-08:00

Vending is undoubtedly a very profitable business opportunity. However, operator needs to equip himself with maximum possible information in order to make it a big success. Two of the most important factors which need to be born in mind while starting this business is placement of the machines and demand for the product you are about to offer.

Few tips that can help you in the process of establishing yourself in this competitive business market are mentioned below:

• One thing which we would like to emphasise again and again is the various kinds of products available in the market for the operator to choose from. It is up to the operator to select the appropriate product suitable for his kind of machine and location. Candy and gumball machines are definitely going be a huge success but you may need to start with more than one machine in order to get the desired volume of sales.

• Once you have chosen the product, you need to find best and high customer traffic location to place your Planet Antares machines. Places like hotels, motels, lunch rooms, offices, bus stations, supermarkets and malls are ideal for locating vending machines. However, the choice of your location also depends on your target audience and products your offer.

• Whenever you take up vending business you have two options at your disposal. You can either purchase a new vending machine or rent an existing one. Choice would depend on your financial limitations. However each of these has its own set of benefits.

• Make sure you browse the net for gather information about various models of machines available in the market. Many vending manufacturers offer online sales. Who knows you may find the best deal at very reasonable price.

• In case you purchase a used machine, make sure it works with current currency and is easy to operate.

• Prefer metal machines to plastic ones as repairs to these machines are quite easy.

• It is a proven fact that greater the exposure of a product receives, the higher its sales. Especially if you place it in a compatible location. Hence operator needs to be in persistent look out for new locations.

These tips can help you in installing your machine in a right location with a right kind of product.

Which Vending Machine to Choose?

2010-01-08T02:47:00.000-08:00

When it comes to choose a vending machine, it can be a tiring and confusing job. There are so many machines with varied features and models available that a person can easily get puzzled about choosing the right kind of vending machine. It is important to choose a vending machine that will not only serve for years without any issues but also should be versatile in nature and can be placed at different locations conveniently.

Though you will find aggressive marketing campaigns done by refurbished vending machines, it is advised that you should always opt for brand new vending machine manufactured by reputed company. Refurbished vending machines tend to fail fast. They are old machines, that are repaired and painted by refurbishing company and are sold back in the market at higher cost. Brand new vending machines come with reliability. As all the equipments are new, the vending machine works without any faults for years.

Instead of choosing a vending machine that can vend just single type of product, it is advised to buy a vending machine capable of vending multiple products. Planet Antares 5-in-1 compact vending machine is one such machine that can vending multiple products and can be conveniently placed at any location. Planet Antares “Office –Deli” are a boon for any office. Office Deli collaborates multiple vending machines into one. You can vend cold beverages to hot meals and is an ideal vending solution for offices.

Other features for Planet Antares vending machine:-

1. Planet Antares vending machines are attractive vending machines and can go along with aesthetics of any location.

2. Planet Antares vending machines are energy saving machine.

3. Strict quality control while manufacturing ensures smooth operations for years.

4. Planet Antares vending machines are ergonomically designed and are equipped with latest features/ technology.

5. After sales support from Planet Antares is amazing.

Planet Antares is a reliable name in vending arena. With years of experience in vending business, Planet Antares is leaders of vending industry. If you are thinking of buying a new vending machine then it is advised to contact sales staff of Planet Antares are discuss your requirements.

Benefits of Vending Business with Planet Antares

2009-12-16T08:03:00.001-08:00

The vending business is increasing at a rapid rate and the growth is enormous. There are various ways by which you can start benefiting from your vending business.

The benefits can be in form of lucrative returns, tax benefits, growth in the business including several others. You can start your business with a small amount but with a good profit you can lead your business to unbelievable heights.

Vending is a business, the profit of which primarily depends on the sale figures. And the sale figures are solely dependant on the location and product of the vending machine. These factors are considered as the most important factors to establish a well profit yielding vending business. A wrong selection of any of the two can lead to bad output and further leading to deterioration of the business, whereas with a right selection, the business can give unbelievable profits.

The Benefit of starting your business with Planet Antares is that it helps and supports you in providing the locations that can yield better profits. Planet Antares even supports in taking the early few steps while establishing your vending business. It provides you the list of wholesalers which can cut your expenses leading to an increase in the net profit. Planet Antares has successfully placed thousands of people in their own business. And with the timely support and help people have made huge profits.

Another benefit of working with Planet Antares is that you don’t actually need an office to run your business. If you have the zeal to excel in your business even a garage would do. You just need a phone to take the orders and a vehicle to transport them. Determination to achieve a goal plays an important role in the execution of a dream.

Though success lies in the efforts you put into achieving an aim, but Planet Antares helps you accomplish those aims.

Lucrative Returns in Vending Business

2009-12-11T10:59:00.000-08:00

Business is just like a coin comprising of two sides— Profit and loss. These can even be mentioned as the inevitable sides of a business. But one can work over to stay away from losses in business. The vending business is increasing because of the fact that it has more avenues to grow.

Success of a distributor depends on the relativity of their goals and desires. Planet Antares has successfully placed more than thousand families in their own businesses. Their level of success ranges from small part-time business to large ‘Empire Builders’ that possess several hundred locations. Where do you want to reach is the question the answer of which you can find in the success of your business.

By providing a systemized approach, Planet Antares helps you in growing your business to the level that meets your individual aim. Now the first step before venturing into this business is to think how do you want to grow? How small or big your goals are?

The journey towards your goal can be executed by taking the first crucial steps aptly that are selection of product and location. If you have selected the product and the location well, there comes no question of a downfall in your business. This simple step may lead towards incredible revenues from your business.

The other major factor that plays an important role in the profit of your business is the choice of machine. If you buy an old or a refurbished vending machine to start your business then there are chances that you might find yourself taking it to the mechanic very soon! And, may be because of your faulty vending machine you lose your vending account. It’s always better to go for a new compact vending machine for better and prosperous vending business.

You can increase your sales that can eventually give you increased profits by providing your customers products of their choices. This is possible if you constantly keep on referring to the feedbacks that you get from them in the way of suggestions, complaints and others.

Pondering upon these few simple steps to make your business better, there’s no way left for loss to even peep into your vending business.

Unlimited vending locations

2009-11-19T10:01:00.001-08:00

Choosing location is one of the most important steps after selecting your vending machine. Vending industry is growing by the day and because of this there are several locations that are being targeted by vending business owners. Vending machines, these days offer all kinds of products to consumers. It is important that a business owner carries out a research at the machine location to measure the competition level and demands of the consumers.

Buying products has become simple with the coming of vending machines. Be it a mall, Grocery store or a gas station, you can find a vending machine almost everywhere not letting you miss a snack or a beverage anywhere. Not just snacks and beverages , vending machines are capable of selling iPods, DVD, newspaper and many more products.

Here is the list of some of the locations where placing a vending machine can be profitable

Clubs
Radio and TV Stations
Lounges
Malls
Banks
Golf Courses
Fitness Centers
Schools
Colleges
Hotels and Restaurant Lobbies
Night Clubs
Hostels
Airport Terminals
Hospitals

The main purpose of vending machine is to make the products availability easy to the consumer without compromising on the quality. As a vending business owner you should always be looking to explore new locations which have the potential to attract huge traffic. In case you have to pay some rent or commission, do not hesitate as this could be the best decision in deciding the fate of your vending business.

Planet Antares recognizes that all vending placements are not the same. Vending machines that work in factories may not work in health clubs. Planet Antares staff will help you in finding best vending locations available. Planet Antares professional vending locators will work with you to secure quality vending locations.

Factors that Lead to Vending Business Success

2009-10-29T06:19:00.001-07:00

Vending business is a proven and a profitable source of income for business owners. Success or failure of a business depends on the owner’s managerial and analytical skills. All your hard work and ability is wasted if your business is unable to generate sufficient sales and profits associated with it. High sales of your products illustrate that you are offering valuable and quality services. No business in this world would ever be able to survive in the long run without profits. Initially the owner will get return on his investment but eventually, as the business gets established at different vending locations, the revenues will be profits.

An intelligent vending business owner should make it a priority to check the factors that lead to increased sales. Factors such as:

• Strategic placement of vending machines at appropriate locations
• Machines stocked with quality and branded products or products that are liked by people in a particular area.
• Proper functioning of the machines
• Pricing and packaging of the products etc.
• Market research
• Offer as many payment options as possible for people’s convenience
• Offer incentives or discounts to the customers
• Keep a check on customer needs and preferences
• Innovations in vending operations
• State of the art machines like those from Planet Antares
• A complete record of business operations
• Keep an update about the market trends

To start a vending business on a right note, it is essential to be associated with right vending machine company. Planet Antares experienced support staff ensures that all the above factors are implemented in your vending business. Offering superior vending services will help you in gaining trust of the consumers and they will choose your vending machines every time they have to make a purchase. Repeat customers ensure high sales and overall profitability. Kick start your vending business with Planet Antares and partner with them in your road to success.

Tips On How To Start A Vending Business

2009-10-23T01:43:00.000-07:00

How many of you are aware that vending is one of the fastest growing industries across the globe? Yes, this is true and learning how to start this business is not at all a tough task. Vending business is all about places, people and products. So, starting a vending business needs some creativity.

Whatever be the product you are going to vend, this fast growing industry gives you a chance to make huge money. All you need is to equip yourself with some skills:

• Establish contacts: It is very helpful if you have some contacts with existing vending operators. These contacts will help you start quickly and make money at a faster pace.

• Basic knowledge about fixing vending machines comes handy in case of any emergency. This technical knowledge not only saves your time but also helps keep your costs under control

Once you are confident of starting a vending business, you would need vending machines. There are several varieties of machines available in the market. Some of the popular ones being:

• Soda dispensers
• Gumball dispensers
• Snack dispensers
• Toy dispensers

It is always advisable to start small may be with one machine if you are a new entrant in to this business. Depending on the returns, you can gradually expand your business by installing more machines. Though the cost of a new machine may be little higher when compared to a used one, always purchase a new machine. These machines usually come with latest features and technology and are also more efficient when it comes to performance.

Ensure you gather all relevant information that is vital for starting a new business. For instance: NAMA can help you with information regarding registration formalities and other crucial documentation. You also need to keep a few things in mind before starting this business:

• The reason for taking up this business. The pros and cons of operating a vending business.
• Conduct a small market survey in order to understand the marketing scenario and scope for new entrants.
• Estimate the start up cost.
• Ensure if you are financially self sufficient.
• Choose the right location. If required take the help of professionals in identifying prime localities.
• Create a business name
• Develop a logo and use a business card. Your logo and card act as silent sale man for your business.
• Understand customers changing needs, tastes and preferences.

A thorough understanding of this helps in moulding you into a perfect vending businessman. Contact Planet Antares and ask for their help on starting up your vending business. Their experience and expertise has helped hundreds of families in setting up and growing their vending business and you can benefit from it as well.

Things to keep in mind while selecting a location for vending business.

2009-10-07T13:48:00.000-07:00

Vending business is all about location. Locations with high traffic generate high sales. Selecting a vending location can be bit tricky especially when you have many locations in your mind. You can compare the locations on following factors to come up with the right decision.

1. Paying capacity of people frequenting that location.
2. Product preference by people at a particular location.
3. Ease of refilling/ servicing a location.
4. Safety of vending machine.

There can be many locations that can be quite profitable. Locations like car parks, amusement parks, shopping centers, gas stations, offices, gyms, studios, theaters, movie halls etc are some of the locations that can generate high revenue for your vending business.

If you are the owner of a location then there is no problem but If the location belongs to someone who is not known to you then, securing a location can turn out to be a task in itself. You may have to opt for different plans to secure the best location for you. Few points below can assist you in guiding towards securing the locations.

1. There is no harm in sharing a little revenue with the location owner. You can strike a deal where you pay up a percentage of sales to the owner for letting you place your vending machine at his premises.

2. Business establishments like offices can be secured by letting the manager/ owner know about the facility they would be providing to their employees at no extra cost to them.

Location is one of the most important factors in vending business and so is choice of vending machines. For remarkable vending machines you should look no further than Planet Antares. Planet Antares manufactures state-of-the-art vending machines designed for reliable operations for years. Planet Antares also provides necessary guidance in setting up vending business from scratch. So if you are thinking about vending. Think Planet Antares!

How I Can Earn Profits From Vending Business.

2009-10-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

Vending business is without any doubt a cash cow. There are so many success stories that we can easily say that vending business is the business to be in. Like all businesses there are some tricks of the trade associated with vending business too. You can make tremendous profits by being a vending operator, right from the word go. Below I have jotted few of them:-

1. Search for a location with high traffic. If you cannot get it for free, then you should not hesitate paying some commission to the owner.

2. Plan vending route effectively. This not only saves time but also ensures all your vending machines are refilled on time.

3. Buy vending machines from a reputed manufacturer like Planet Antares Inc.

4. Always negotiate while buying products for vending machines. See if seller can provide you a buy back deal for products.

5. Making bulk purchases can increase your margins.

6. Always stock fresh products.

7. Try to buy products from reputed companies with national/ international brands.

8. Target your customers with products they desire. Conduct a small survey among customers and find out their preferences.

9. Service your machine on regular intervals.

10. A little marketing effort can do wonders for your business. Find out what marketing strategies can work in your location. You can also contact support staff of Planet Antares, and benefit from their excellent guidance on managing and marketing your business.

11. You can use vending softwares to increase your efficiency. Check out PlanetAntaresVendingSoftware.com – You will surely benefit a lot using this.

Starting a vending business is easy, especially when you have a right partner by your side. With remarkable vending solutions from Planet Antares, success is just a little too hard to miss.

Choosing Appropriate Espresso Vending Machine

2009-09-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

Are you aware that the world famous espresso coffee comes from a remote hillside in Ethiopia? Espresso is an Italian word and it means cup of coffee prepared especially for you. Whenever you talk of coffee, the first thing that strikes are mind is espresso coffee vending machine. As we all know, choosing is the right product influences the success of a business. What is more preferable than an espresso vending machine? A warm cup of coffee in the morning is enjoyed by almost all the people across the world. An espresso coffee vending machines makes it even more tasty. Coffee vending is an excellent business opportunity and has a lot of scope to earn money.

Three important points are to be kept in mind before purchasing a coffee vending machine. First and foremost thing is what it takes to for a delightful cup of coffee, next is the preparation time and finally its operation and maintenance cost. Few factors are to be considered before investing on a coffee vending machine.

• Finely grounded coffee beans and aerated water are required to make a perfect espresso coffee. Usually most of the machines come with two dispensers. This reduces customer waiting time.
• Another important thing is cleaning process. This should not be cumbersome as it is a daily routine.
• Choosing the right kind of beans is also crucial. Dark roasted beans taste bitter and taste bad. Light roasted beans should be preferred as they have the sugar levels and aroma preserved in them.
• Hot water at 90 degree centigrade is shot into grounded coffee at a very high pressure. The oils in the coffee are extracted to create a rich liquid. Usually the time of preparation is 20 to 25 seconds.
• Excellent espresso blend is key to good espresso coffee.

Several kinds of espresso vending machines like pump driven machine, automatic espresso, piston driven machine, steam espresso maker, stove top espresso machine, super automatic espresso maker and many more are available in the market. These machines come with inbuilt water tank and so do not require any additional plumbing requirements. These can be relocated easily and also have low cost of servicing and maintenance.

Espresso vending is a promising business and these can be set up in all places including colleges, offices, malls, hospitals, railway station, bus station and other areas where foot fall is high. So don’t waste time. If you have decided to start a vending business, then why not espresso coffee vending?

For faultless and smooth, coffee vending, you can buy vending machines manufactured by Planet Antares Inc – The leaders in vending industry.

Tips on finding the best vending business location.

2009-08-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

Vending is one of the profitable business opportunities around these days. You don’t have to spend much time, money and effort to run a vending business. All you need to do is to plan the business in the right manner. One of the most important factors that will influence your vending business is the location of your machines. For a successful vending operation, choosing the right location and placing the right type of vending machine is imperative.

Some points that should be kept in mind while choosing the location and the type of vending machine are:-

1. Vending machine should be located where the foot count is high. Places like shopping malls, schools, and dance studios are just a few examples of profitable vending locations.
2. It is very important to work out the profit margins with the products you plan to stock the machines with. Based on the choice of products, you should plan your vending location or vice versa. Placing a health drink vending machine in front of a gym would be a good idea, while placing a gum ball machine may not yield good profits there.
3. Identify your potential customers at the preferred location. A careful insight about their preferences will definitely give a tremendous boost to your vending business.
4. The vending machine location should be secure.
5. It is advised to choose a location where spending capacity of people is high.
6. Commissions can be paid to location owner for placing a vending machine.

To kick start your vending business on the right note, it is advised to contact Planet Antares business specialists. Planet Antares not only manufactures state of the art vending machines, but also provides necessary guidance to start up a vending business.

How do bill validators work?

2009-08-06T05:24:00.000-07:00

As vending machines gained wide popularity, some people started misusing them by inserting counterfeit currency in the vending machines. Besides that, another problem that most vending customers had to face with the traditional vending machines was the requirement of exact change in order to obtain goods out of them. Vending business owners felt an urgent need to:

• Verify the bills and
• Introduce easy payment options

The solution for these problems was invented in the form of bill validators or acceptors. They accept payment after determining the authenticity of the currency. It serves wide customer base because in contrast to the coin accepting vending machines, these can accept bills as well and do not rely on coin mechanism alone. The parameters for detection are different for each coin or paper money. Thus, the detectors must be programmed accordingly.

Let’s understand the working of bill detectors in brief:
The detectors scan flexible currency using optical and magnetic sensors. Upon validation, the bill validator will inform the vending machine controller (VMC) or other host device of a credit via a parallel or serial interface. Various interfaces exist for the host device, which includes:

• A single-line pulse interface
• A multi-line parallel interface
• A multi-line binary interface and
• Serial interfaces such as CCTalk and MDB (multidrop bus )

The technologically improved bill acceptors and validators extend the capability of the vending machines. These devices were extremely susceptible to failures and jamming in the past due to folded or damaged notes but the bill acceptance rate has increased with the introduction of features such as automatic jam ejection and automatically adjusting sensors. Cleaning cards are also available in order to keep the bill acceptors clean and ensure their smooth functioning.

Advanced bill acceptor in Planet Antares vending machines has led to efficient currency handling and convenience of the consumers and provides greater returns to vending business owners.

Tips on Growing Your Vending Business

2009-07-16T05:45:00.001-07:00

New businesses become successful with an intelligent business approach. The vending business is no exception. A niche in the industry has been made by many small and large vending operators. Business knowledge and experience will help you realize your biggest vending vision.

Here I have tried to analyze some key factors needed to direct you when growing your business:

• Knowledge of the vending business: Before expanding a vending business, operators need to study the vending industry thoroughly. It is very important to overcome the myths that may discourage operators to step ahead in the business. Recognize the do’s and dont’s in order to make the right vending decisions.

• Satisfied customers: Satisfaction of customers is of prime importance in growing your vending business. Understand your customer’s needs and preferences. The product demands among customers may vary from location to location. Operators should establish themselves in their local area before continuing to increase the scale of your business.

• Adequate funds: A vending business can get started with minimal funds. To grow your business further, you would probably want additional machines with the most up to date technology to service your growing number of locations. Careful allocation of funds should be done to afford this growth by re-investing in your revenue into your business.

• A good relationship with your machine provider: Establish a good working relationship with the company you purchase your equipment from. They may provide you discounts when you buy a certain amount of machines from them. Companies like Planet Antares will not only help you to choose the best vending machines to fit your business, but will also support you while you grow your vending business operations.

• Quality locations: You should spend some time in identifying and comparing different locations. Look for locations with high foot traffic. You can also offer to pay commission to get a good location. A solid business reputation and referrals from other locations will also help you find some of the untapped places which you could never find on your own.

With all the above elements in hand, a vending operator can successfully expand his business. Buy quality equipment from Planet Antares and use their highly trained technical and coaching services. Your journey towards success will become more rewarding with Planet Antares.

Planet Antares’ business opportunity is the best way to becoming a vendor

2009-07-14T00:42:00.001-07:00

Today’s vending industry is extremely profitable due to the changing perspective of customers, new advances made in the industry, different types of the vending machines, availability of a variety products and its contribution towards the success of small businesses. Planet Antares is an established name in the industry with a high volume capacity; its machines have been proven profitable for many vending operators.

One of the major benefits of choosing Planet Antares as your partner is the fantastic support. The company also offers a great machine suited for many locations requirements. A Planet Antares vending machine is capable of generating high revenue. The ability to fit most locations and the minimum operating costs has made these vending machines popular amongst operators. Compact vending machines are most suitable for offices, specialty shops, beauty salons, department or convenience store employee lounges, high schools and colleges and many more.

Such machines sell a variety of high demand products to the general public. The convenience of installing and servicing such machines has made it easy for a single vending operator to manage numerous machines at different locations and make additional revenue. Newcomers in the business prefer compact vending machines as there is less electrical usage required to run them, minimum service requirements and maintenance issues. This enables them to understand the industry more and the experience gained will help in the growth of their business. The ultimate success of the business is the operators’ continued drive to install these vending machines and grow their businesses.

Planet Antares’ compact vending machines are durable and attractive and help the operators to make a profitable mark in a niche market. Vending operators also benefit through the industry reputation built by Planet Antares and the extremely experienced support staff which helps the operators in their road to success.

Be Cautious of Buying Refurbished Vending Machines

2009-07-09T00:07:00.001-07:00

Owning a vending business has proven to be a great opportunity for those who want to be a successful business owner. The ability to invest low and earn high revenue has made it a hot favorite business option. Vending companies are greatly increasing revenue in today’s market. In the race for success, every business owner wants to beat their competitors. This can be done by providing the best service to its consumers. At the start of a vending business, the operators are often unaware of the bogus vending machine companies. They may flood you with offers to invest in old, refurbished machines. The offers may sound quite lucrative and can easily convince the new operator that it’s the best option out there.

Buying refurbished vending machines can turn out to be complete fiasco for your budding vending business. You may end up losing your investment money, your time and, of course, the profits that a vending business has to offer. You must understand that refurbished machines are out of date. In order to keep pace with the changes in technology, or to get rid of faulty machines, their old machines are sold out to new inexperienced vending operators at low, appealing prices, generally with no warranties.

Refurbished machines are not reliable and the outdated parts of the equipment are often faulty. These machines consume high power and lead to high bills, which increases the expenses for your locations. Such machines do not come with a guarantee from the manufacturer as they have already been used. Where as new machines bought from a reliable source come with a service plan as well as a limited warranty. An added advantage of buying new vending machines is that they are well equipped with the latest technology and vend reliably to its customers.

Equipment breakdowns are high among refurbished vending machines, as these machines are repaired using obsolete or even refurbished parts. If this happens, you may have to face losing locations due to poor services. Owning a refurbished vending machine has only negative issues attached to it. It is better to invest in a new vending machine, instead of purchasing an old machine at a lower price which could turn out to be a financial disaster in the future.

Purchasing from a reputable vending machine company like Planet Antares will go a long way to ensuring your success. The Planet Antares machines are reliable and offer a variety of product choices. The equipment is equipped with latest vending technology and vends smoothly and consistently. Start your vending business with the most reliable and reputed vending supplier and benefit from the experienced services of Planet Antares.

WHAT GOOD WILL ADVERTISING DO TO YOUR VENDING BUSINESS?

2009-07-03T03:29:00.000-07:00

Every industry has been exposed to fierce competition due to the industrial revolution in our economy. Business owners are engrossed in planning strategies to gain an edge over competition. The Vending business is no exception. Advertising has proven to be beneficial to many vending operators in their struggle to prove themselves as better than the rest.

Advertising is present everywhere these days. You can’t get away from it. Consumers are exposed to advertisements every place they go. Ads mark their presence in homes, offices, internet, television, radio, bus stations, railway stations, shopping malls, restaurants and many other places. The ultimate goal of placing an advertisement is:

1. To Inform
2. To persuade
3. To remind

Machines stocked with branded products don’t need extra advertising efforts to attract customers. Every vending business makes a point to vend branded products through their machines. Consumers relate easily with those products whose advertisements are popular.

Persuading the target customers becomes easy with well branded product placements stocked in the machine.

A Planet Antares vending machine is a brand name in itself. Customers easily relate with the Planet Antares vending machines. The reputation carried by Planet Antares has been transformed into customer loyalty. Contact Planet Antares executives to find the right vending solution for you.

Planet Antares Serves Mid Market Accounts

2009-03-30T10:03:00.001-07:00

In the current market scenario of rising cost of operation, Planet Antares vending operators have been forced to ignore locations with fewer than 100 people. Still, there is one segment of the vending market, the honor box customers, which continues to hold on. Now, even they have started exploring new alternatives with the increasing product and labor costs.

Mid market accounts present a great opportunity for Planet Antares vending operators. These include vending locations that are quite small for traditional vending machines but larger than 10 to 50 person accounts that honor box operators traditionally serve. This untapped market can be explored by Planet Antares vending operators.

Till now, the honor snack market remains the exclusive domain of a few operators who have learned to survive the demands of a changing market with:

• Product shrinkage
• High employee turnover
• Almost no means of product accountability

It is the opinion of several vendors that vending is not a threat to any of the honor box accounts. No vending company is interested in an account with just 18 employees. Many honor box accounts have less than 50 employees and one of the key elements of honor snack business is high account volume.

Multiple boxes can be placed in a location if an honor snack box is unable to meet the requirements of an account. In addition to this, you can takeover an account with 80 people or more that want a snack machine and soda machine like Planet Antares vending machines.

Planet Antares Explains Vending Contracts

2009-03-12T03:03:00.001-07:00

It is of utmost importance to plan your business moves carefully and accuratey if you really want to be successful in the long run. This holds true for every venture, including your vending business. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t do this and forget to carry out preliminary research.

You don’t have to end up as a victim of fraudulent vendors trying to sell their products and machines at cheap rates. This articles provides some basic insight into the steps towards effective vending.

Look for a good supplier of vending machines while shopping for equipment. Don’t get enticed by one of those vendors claiming to be the best service provider at unrealistic low rates. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!

Planet Antares Inc is a reputed vendor from which you can buy your vending machines. along with high quality machines and products, they will also provide after sale services such as locating, refilling and repair and maintenance of the equipment.

Of course, you must read and understand all the terms and conditions included in the sales agreement before signing it.

Basically, you must verify that the key aspects of the vending business are adequately fulfilled as are listed below.

The first step will be to verify the experience, service quality and variety offered by the vending machine company. Take your time to search, compare and choose the right vending equipment after comparing various suppliers, machines, features and prices.

Read the contract details carefully before hitting on the “I Agree” button. This is essential to avoid getting conned or overcharged later on. You must not hesitate to read al terms and clarify any that are not clear to you.

Commonly, sales contracts contain hidden costs that will be disclosed at a later stage. You must check the agreement thoroughly for knowing about all potential costs that may be incurred while using the machines and products.

While purchasing the equipment, choose a company that has skilled personnel with knowledge of technical and customer issues. Planet Antares Inc offers skilled professionals who are able to provide you with prompt solutions so that your vending machines remain in top condition at all times.

Going online for gathering information about various aspects of the vending business will help you while actually running it. Read online reviews regarding the best vendors, products and vending locations along with helpful tips on different vending issues.

Planet Antares Vending Operations – Cash Collection

2009-01-13T03:00:00.000-08:00

Planet Antares vending programs are very popular due to their ability to generate all-cash income for the vending operators. From the moment you place them, the vending machines will start making money. After this, customers just need to insert coins or notes in the machine and the required products will be dispensed.

When you service your accounts, cash will have to be collected and deposited in the bank. It is important to locate your vending machines in apt places and easily accessible by customers. This helps you earn enough income to collect each time you visit your vending route.

Usually, vending machine operators have a regular job besides this business. Hence, they can collect cash on a weekly or monthly basis. Whenever you have time from your job, you can collect cash from equipment. For repairing the coin acceptor or the vending machine itself, you will have to empty the machine for cash.

The performance of your vending machines at different places will determine the frequency of cash collection. Planet Antares vending machines are high quality, durable machines that allow you to make great profits without too much investment. When your vending machines are placed in a high traffic location with lots of customers, there will be need for collecting cash at regular intervals.

In case you keep multiple vending machines at a certain location, it may not be easy or even safe to collect cash from them at a single day. In such a case, you can set a locked deposit box in the vending machine or get a sales outlet operator to deliver the cash. Another option is to use a night depository box.

Planet Antares vending machines are reliable and durable vending machines. Such equipment can increase the potential for earning great revenue. This enables you to achieve smoother operations, better customer service and higher sales. So, you will need to plan your visits frequently to collect cash from such high performing equipment.

It is best to carry a money bag to the vending locations to keep the collected cash. Be alert while collecting cash. People may be watching you and to avoid theft, you must keep changing the day of your visit to various vending locations for cash collection.

You must invest in sound security systems to ensure that your money remains safe along with the vending machines.

Information On Sales Trend For Vendors

2008-11-18T02:59:00.000-08:00

The 2005 Automatic Merchandiser State of the Vending Industry Report indicated that the vending industry had its first sales gain since the recession that began in 2001. As the economy recovers slowly, the vending industry’s total sales rose to $21.26 billion.

Mainly, this growth has been the result of higher product sales. Planet Antares vending operators were also faced with an increase in operating costs along with the increase in product prices.

As per a recent study, consumers are drinking more speciality coffee. More and more Americans are drinking coffee daily these days. Apart from the coffee in their workplace, the consumers are also going out to buy coffee. This represents a great opportunity for coffee vending machine operators to grab a larger market share and increase sales and profits.

In recent years, vending operators had to face the challenge of pulling equipment out of large traditional industrial accounts. This led to fall of the manufacturing/warehouse/fabrication accounts below 30% of the total customers in the vending industry in 2004. Such shifts in the customer base indicate the changes witnessed in the nation’s workforce.

Moreover, it was reported that many vending operators retreated from accounts in schools and correctional facilities. They realized that these accounts were based on commissions and must be periodically rebid.

Additionally, the school authorities consider these vending machines as direct competition to their schools and not as support service. The school accounts are also compromised by the nutritional restrictions to a great extent. As a Planet Antares vending operator, you can place healthier food items in the vending machines.

Earning Potential Of Planet Antares Vending

2008-11-10T01:35:00.000-08:00

On the whole, vending has a lot of potential as a business opportunity. Its full potential has been realized by entrepreneurs who have been looking for a business venture that will make them lots of money.

Look around and you will notice vending machines everywhere. In worldwide terms, this business accounts for billions of dollars in sales!

Planet Antares Corporation can offer you a unique opportunity to start your own vending business. With the potential of vending being high, you are bound to enjoy success with a vending business, if you implement the right strategies.

Running a successful vending business requires two basic essentials - Organization and hard work. Planet Antares vending machines can be great for beginners in the vending industry. Initially, you can begin with one or two vending machines to see how well you will fair in the vending business.

By careful planning and execution, you will experience in positive change in your financial position with an effective vending business. Working for someone else makes it hard for you to achieve any kind of freedom.

Planet Antares Inc provides you with a wonderful opportunity through its vending programs. You will finally get to indulge in things that you never found any time for before. This means that vending gives you two very important assets:

a. Time
b. Money
Of course, a certain amount of capital investment is required to purchase the vending machines. You can opt for various kinds of machines, be it:

New vending machines
Used vending machines
Rent out the vending machines

Common Vending Errors To Be Avoided

2008-10-31T04:44:00.000-07:00

When you start a new business, you are bound to make a few mistakes. Likewise, any new entrant in the vending industry will surely make some errors. That is part of the learning process and as you get experienced, these mistakes may be valuable lessons for you.

However, some of these errors may have a significant impact on your business and may cause great losses to you. Many amateur vendors face such problems and regret them but if you are a little smart, these can be avoided.

Some of the most common vending business mistakes that if avoided, can save a lot of time, energy and money for you include:

1. Believing fraudulent schemes
New entrants in the vending business often believe the promises and high claims made by any vending opportunity provider. Unfortunately, many of these schemes turn out to be scams. Planet Antares Inc offers complete instructions and assistance for vending operators to make an informed purchase decision.

2. Accounting process ignorance
Setting up a successful vending business requires you to possess essential skills for monitoring and recording business operations. Vending operators must know about the accounting procedure, principles and policies so that they can compile and analyze transactions as well as financial statements.

3. Inadequate capital
In order to support a conservative growth rate, you must have adequate capital. There should also be scope for future expansion and investment in technological up gradations or unforeseen expenses.

4. Faulty pricing
Many times, vending operators make the mistake of starting their business with low overhead costs and pricing their products at a low price too. Adopt such a policy if you have a well-established business and require more help.

5. Low capacity equipment
A lot of people will tell you to buy small vending equipment for starting your vending business. However, these machines also require frequent refilling and servicing. Thus, it is advisable to go for larger vending machines like those provided by Planet Antares corporation.

6. Lack of updating
As a competitive vending operator, you should keep updating the vending machines, products and services. If you think that your vending equipment does not need any upgrading once it has been bought and installed in fruitful locations, think again. Changes in customer demands and technology require constant adaptation for you to survive and expand in the industry.

Planet Antares Vending - Make The Most Of Your Investment

2008-10-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

As you work towards running a successful vending business, you will realize that it can be a lot of fun and give good returns on your investment too!

Initially, you can go for small vending machines at a cheap price and slowly expand your business as the profits start coming in. Planet Antares Inc provides excellent vending programs with one-time cost of purchasing the Planet Antares machines and products that are very cheap. On the other hand, the profits wielded by machines are all-cash and collected daily.

However, you should take care of a few elements to convert your passive, side business into a full fledged, financially rewarding venture.

Vending Machine Location
This is a very important component in ensuring the success of vending business. I suggest you to look for places with a large amount of footfall and waiting people. If your vending machine accepts only coins, install it at places where maximum number of people may be carrying spare change. Like every other business, most of the lucrative locations have been used by other vending companies. However, it is a matter of your intelligence and creativity to find unexplored locations.

At Planet Antares Inc, hey understand that impulse buying is the basic factor which leads people to use vending machines. Hence, you need to place the equipment strategically at a place which is most convenient and bound to be passed by many people. You may even hire a vending locator to undertake this task for you.

Association with a Charity
When you associate with a charity, it implies agreeing to donate a portion of your profits to a charity. You will get stickers showing the association, to put on your vending machines. Vending machines with charity associations are seldom refused by business owners, who may otherwise be unwilling to keep vending machines in their offices or other premises.. They may even waive their own commission for such machines. This way, you can avoid a cut in your profits and also serve the community.

Professional Attitude
It is very important to maintain a professional attitude towards your vending business and treat it like a real business. Make sure that your vending machines are in top condition, refilled regularly and keep the customers and location owners happy.

E-books For Gaining Planet Antares Vending Know-How

2008-10-06T00:43:00.000-07:00

The internet is full of e-books about different topics, including the vending business. This means that it can offer you a source for learning whatever you want to know about starting and running a vending machine business from these e-books and articles. You will find a variety of books related to vending at the internet bookstores and can even download the e-book of your choice for a reasonable price.

While doing this, you will come across e-books on every subject possible and the best part is that you won’t even need to leave your computer. Use Adobe Reader, Mobipocket Reader and Microsoft Reader for downloading. You can even find complete start-up guides for starting a vending business. Eventually, you will learn how to bring in big profits from vending machine sales.

Americans love vending machines. Every year, they utilize vending machines to the tune of more than $40 billion or more in buying sodas, candy, water, coffee and snacks of all kinds.

This trend has made vending a popular business in which a lot of people are trying to get a share. Vending e-books will effectively guide you for just that!

If you want to start your own vending business, Planet Antares vending is a great way to do that. Very little maintenance will be needed and there will be headache of check collection and clearing in this all-cash income business. You can start with a part time business by placing a few vending machines with local businesses. As you make more money, you can invest more in your business and take it to greater levels of growth and success.

The entire dos and don’ts of the vending business will be explained through such E-books. This includes:

• The best locations to place your vending machines
• Where to purchase new machines at a discount
• Tips on account management
• Other helpful information

Usually, these books are inexpensive and can be bought without any hassles. What’s more, E-books don’t take up much time space and no shelf space at all. A vending e-book should be just what you need to start on your way to a lucrative Planet Antares
vending business.

Ways To Gain Financial Freedom In Planet Antares Vending

2008-08-26T06:31:00.001-07:00

A recent study by a department of commerce pointed out that less than 5% of new vending machine companies fail every month. This is a very low rate as compared to 65% for the Small Business Administration. Evidently, the vending industry is performing well and forms a lucrative source of income for many small and large enterprises.

For those who are keen on experiencing financial success and a long-term rewarding business, the best way to do so will be to start a vending business. However, you must ensure that you select a good business opportunity like those provided by Planet Antares Inc.

Not only will they provide the equipment but also the vending products and supplies along with sound after-sale services such as locating, servicing, repair and maintenance of vending machines.

If you want to become financially independent, this is the right business line for you. There is no restriction on the amount of money, time and effort spent on your business. So, you get to control the scale of your business, whether part time or full time. Everyone wants to earn more money and be their own boss. That’s exactly what a Planet Antares vending business allows you to do. Choose your own working hours, type of niche to be catered and get complete control over the sales and profits.

The vending business provides the benefit of getting higher yields and returns from lower investment. By investing about 10-20 hours per month, you can expect to get a return of 100% to 200% in the first year. When you compare it with the interest earned at the bank with a current deposit, it will be almost 10 times more.

Isn’t that interesting?
This all-cash revenue business will start generating income as soon as your vending machines are installed in the premises of the location owner. Always remember that choosing a strategic location will increase your income earning potential. The only thing you need to do is to set a time schedule for cash collection at regular intervals. No bad checks to worry about. Going by the rapid growth of the vending industry, it seems as if this business is recession proof.

Here are a few interesting and useful facts about starting a Planet Antares vending business and its income opportunities:
• Any good vending machine will earn as much returns as the initial investment within the first year.
• 50 well located vending machines will earn almost three times the purchase value of the vending machines themselves.
• Once a vending route has been successfully established and turns profitable, you can sell it to another person for a large profit.

Specialization For Efficiency In Planet Antares Vending

2008-06-10T02:16:00.000-07:00

The concept of operating dedicated beverage route will be very beneficial for a Planet Antares vending operator. They just need to do enough business to keep at least one full time route person busy. There are several benefits that come with this.

A well designed beverage truck, with outside, roll up doors on the sidea can be filled by the pallet with a forklift truck. This will take lesser time than you would have, had you been loading a mixed-product route vehicle. In such circumstances, you will have to load one case at a time.

Due to space limitations on a mixed product truck, Planet Antares operators may not be able offer all the brands they could proftably sell. Although many customers will opt for an alternate brand or flavor if their first choice is not available. Some may even decide to walk away and lead to loss of sale. A well designed truck allows you to stock all the items that are demanded by customers of your business.

New beverage route people will have to learn how to fill one type of machine and thus, have one less type of machine to learn. This would cut down on the amount of time taken for training a new route personnel and bringing him closer to the point where he is capable of running a Planet Antares vending route on his own.

To enhance business efficiency, specialization is essential. When an employee only handles one product, he will learn how to handle the product with very few wasted motions. The machines will be filled at a faster pace since he will be more efficient. Mixed product route will also benefit. They would have one less product to worry about, and no longer have any chances of tripping over beverage cases in the vehicle.

After removing the beverage trucks from the vehicle and removing the beverage services from the route, the driver will be able to reach more locations to service perishable product machines.

If you try to run a dedictaed beverage route for your Planet Antares vending business, using a typical step or cube van, it will probably be too much work. It’s best to go for a truck that can be loaded with a forklift.

Points To Remember While Buying Planet Antares Vending Machine

2008-05-28T03:05:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the best place to look for information regarding vending machines is the Internet. Planet Antares Corporation has a website that has the information that would be needed to know about vending machines and the growing industry. Any company that is selling vending equipment should all that information online. You must check to ensure that the website is regulated on a regular basis. A good company would have a website that is updated frequently.

Some companies offer special paying schemes, where you can pay the vending machine on a monthly installment. This is an easy way of buying a vending machine. When you start generating profits in your business, you can slowly pay back the rest of the amount. Planet Antares vending machines are the most reasonably priced vending machines in the marketplace. These are quality vending machines available at quality prices.

Different types of vending machines are provided at different prices. Bulk vending machines are generally cheaper than full line vending machines. This is because bulk vending machines are usually smaller than full line vending machines. The products of bulk vending machines are also cheaper to buy. This leads to preference by some people to bulk vending machines while starting their vending business. Planet Antares full line vending machines are more popular with the public because of the products that are sold in these machines. Snacks and beverages sold through them are popular in high traffic locations.

Customers passing through these locations having a snack or beverage vending machine will feel inclined to buy from the vending machine. That will be seen as a better option than going to make a queue outside a convenience store. This means that location owners will ask for full line vending machines more than any other kind of machine.

When you are looking for a vending machine, you must ensure that you know what you want. It is imperative to carry out some research on the vending machine that is already in your local area. This will help you to get an idea about which vending machines are doing well in their respective locations. With this information, you will know exactly which vending machine to go for.

Investing in a Planet Antares vending machines will surely bring greater profits to your vending business. These are attractive vending machines that are able to gain customer attention; even if there are other vending machines in the same location.

Uniform DEX Standards For Planet Antares Vending Operators

2008-05-19T02:58:00.000-07:00

Vending operators are ready to blame the equipment manufacturers for not doing enough to standardize their DEX hardware and software. Some people think that the manufacturers did not adopt a set of standards and these are too broad. When NAMA said that people needed to send XYZ information, different manufacturers had different understandings of how to do it.

As a result, a few vending operators including Planet Antares vending operators want to see NAMA adopt more stringent DEX standards. Even several equipment manufacturers agree that standards can be improved to a certain extent. Some of the operators have had problems when they first tried to utilize DEX.

The DEX standards have been too broad in some cases. The more stringent ones may be able to sort out the problems that are being faced by some Planet Antares vending operators. Manufacturers have indicated that not all machines require that same type of data. Moreover, not all customers want the same information from the machine. There is risk of extra cost in excessive standardization without providing any additional benefits.

The big point of consideration is that standardization will not always assure Planet Antares vending operators that manufacturers will abide by new protocols. Some manufacturers even claim that competitors have not supported existing DEX standards. This itself is a judgment based on technical interpretation. Further, equipment manufacturers have pointed out that the task of gathering data in a usable form is one that should be handled by the software company only.

Even if additional standards are adopted by NAMA, like it is considering, manufacturers will add to that list for specific equipment needs. Whether minimum standards are essential to begin with is open to question, since many protocols are already being followed for the sake of convenience and simplicity.

Some DEX data tends to be standard in all vending machines including Planet Antares vending machines. These include:

Coin mechanical fields
Coin to tube
Coin to coin box
Coin from tubes
Total coins
Cash from validator
Total vends
Total cash

How To Find Vending Locations

2008-05-06T02:11:00.000-07:00

If you think about it, the vending business is very simple. All that is required is to find a good place to install your Planet Antares vending machine, place it there and provide excellent service.

The starting point of any vending business is looking and procuring strategic locations. You can’t just buy vending machiens and place them anywhere. The first step has to be to identify the location depending on the needs of the location, and then place the Planet Antares vending machine. Any location with 30 employees needs a different vending machine as compared to one with 100 or more employees.

It’s not necessary that a location that has no vending mahcines is the best thing for your vending business. It means that a vending business may not do well at the particular location that some vending operators have already tried the place and not done well. On the other hand, it may be possible that you have discovered an untapped location. It’s best to look for a location that has a large number of vending businesses as that means that the area has got high customer traffic.

You can also look out for location where the business owners are not happy with the current vending machine services for several reasons, such as lack of refilling in time, frequent breakdowns, etc. Talk to these location owners and make sure that you offer better business and services to them.

The trick is to convince these premises owners to switch from their present vending business but it works only if they are unsatisfied with the current service. Try to get details about the reasons for their unhappiness and the vending prices being given at present. This will help you to avoid making the same mistakes as the prevoius vendor and offer better business from your Planet Antares vending machines.

First step is always to approach the locally owner businesses where you can reach the decision maker. Some of the best locations are schools, hospitals and business factories and offices. However, it can be quite difficult to gain access to these accounts. So you can start with medium sized establishments and learn along the way.

Value Pricing In The Vending Business

2008-04-22T03:10:00.000-07:00

Starting a vending business is not just about buying and placing vending machines at good locations. It involves recording and tracking of transactions as well as employee operations through various methods and management tools. Planograms and handheld computers can be used to track product turnover so that Planet Antares vending operators find the means to monitor and control the product turnover with minimal extra labor.

Recently, there has been a huge increase in the number of players in the vending industry. With such an increase, there is aggressive competition amongst the vending operators to obtain and retain customers for higher sales and revenue. The $40 billion vending industry has become highly competitive and you must introduce cost reduction and profit maximisation for surviving in it.

Planet Antares vending operators complain that the retailers and channels are able to increase prices without too much hassle as compared to the vending products. The main determinants of vending prices are customer account contracts and competition, not customer needs. An effective strategy for pricing would be to enhance the sales and profits.

In the beginning, there were hardly any vending operators who had the imperative resources for monitoring the results of vending transactions. Now, the situation has changed drastically. Amongst the various theories for solving the product pricing issue, one says that operators can enhance customer chocies and satisfaction through offering secondary products at a discount.
This will result in higher sales and profits for your vending business.

As far as sales accountability and driver execution is concerned, the majority of the Planet Antares vending operators believe that simplicity is the key to product pricing. They believe that any advantages created by more strategic pricing would be minimal in relation to risks associated with more complicated strategies of pricing.

The current economic scenario is the ideal time to test the value pricing because of several reasons such as:

a) Lowering of location sales due to downsizing which has made it the best time to buy lesser from established, experienced suppliers.

b) Special offers are appreciated by consumers as they get more price conscious.
As technological advancements become popular, better tools are evolving to handle both the above factors. Some of these include handheld computers and improved machine and software planograms.

Supermarkets, Malls And Museums As Vending Location

2008-03-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

Vending machines are the sales men of your business but good locations also have an impact on the business sales and profitability. As a vending operator, you must think about where your vending equipment will be easily accessible and get maximum number of customers.

The two primary things to look for include corporate offices and low hassle accounts. While these locations are nice and popular, they will not generate much income, usually about $40-$50 per month. Don’t misunderstand these facts. So long as you buy the vending machines at the right price, you will have a good Return On Investment (ROI).

With Planet Antares vending machines, you can get the best in quality and features. On the other hand, you can utilize their locating services to find the best vending locations and convince the location owners to keep your equipment. You can learn the tricks and techniques of location searching and acquisition.

If you can get some big locations, it will be easier to gross about $200 a month. The best way to get these locations is to approach supermarkets, malls and museums. The hassle is almost nil as the locations don’t rely on the commission income (at least 25%) and there is high volume of customer traffic. This makes such locations a vendor’s dream come true.

You must understand that most of these accountants have contracts with Vending Management companies. This makes placement difficult. If you acquire about 3-4 vending accounts each year, you will still be left with a net gain in the number of big locations. By using a specialized Planet Antares vending machine that does not compete directly with the current machines, you can easily convince a location manager to let you place the equipment in his premises.

Eventually, you will notice a positive change in the sales figures and profitability of your vending business. After purchasing and locating about a dozen or so of these machines at good locations, you will start reaping the benefits of effective locations. Your revenue will rise to an extent that will cover all your expenses. That’s when your vending business will be truly successful!

Vending Business Profit Maximisation

2007-12-10T03:19:00.000-08:00

Profit maximisation is dependent on the maximisation of business sales. For that, there should be a large number of customers who buy your products on a regular basis. As a Planet antares vending machine operator, you must keep your vending machines at such locations that are easily accessible to customers so that they keep coming back for high quality products.

Pick high traffic locations for your vending equipment so that you can target a large number of potential customers.such locations include subways, stations, bus terminals, airports, hotels and business offices. Planet Antares snack and soda vending machines can be easily placed at such locations. Make sure that the customers are able to see the machine from any angle. It should be installed in a well-lit area so that it is visible at all times.

Choose the vending products carefully. Stock your vending machine with most demanded products as well as the conventional bestsellers. Some products may be currently in demand but you should avoid filling your vending machine with such products alone. May customers like to stick to the traditional products. So, an optimal product mix is essential to generate substantial sales.

Check the vending machines regualry to keep them well-stocked and full at all times. Theer should be no instance of customers waiting in front of an empty machine waiting for it to dispense the desired product. Glass front door will allow your customers to know which products are being offerd by the vending machine. This can also be one by putting signs at the front of the machine.

Don’t forget to keep your vending machines well maintained and service it periodically. There should not be any breakdowns while operating by a customer as this may result in loss of future sales as well as business reputation. Make sure that all repairs are made intime and the machines remain clean and operate smoothly.

All these factors contribute to vending business profitability and if taken into consideration while planning and running the business, there will be great financial rewards for you.

Tips For Keeping Your Vending Machines Clean

2007-11-21T03:01:00.000-08:00

The sanitation of your vending machines is crucial for maintaining their performance. If the customers don’t get fresh and hygienic products from clean vending machines, they will not be satisfied with the quality of your service. That means negative impact on customer perception and lower sales in future. For any vending machine operator, this situation needs to be avoided at all costs.

So, it is imperative to keep your vending equipment and the surrounding areas in a good condition. If you have bought a reliable vending machine like Planet Antares vending machines, there will not be much sanitary issues as the vending company provides these services for you.

i. While cleaning your vending machines, you should refill them and then remove all the trash, empty boxes, cans, etc.

ii. Make sure that the vending machine is placed in a well lit area so that you can easily recover any pieces of vending products lying on the floor or spilled over the machine.

iii. There should also be a trash receptacle and protection against overhead leakage, condensation, breakage of pipes, etc.

iv. It is a good idea to mount the vending machines on a stand to allow for easier cleaning under and around the vending machine. The average height of this stand may be around 6 inches.

v. While cleaning the machine, check whether the surface of the vending machine is dusty or sticky. This must be done for both inside and outside layers of the vending machine.

vi. Another thing to be inspected properly is the door of the vending machine. This should be tightly fit to avoid spoilage of food or beverages. If there are any worn or damages parts, you must get them replaced from the vending company to prevent dust or moisture from entering the vending machine.

vii. There should be facility for washing hands near the vending machine so that technical personnel or operators can get cleaned up easily.

viii. Servicing for vending machines with certain potentially hazardous vending products will require special care. For example, some food items may require refrigeration, thermostatic controls and heat units to ensure freshness. There will have to maintenance of a particular temperature to keep the items fresh and consumable.

ix. You must also verify the provision for backup and automatic control in case of power failure or breakdown to avoid vending of products.

x. Your Antares vending machine should have a delivery tube or chute with a tight fitted self closing cover.

xi. While selecting a vending machine, keep in mind that the exterior must be designed in a way to prevent entrance of rodents and insects effectively.

xii. Proper screening of the openings in the vending machine and ventilation louvers is essential.

Apart from the equipment hygiene, there should be emphasis on the personal hygiene of the personnel who undertake the task of servicing the machines. They should have washed hands, use gloves while handling products, wear clean garments and prevent use of tobacco while doing the cleaning part of the vending equipment.

Vending Products Fine Print

2007-10-30T05:16:00.000-07:00

If you want to be a successful vending machine owner, what will you do? Most people think that planning for vending business begins and ends with vending machines. Unfortunately, this is one of the biggest mistakes people make in the vending business and consequently, suffer losses.

It is not enough to buy a great looking, good quality vending machine from a reliable supplier like Planet Antares Inc. You must think about the products to be sold before you start looking for a vending machine. This will determine the right kind of vending equipment for you.

No matter how efficient your vending machine, if the dispensed products are of bad quality or not fresh, the customers will not come back and use it again. Your business will flourish only when your customers are satisfied and this depends on the ability of your vending products to meet their demands. There are various kinds of vending products ranging from candy and snacks to high-end items like digital products. For beginners, it is best to start with a simple, easy to handle and sell product.

Planet Antares vending machines are a great way to start your vending business for selling toys, candy, soda and snacks. You can choose from a wide variety of vending machine styles as well as branded products. This serves a dual purpose – keeping your customers happy and earning profits.

Toys and Candy

Children love toys as well as candy and vending machines that sell toys like key chains, action characters, and costume jewelry are very popular among them. Many vending machines even offer toys in the form of prizes after playing a game. Candy and gumball machines are also a great way to start in the vending industry as it is a low investment, high profit business.

Beverages

Both hot and cold beverages are included in this category. Planet Antares soda vending machines dispense juices, energy drink, sodas, soups, tea and even milk nowadays. Some vending machines even offer fresh squeezed juice or alcohol during certain hours of the day.

Snacks

As conventional snacks lose their popularity, new forms of healthier, low calorie snacks are being demanded by customers. You can provide a combination of traditional and new snacks to maintain sales level and satisfy customer preferences as well.

Such machines are best suited for busy locations like schools, colleges, airports, hotels and business offices where employees can get meals without leaving their desk for a long time.

With more and more people using vending machines as a quick-fix solution to their hunger and thirst, innovative vending products are being launched in the market on a regular basis. Study the customer requirements in your area before buying a vending machine and vending products.

All About Vending Contracts

2007-10-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

So you’re ready to start your own vending business. The first step will be to get vending machines from a reputed vending machine supplier and match it with the desired products and locations. Many vending machine distributors will take advantage of the naiveté of new entrants by offering feature-packed vending machines and after sale services at rock-bottom prices. Basically, these are schemes for earning quick cash income by fooling innocent individuals.

With such scams happening every day, you must be very careful while selecting a vending machine company. Go for reputed suppliers like Planet Antares Inc which provide good quality equipment as well as after-sale services. Verify that you understand all the terms and conditions of the sales contract before actually signing it.

Following are a few factors which must be considered by a vending operator planning to buy vending machines for starting a vending machine business.

#1: Search for a reliable vending machine supplier. Look at the range of products offered by them and their past experience as a vending machine distributor or manufacturer. Pay attention to their company details, reviews, references with national organizations and customer opinion. Compare various companies before actually selecting one. Ask for a standard contract instead of depending on general statements.

#2: Test the technical support staff for business know-how and promptness in providing solutions to your problems. Do you get fast and easy response or do you have to call repeatedly? Does the customer support personnel put you on hold for long periods of time and still fail to offer concrete solutions?

#3: Don’t make the blunder of skipping past the terms and conditions and hitting the “I Agree” button instantly upon choosing the right vending machines and/or products. it may take some time to go through all the details but it is worth the effort. Ask for clarifications on any clause or statement that is unclear or not agreeable.

#4: It is common for many sales contracts to possess hidden costs. Make sure that you know about all the potential expenses from the beginning. These include setup fee, transport charges, locator expenses, etc.

#5: Make use of the online informative websites, forums and reviews to find out about the most popular and suitable machines for your business requirements and budget. There is also adequate information about the various requisites of a good sales agreement.
These tips will help you to make sure that you get what you pay for and don’t just get ripped-off by false claims.

Planet Antares Tips: Dealing With Vending Contracts

2007-09-25T06:12:00.000-07:00

The vending business is a great opportunity for you to earn quick, all-cash income. Many vending machine suppliers may use the unique benefits of vending operator business to disguise their unscrupulous interests. With the rise in fraudulent vending machine companies, you must be sure of the deal you are entering into before you actually sign n any agreement.

A few factors are a must-know for any individual or enterprise planning to buy a vending machine or start a vending business.

a) Look for a reputable supplier of vending machines. Take your time to search for a good company with extensive range of machines and experience. Check their company details, references and customer opinion about their services. Reliable vending companies like Planet Antares Inc will offer superior quality services and machines at affordable prices. You must ask for a standard contract and not rely on any general statements alone.

b) Many people make the grave mistake of skipping past the terms and conditions and just check the “I Agree” button. Even though such details are time consuming and often boring, you must read them to know what you are paying for. Also, ask for clarifications of any terms which are not clear to you. Do not hesitate to take adequate time for understanding the contract before you sign it.

c) Verify the methods of dealing with potential problems in your vending machine business. Does the supplier offer prompt technical support? Is there a provision for refund of money if the machine does not have the right features or operating capability?

d) Some vending machine contracts may have hidden costs which are not apparent initially. You must ensure that all cots are clarified from the beginning. There may additional setup fees, locator charges, servicing charges, transport fee, etc. all these should be mentioned in the sales contract.

e) Use various resources like online forums, expert opinions and other seller websites to get a better idea about the requisite features of a vending machine, products, costs involved and the sales contract.

If you do your homework properly, you can find a good vending machine supplier and avoid being duped by a fake provider. Steer clear of any contracts which may seem to be too good to be true or too cheap. After all, you get what you pay for. So you must ensure that what you pay for is worth your investment.

Enhance Your Planet Antares Vending Business Profitability

2007-09-14T04:13:00.000-07:00

The primary goal of every business is to earn profits and the vending business is no exception to this. You may be a beginner or an experienced vending operator, yet face problems in keeping your vending business profitable. After some time, you may feel that the cost of operations is much higher than the revenue generated by vending machines.

With increasing competition and wholesalers and retailers offered attractive deals, it is hard for a vending operator to keep earning substantial profits. However, you can keep the money coming in consistently if you use a few strategies such as:

Product pricing
Vending operators can charge higher prices on vending products due to the overall increase in retail prices. You can even consider moving from small vending machines such as bulk candy machines to beverage and snack vending machines which will produce more revenue with higher priced products. Planet Antares Inc. provides a wide range of vending machines and helps vending operators to setup and manage their business successfully.

Business statistics
Keep a close track of your vending business accounts and profit or loss figures. Make sure that the employees are not dishonest while handling cash. You can also make your customers aware of your financial position and business performance to increase the level of trust between you and them.

Vending commissions
This is another cost effective solution for increasing the profitability of your vending business. Such concessions can be given to vending machine account customers after disclosing the financial performance of the vending machine account. the commission can be reduced on a low performing account and vice-versa for a well-performing account.

Technical upgradation
This may require additional capital investment but leads to increased profitability in the long run. It is better to remove unprofitable vending machines and replace them with updated, technologically advanced machines which are durable and better revenue generators. Make use of diverse vending equipment and payment options to get better results.

In the end, what matters is your creativity and strategic moves to increase the profitability of your vending business and reduce your operational costs.

Money Making Vending Machines

2007-08-28T06:28:00.000-07:00

When placed in the right location, Planet Antares vending machines are money making machines that can make money for you 24 hours, seven days a week. The vending business is an all cash business, where the vending machines immediately start making money for you as soon as they have been placed in a location. This is the way a vending business is supposed to work. If you have the right vending machines, with the right products in the right location, you will see immediate cash flow in your vending business.

The snack and beverage vending business is the most lucrative of all the types of vending. This is because these are the products that the public are fond of buying. To start a snack and beverage vending business, you just need to invest in a couple of vending machines. As you earn high profits, you can gradually expand your vending business.

To experience immediate cash flow with your Planet Antares snack and beverage vending machines, you need to first place them in the right locations. The vending machines are already top quality machines, so all that you would need to do is first find the right location for the vending machines. Snack and beverage vending machines are suitable for most of the locations. When people are on the move, they prefer to buy from vending machines because they are more convenient. The locations that you pick for your Planet Antares vending machines should be ones that have high traffic. Places like shopping malls, retail stores, subways, businesses etc. make ideal locations for snacks and beverage vending machines. If you place your vending machines in these locations, you will see immediate cash flow. A location can make or break your vending business. That is why it is so important that you pick the right kind of locations. The position that you pick for your vending machine should be one that will allow potential customers to see the machines clearly. Vending machine sales are impulse sales. This means that people need to see the vending machine in order for sales to be made.

The products that you place in your vending machines will determine the number of sales that will be made. You may have a good vending machine in the right location but with the wrong products. If you have the wrong products in the vending machine no one will buy them. Planet Antares vending machines have high capacities, so you can have a wide selection of snacks and beverages in the vending machines. Just make sure that you choose the right products. Products that are popular with the public and branded products are quick sellers. With the right products, you will see immediate cash flow in your vending business.

For your vending machines to become effective money making machines, you just need to make sure that you have the right vending machines, with the right products, in the right location. These three factors will facilitate your vending machines to be money making machines.

Tips for Renting a Vending Machine

2007-08-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

Renting a vending machine is a good idea for people who want to start a vending business but don’t have adequate money for it. Even though purchasing a vending machine is better for effectively running a vending business, rentals work well too.

Vending machine rentals are readily available for anyone eager to get into vending business. There are various vending machines which dispense a variety of products like soda, snacks, candy, toys and even digital products.

There are machines with only coin accepting features as well as others which offer multiple payment methods like smart cards, credit cards and bills. Vending machine rentals are usually provided by companies to start-ups who are looking for some passive income along with their regular work.

You can change the products in your Planet Antares vending machine as per your requirements and the product availability. Vending rental companies keep updating the statistics regarding the popularity and sales pattern of various products at different locations. This helps in placing the right products at the right location.

You should carefully read and understand the content of the contract before you sign it. Think of the best location for your machines to find maximum number of customers and enhance the sales level.

You should target companies with rest rooms, recreation facilities, and busy areas like shopping malls, restaurants and traffic signals. People often use vending machines while waiting or taking a break from work. Children are also good customers for candy and toy vending machines.
Planet Antares vending machines are available for renting by all sorts of people, be it for shopping stores or offices. You can also own the same machine and then place it at strategic points to maximize sales and profits.

Do your homework and choose a reputable rental company from which you can rent good quality vending machines. It is also very important to choose the right location for your machine. This needs some research and analysis of the location, the type of customers and their needs as well as your own objectives.

While there are a lot of vending machines and operators already in this field, you can create a niche for yourself by making the right choice of machine, location and products.

How to Start a Vending Business

2007-07-19T00:28:00.000-07:00

If you want to start a vending business, you can start your new vending business part time or full time. Planet Antares offers you a great opportunity to start a vending business. They will also take the time to show you how you can develop and build your business. There is really no need to quit your present job when you start your vending business.

When you are ready to go into the vending business, first thing that you should do is find out a little about the business by carrying out research. If you know any vending operators, you can talk to them. They are the people who are capable of giving you first hand information which can prove to be useful to you. When you are done with this, you can then look up vending companies from the internet. This is where you would find Planet Antares Inc. listed. A reputable vending company is important for the success of your vending business, so don’t waste your time with companies that promise more than they can deliver. Planet Antares Inc. has built a solid reputation over the years and they have helped a large number of entrepreneurs set up successful vending businesses.

A vending company provides you with all the useful information that you would require to get your business up and running. They will also provide you with vending machines. High quality vending machines like those by Planet Antares are reliable vending machines. This is important for the smooth running of your operation. Customers find it very frustrating to find a vending that is out of order or one that does not deliver the product, nor returns the money due to some malfunction. That is why you need vending machines that are trouble free.

The products that you place in your vending machines also play a very important role. Engage a supplier to provide you with the products that you need for your vending machine. The supplier has to be able to provide you with bulk products, so that you don’t have to keep going back for more supplies. Snacks, beverages and candy are the most popular products to be found in vending machines. People just love to buy these products. When you have a snack and beverage vending business, make sure that you have branded products in the vending machine. They are sure sellers.

The location that you pick for your vending machine is the most crucial factor to the success of your vending business. Try to find out about which locations in your area are working well for snack and beverage vending machines. This will give you a good idea of where to place your vending machine. If there are other vending machines in the location, convince the location owner that you will provide a better service. If your vending machine is accepted, you will just need to compete with the other vendors by providing a better service. Locations with high traffic are ideal for snack and beverage vending machines. A vending business with the right vending machines, locations and products will be the best way to start a vending business.

The Best Way to Look For Snack and Beverage Vending Locations

2007-07-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

Vending operators use various methods to find locations for their vending machines. Looking for locations in a market that is already saturated with vending machines is not very easy, but at the same time it is not all that hard if you use the right strategies. Snack and beverage vending machines are big in size because they are full line vending machines. This is one of the factors that will make it difficult for you to find locations for your Planet Antares vending machines. The locations for these types of vending machines have to have a high amount of foot traffic in order for it to be financially beneficial for your Planet Antares vending business. On an average, it takes about 300 calls to businesses to find a qualified snack and beverage vending machine location.

Looking for a location for your vending business is something that can be done by you or you can decide to use a locating service. It is always recommended that you look for a location on your own since you are the one that knows what you are looking for. If you don’t have the time to look for a location on your own, you can use a locating service to do the work for you, just make sure that you inspect the locations on your own, after the locator has found a suitable one.

A locating service usually makes calls to all potential locations when they are looking for a suitable location. If you are using a locating service, they would make a call to a potential location where they will make a telephonic presentation of your Planet Antares vending machine. They can even decide to fax pictures of the vending machines, as well as describe the type of snacks that the vending machine sells. If there is a location owner that is interested in having your vending machine there, an appointment should then be set by the locator, for you to inspect the location. Make sure that the location is suitable and that the location owner knows what he is expecting before it is delivered. The locating company would charge you a fee for their services, so find one that will charge you a reasonable fee.

Prior to looking for locations, carry out some research on your own, on what type of locations are ideal for a snack and beverage vending machine like that that is provided by Planet Antares Inc. Visiting locations that already have these types of vending machines would provide you with some helpful tips. Locations that have high traffic would be ideal locations. Finding the right kind of location will make your vending business very profitable. If a location proves to be unprofitable, then move on to another location. When you go through the bad location, you will learn how do avoid them in the future.

Outcome of the Vending Industry

2007-06-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

The vending industry has had a significant impact on our society. A vending service can be considered as a convenience service, because it provides products to customers in a convenient manner. This is why vending machines are very popular. Everywhere you go, you will see vending machines. to use a vending machine all that you have to do is place some coins in the machine and you immediately get the product that you want. This is more convenient than going to a convenient store, where it will take longer. The vending business has had a more positive outcome than a negative one.

Snack and beverages
Planet Antares vending machines sell snacks and beverages, which are the most popular products that can be found in vending machines today. Americans love snacking, so you can easily say that vending machines have contributed to this a great deal. Wherever you go these days, you are bound to find a snack and beverage vending machine. Most location owners usually demand for snack and beverage vending machines for their location because they know that these are the products that people want to buy.

Low Pricing
The price of products in vending machines are usually cheaper that the retail industry. When you have a Planet Antares vending machine, people would prefer to use that machine to buy their snacks or beverages rather than go to a retail store. This is because the vending machines offer convenience and at the same time lower prices. This means that anybody can afford to buy from vending machines. To keep the prices of the products that you sell low, make sure that you find a supplier that will sell you the products at a good rate.

Different kinds of products
Today vending machines sell a variety of products in vending machines. You can find anything from snacks, beverages, food, cigarettes, newspapers, coffee, and walkmans to iPods. In Japan, there are wider ranges of products available than any other country. You can even buy a pair of jeans from a vending machine in Japan.

Vending in schools
Vending machines are very popular in schools, especially snacks and beverage vending machines, like the ones provided by Planet Antares. Schools provide the kind of locations that are ideal for snacks and beverages. Schools today are more focused in offering healthier foods to kids and since vending machines are very convenient for schools. Healthy food products are now what most schools vend in their vending machines.

Vending is a great business
People who have operated vending operations have made lots of money. The best thing about vending is that you can start it as a part time or a full time business and still make money. Planet Antares has provided vending opportunities to a huge number of people, who now have success stories to tell.

How Category Management Works

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Implementing category management in your Planet Antares vending business is ease, however it requires changes in your merchandising system. It also requires an organizational commitment to make it work. Decades ago, vending operators that used to run nine-column candy machines, allocated four or five of those columns to best selling branded confections that would be offered in every location. The remaining slots were left available for items that are chosen by the route driver to meet particular location preferences.

With the advent of glass front multi product machines like Planet Antares vending machines, there was tenfold increase in the SKUs that an operator had to warehouse. This has made it difficult for route drivers to remember and act upon specific location preferences. Category management is a technique that was developed by the retail industry to take advantage of the continual flow of information from electronic cash registers to central computers. It is also a proven merchandising system that will maximize the product sales from your Planet Antares vending machines. This system will allow you to provide customers with the products they want, when they want them. This will of course increase your sales and profits by ensuring that you have only the top selling products in every machine, every day.

Category management will allow you to make periodic adjustments to menus in your Planet Antares vending machines, by replacing the slowest moving items with others that sell better. At the same time you will have maximum product variety through broad category representation and menu rotation. This technology also permits rationalizing inventories and reduction of total number of SKUs in the warehouse which would result in increase purchase efficiency and inventory turns.

The snacks and beverages in your vending machine can be analyzed into a manageable number of categories. Each location will include a certain percentage of purchases of each category. This means that you would need to make sure that items from each category are made available. The task of category management is to determine the relative popularity of categories and the number of items that are offered within each category. You can then adjust the sizes of the categories accordingly, depending on your sales.

The time is right for vending operators to get on board and reap the rewards of category management increased sales from an efficient variety in every machine. With this system, there will also be a dramatic reduction in potential sales lost because a product is out of stock and there will also be increased space in machines for the fast moving items. As more consumers find the products that they want, there will be a greater consumer demand as a result of the increased variety.

Steps to Take When Expanding a Vending Business

2007-06-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

Anybody who gets into the vending business would like to see their business with time. Your vending business has to be financially stable for you to make that move. If you have a Planet Antares vending business and you are ready to expand your business, you will just need to take the right steps that will make your expansion a success.

A vending business is as a home based business, because people usually start with a few vending machines. Running a Planet Antares vending business from home is the most convenient way to operate a vending business. A vending business requires low investment at the start since you will not be required to have an office or a warehouse to run your vending business. This is the reason why vending is such a great business opportunity. Expanding your vending business would mean, moving your business out of your home or just simply acquiring more vending machines and locations. A vending business has to have been running financially successfully in order for you to expand the business, because expanding would mean investing more money in your vending business. The more you invest, the more you should make.

Increasing the number of vending machines
When you are looking to expand your Planet Antares vending business, the first thing that you would need to do is to invest in more vending machines. As you buy the vending machines, the locations that you have may not be enough to cater to your vending machines, which would mean that you would need to acquire more locations. Since you would already be familiar with the running of a vending business, acquiring locations would be something that you would be used to. Just make sure that you understand customer needs in the new locations.

Buying established routes
People who are retiring or getting out of the business usually sell their vending business as established routes. If you are thinking of expanding your vending business, purchasing established routes would be a quick way of growing your business. This is because you don’t need to go out looking for location or a supplier. In other words, you will start where the other vending operator left off and even possibly provide a better vending service.

A Planet Antares vending business is a snack and beverage vending business. With the expansion of your vending business, you can try other vending businesses such as bulk vending and special products vending. Being successful in a snack and beverage vending business will prepare you for the other kinds vending businesses.

Do not make the decision to expand your vending business, until the time is right. There is really no hurry to expand your vending business, so don’t make decisions hastily. Since you already have a vending business, you know the good locations and the right suppliers. Keep this in mind when you are expanding your vending business, so that your vending business can continue to be profitable. If you experience loses with your expansion, then you would need to reorganize your plans.

Making your Vending Business your Main Source of Income

2007-06-07T06:28:00.000-07:00

Most people start vending businesses as a part time business because they usually already have a regular job or they are just experimenting with a vending business to see if it can be profitable. Those who start vending businesses part time usually end up making it a full time business after they get to see the earning potential of the vending business.

A Planet Antares vending business has the potential to make you lots of money. With this unique vending opportunity, financial freedom is something that you will experience within a short period of time. When you start a Planet Antares vending business as a part time business, you will only be able to service your vending machines when you are not at work. If you have family members to help you out, the vending machines can be serviced even when you are at work. A part time vending business can still bring in a good profit so long as your vending machines are serviced on time and they are maintained well. The income that you earn in a part time vending business will supplement the salary that you are receiving from your regular job. This will make you more financially secure.

Using all the right strategies, your Planet Antares business will bring in a good income, even though it is not your main source of income. With the good income that you earn, you will probably feel like investing in other vending machines. This would require you to secure more locations. When you buy more vending machines it simply means that your vending business is growing. When you see your vending business doing well financially, you will of course want to bring in more revenues by investing the profit that you have earned back into the vending business. If your Planet Antares vending business continues to be successful, you will probably quit your regular job to make the income that you earn from your vending business, your main source of income.

There are entrepreneurs that start a vending business as an experiment, to see if they can be successful. It is a well known fact that a vending business is one of the most successful businesses around. All that you need are the right vending machines, locations and products. When you combine this three, there is really no reason why your vending business should not be successful. An entrepreneur who is starting a vending business just needs to prepare themselves with information about the vending business in order for them to be successful. When the entrepreneur gets to see the earning potential of a vending business, they will invest in more vending machines and acquire more locations. They can even decide to make vending their main source of income. To discover the earning potential of a vending business they need to run a successful vending business.

Benefits of a Vending Machine in your Business

2007-06-01T04:08:00.000-07:00

There are a large number of businesses and offices that have discovered the advantage of having a snack, beverage and food vending machine in their premises. Everywhere you go, you are bound to find a vending machine. They offer convenience to customers and that is why they are so popular.

If you have a business with a mid size number of employees, it would be very convenient for you to place a Planet Antares vending machine in your facility so that you can cater to the needs of your customers and employees.

The absence of a vending machine in your business would mean that your employees would have to go out of the premises for lunch each and every time. To increase productivity in your work place, place a Planet Antares vending machine in your business so that your employees can have their lunch within the premises and get back to work as soon as they are done. By doing this, you will definitely see an increase in the productivity level of your business. The employees will also be happier to have the convenience of vending machines in their work place.

Customers who come into your business will also have the advantage of using the Planet Antares vending machines for their snack and beverage needs. They don’t need to go out of the premises to have something.

When you ask a Planet Antares vending operator to place a vending machine in your facilities, you stand to make a good profit depending on the commission system you have worked out with the vending operator. Before you allow the vending operator to place the vending machine in the location, work out a commission system that will be beneficial to both you and the vendor. As the vending machines makes money, you will also gain financially.

By having a vending machine in your business, you need to make sure that the vending operator is providing you with a good selection of products that will leave your employees and customers satisfied. Usually vending operators allow the location owners to pick their own menu. Listen to the needs of your employees to know exactly which products they would like to have in the machines. Having the right products in the vending machine would mean higher sales, which in turn would mean more profits for you.

These are some of the advantages that you would enjoy by placing a vending machine in your business. You can decide to rent the vending machine from a vending operator or you can buy the vending machine. If you buy the vending machine, it would mean that you would have to hire someone to operate the vending machine.

Picking Products for your Vending Machines

2007-05-30T04:03:00.000-07:00

The products that you pick for your vending machines will depend on the vending machines that you choose to buy. If you are interested in starting a Planet Antares vending business, it means that you will have to buy snacks, beverages and food items for your vending machines. These products are always in demand by the public and that is why snack and beverage vending businesses are preferred by many.

Once you have your Planet Antares vending machines and you have secured locations for your vending machines, it will be time to look for a supplier that an provide you with the products that you would require. In order to select the right products, take a survey of the other snack and beverage vending businesses in your area. Observing what products people are buying from these vending machines will help you know which products are popular with the public. Asking other vending operators about which products are in demand would also be another way of acquiring information. There is really no point of having a vending machine with all the wrong products in them, because it will result in loss of revenue.

Engage a local supplier for your Planet Antares vending business, so that they can provide you with information on product trends in the area. They are the best people to get this kind of information from since they are the ones that deal with other vending operators in the area. A local supplier would be great because it would mean that you don’t have to travel a long distance just to make a purchase of the products.

Branded products would do well in a Planet Antares snack and beverage vending business. This is because they are products that are easily recognized nationally. When making a product mix for your vending business, make sure that branded products are included. They are always sure sellers.

The snacks and beverages that you pick for your vending machine have to be colorful with attractive packaging. This will make them eye catching, particularly in glass front vending machines. When products are in glass front vending machines they have to grab the attention of passer-bys or people that are waiting in that location. This is what will entice people to use your vending machines.

The supplier that you engage should provide you with products at reasonable prices. If the products are too pricey, you will have a hard time making a decent profit from the sales. The products should be popular with the public, but they should not be overpriced. As a vending operator, it is also important that you follow product trends, as they tend to change over time. By doing this, it means that you will always have winning products in your vending machines.

The Right Supply of Products for Your Vending Business

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The products that you sell in your vending business are very important for the success of your vending business. There are various vending machine suppliers in each and every area. All that you have to do is look for the right supplier who will provide you with all the products that you will want to have. When you get started in the vending business, try to sell products that you know the customers will want to buy. Snacks, candy and beverages are products that always do very well in the right locations. These are products that can be sold in Planet Antares vending machines.

A supplier in your local area, would be the ideal supplier for your vending business, because you wouldn’t have to drive a long distant just to buy your supplies. Search the Internet for information on the suppliers in your area. The supplier should have all the products that you would want to purchase. When a product is new in the market, the supplier should have the product available with them, especially if the product is popular with the public. This means that if you want to be on top of your Planet Antares vending business, you should be aware about the products that are popular in your area at any particular time. When you are armed with that piece of information, you can then ask your supplier for these products. Trends come and go; a product may be a hit for a short or long period of time. This is the reason why you need to be up to date with product trends.

A vending machine supplier will also provide you with information on the products that you want to sell in your vending machine. For your Planet Antares vending business, you need to look for a supplier of snacks and beverages. They will tell you which locations are ideal for these kinds of products. These suppliers deal with a huge number of operators, so they get to know a lot about which locations are working well for the vending operators in your area. They are the best people to give you advice on this. This will also ensure that you will have the right supply of products.

When it comes to snacks and beverages, a vending machine will need to carry brand products as well. These are products that sell themselves, so make sure that you have a large supply of these products. With these products in your Planet Antares vending machines, you can never go wrong.

Buy your products only from a reputable vending machine supplier who will not sell you products that are about to expire. The products should have a best before date that is well in advance of when you make the purchase. The right supplier will provide you with the right products, so only go for the best suppliers in your area.

An Introduction to the Vending Business

2007-05-17T06:51:00.000-07:00

The vending business offers a wide variety of opportunities to fit your needs. If you want to start a vending business, you can start your new vending business part time or full time. Planet Antares offers you a great opportunity to start a vending business. They will also take the time to show you how you can develop and build your business. There is really no need to quit your present job when you start your vending business.

When you are ready to go into the vending business, first thing that you should do is find out a little about the business by carrying out research. If you know any vending operators, you can talk to them. They are the people who are capable of giving you first hand information which can prove to be useful to you. When you are done with this, you can then look up vending companies from the internet. This is where you would find Planet Antares Inc. listed. A reputable vending company is important for the success of your vending business, so don’t waste your time with companies that promise more than they can deliver. Planet Antares has built a solid reputation over the years and they have helped a large number of entrepreneurs set up successful vending businesses.

A vending company provides you with all the useful information that you would require to get your business up and running. They will also provide you with vending machines. High quality vending machines like those by Planet Antares are reliable vending machines. This is important for the smooth running of your operation. Customers find it very frustrating to find a vending that is out of order or one that does not deliver the product, nor returns the money due to some malfunction. That is why you need vending machines that are trouble free.

The products that you place in your vending machines also play a very important role. Engage a supplier to provide you with the products that you need for your vending machine. The supplier has to be able to provide you with bulk products, so that you don’t have to keep going back for more supplies. Snacks, beverages and candy are the most popular products to be found in vending machines. People just love to buy these products. When you have a snack and beverage vending business, make sure that you have branded products in the vending machine. They are sure sellers.

The location that you pick for your vending machine is the most crucial factor to the success of your vending business. Try to find out about which locations in your area are working well for snack and beverage vending machines. This will give you a good idea of where to place your vending machine. If there are other vending machines in the location, convince the location owner that you will provide a better service. If your vending machine is accepted, you will just need to compete with the other vendors by providing a better service. Other vending machines in a location should not deter you. Locations with high traffic are ideal for snack and beverage vending machines.

All About Vending In Small Locations

2007-05-08T05:21:00.000-07:00

For a small location vending program to be successful it would require proper planning. A small location can be an account that has less than 50 employees. Planet Antares vending machines can work well in a location that has 50 or less employees. Your vending business can be profitable, so long as the employees make regular purchases from the vending machines. One thing that you need to keep in mind is that becoming successful in small location vending is not a quick or easy process.

If you want to apply or adapt your Planet Antares vending business to locations with small populations, there are ways that you can successfully do that. There are operators out there that are testing new options for small location vending which has always been an ongoing industry challenge.

Small location vending has never been particularly beneficial for a majority of vending operators. Technology can change this by creating new efficiencies, but at an additional cost. The efficiencies can make up for the added expense and thus reduce the costs in relation to sales. This can be very beneficial to a Planet Antares small location vending business.

The demographics of the America workplace are changing. Over 90% of American businesses now employ less than 50 people. Conventional vending systems are no longer economical or profitable in small locations. The Planet Antares vending program can help you establish your place in the small location vending business. There are experts available that can teach you how to make money in small location vending. This will help you to avoid making mistakes that many vending operators have made in the past.

Choosing a small location takes the same process as looking for other types of locations. You need to make sure that the vending machine that you are providing works well with the location. Any vending business can be profitable if you make it work. A small location can be profitable for your vending business so long as you use the right approach. Since a small location has a small population, you can easily meet the demands of the customers by providing them with the products that they want. This can be easily done since they will be the only people that will be using the vending machines on a regular basis. Providing vending services to a small location means that you can provide a more personalized vending service, since you will be able to provide them with exactly what they want.

A Complete Vending Service

2007-05-08T04:49:00.000-07:00

Having a vending service in your business is a great way of catering to your employee’s needs as well as your own. At the same time, you also stand to make some profit from the sales that will be made from the vending machine. This of course all depends on the understanding that you work out with ending operator. Satisfaction with your vending services is of primal importance. The vending services that you engage should not lack in any way. It should be a complete vending service.
When looking for a vending service provider, look up the information on the Internet. This is where you will find companies such as Planet Antares listed. They offer a complete vending service that will not leave any room for dissatisfaction. Planet Antares Inc. provides facilities with state-of-the-art vending machines, as well as servicing of the vending machines on a regular basis.

When vending machines are placed in your location, you don’t really have to service the vending machines on your own. The service provider is the one that will take care of that part of services. With Planet Antares, all that you have to do is provide the location for the vending machine. Once the vending machines have been placed, the service provider will provide the products for the vending machines. Most of the vending service providers usually allow location owners to pick their own menu, so that the machines can carry only the products that are needed by the people in the location. This is a great way of ensuring that the vending machines carry desired items. It will increase the sales of the products, which will be beneficial to both the vending operator and the location owner.

Providing the vending machines and products is not a complete vending service. Planet Antares for example, will make sure that the vending machines are serviced on a regular basis. In other words, the vending machines will never run empty. Snack and beverage vending machines will probably need to be services once or twice a week. Some even require daily servicing. It all just depends on the location and how well it works with the vending machines in terms of sales. The vending service provider should make sure that there is never one product missing in the vending machine. This will keep you and your employees happy.

The vending service provider should also clean the vending machines whenever they are attending to the machine. On top of this, they should also carry out preventative maintenance on the vending machines, so as to avoid future malfunctions. Incase of any malfunctions, the vending service provider should have a technician on call. Any repairs or replacement of parts should be carried out within 24 hours.

Having a complete vending service in your business would mean that your employees don’t have to go out for snacks, beverages or food items. This will make them more productive. An excellent vending service is something that every business needs.

The Easy Way to Start a Vending Business

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The vending business has a wide variety of opportunities that can fit your needs. Staring a vending business is not as hard as many people think that it is. Starting a vending business is the easy part, maintaining it is what will require your dedication. You can start a new Planet Antares vending business part time or full time. That means that if you have a regular job, you can still venture into the vending business.

To make the starting of your Planet Antares vending business much easier, you should first make sure that you have carried out some research on the vending business from various sources. Try looking for information on the Internet and also talk to the other vending operators about how they run their vending businesses. This is a great way to get first hand information. Planet Antares Inc. is a vending company that will offer you step by step guidance on what you can do to start your vending business. In other words, a good vending program will give you all the information that you need to educate yourself about the vending business, before you start your vending business.

A good vending company will provide you with the kind of vending machines that would do well in your area. This is the reason why it is important that you associate yourself with a good vending company. Planet Antares will provide you with snack and beverage vending machines, which generally do well in all kinds of locations. Studying the snack and beverage vending locations in your area will give you information on which products are popular.

Once you have invested in the vending machines, the next thing that you would need to do is look for the right location and supplier. The Internet is a tool that you can use to do that successfully. Looking for locations door to door, takes too much of time. You can use the Internet to cut down on your searching time. When you find a location or a supplier that will suit the needs of your vending business, you will be well on your way to establishing a vending route.

By observing other vending operators at work, you will know where to place your vending machines and which products to go for. This will make the setting up of your vending route much easier.

Once the vending machines are on locations, it will not be long before the vending machines start making money. As I mentioned before, starting a vending business is easy so long as you use the right vending program that will help you get the right vending machines, locations and supplier. Using the Internet is another tool that can act as a short cut.

Impulse buying from Vending Machines

2007-03-27T07:48:00.000-07:00

Most of the purchases that are made from vending machines are impulse buys. No one really ever thinks of going out to buy from a vending machine unless it is in a cafeteria or a lunch room. People buy products from vending machine usually because they have come across the vending machine when they are on the move or when they stopped in a location. Usually it is upon seeing the vending machine that a customer decides to buy from the vending machine.

Planet Antares vending machines sell snacks and beverages, which are usually bought by a majority of the public. Most people love having a snack in the middle of the day, so if a customer comes across a Planet Antares vending machine on a hot summer day he/she will be inclined to make a purchase of a cold beverage. Making unplanned purchases is what is regarded as impulse buying.

Impulse buying occurs more often in glass front vending machines, because here the customer can see the product. When customers see the products, they will feel an impulse to buy even though they had never thought of buying the products till that point of time. This is what makes a Planet Antares vending machine a very lucrative vending machine to own. With these vending machines, all that you have to do is to make sure that you place the right products in the vending machines. Since they are glass front vending machines, you will need to place the branded items and the products with the most eye catching packaging at the front of the vending machine. This is because these will be the first products that will be seen by the potential customers, even from a distance, so they have to grab the attention of the potential customer. To encourage impulse buys from your vending machines, look for a supplier that will supply you with the right kind of products.

The locations of your Planet Antares vending machines will also play a significant role in encouraging impulse buys from your vending machines. The location has to be one that has a high traffic and the vending machine has to be placed in a position that will be clearly visible to all that pass through or wait at the location. Impulse buying is only possible if a potential customer gets to see the vending machine. If the vending machine is not visible, the customer will not be inclined to buy from the vending machine.

Vending machine purchases are impulse buys. To make your vending business more profitable, use strategies that will encourage more impulse buys. Make sure that you have the eye catching products in the vending machines and that you have placed the vending machine in the right spot in the location.

Changing the Image of your Vending Business

2007-03-23T14:50:00.000-07:00

As a Planet Antares vending operator, you need to constantly optimize your products and pricing while at the same time acquiring new locations. This is something that would not be possible if you neglect to update your vending business image. To carry out an acquisition of a new location successfully, vending machine operators must possess some quality that sets them apart from their competitors.

One sure way of freshening up your Planet Antares vending business image is to hire professional marketing help. Revamping your snack and beverage vending business will take time and money, however, it will lead to you winning bids for new locations and getting more referrals.

The three main goals to set for your Planet Antares vending business are as follows:
• Improve and update your vending business logo, website and brand identity. This will make you more competitive.
• Make the capabilities of your vending machine company known.
• Increase snack and beverage vending machine locations and networking potential.

Creating new printed materials is an easy first step that you can take to improve the image of your vending business. Your vending machine brochures and portfolio should represent your Planet Antares vending business accurately. Printed materials are usually the first impression given to potential clieonts. All of the vending machine materials should include new graphics and updated vending machine content. You can also decide to create a new logo for your vending business. If you do this, you would also have to create a new slogan, new business cards and new letterheads for your vending company. This will give your vending business a more professional look and at the same time it may give your vending machines sales team added confidence and enthusiasm.

Creating a new website for your vending business is also another great idea. You can also decide to instead update your current website. Make use of search engine advertising to your advantage so that you can attract potential locations.

These changes may be easy to make, however, it is still advisable for you to hire a marketing professional who can offer a fresh and objective point of view. When you are too close to your own vending business, it may be difficult to get an unbiased view. When it comes to having a successful vending business the image of your vending business really matters.

The Impact of Vending

2007-02-28T07:45:00.000-08:00

Ever since vending was first introduced, it has had a significant impact on our society. A vending service can be considered as a convenience service, because it provides products to customers in a convenient manner.

Snack and beverages
Planet Antares vending machines sell snacks and beverages, which are the most popular products that can be found in vending machines today. Americans love snacking, so you can easily say that vending machines have contributed to this a great deal. Wherever you go these days, you are bound to find a snack and beverage vending machine. People would rather buy from vending machines than to go to a retail store where they have to wait for someone to attend to them. With a vending machine, all that you have to do is insert a coin and wait for the product to be delivered right into your hands. Within a matter of seconds you can have what you want.

Low Pricing
The price of products in vending machines are usually cheaper that the retail industry. The snacks and beverages that are sold in Planet Antares vending machines are cheaper than the ones that you will find anywhere else. This means that anybody can afford to buy from vending machines. To keep the prices of the products that you sell low, make sure that you find a supplier that will sell you the products at a good deal.

All kinds of products available
Today vending machines sell a variety of products in vending machines. You can find anything from snacks, beverages, food, cigarettes, newspapers, coffee, and walkmans to iPods. In Japan, there are wider ranges of products available than any other country. You can even buy a pair of jeans from a vending machine in Japan.

Vending machines in schools
Vending machines are very popular in schools, especially snacks and beverage vending machines, like the ones provided by Planet Antares. Schools provide the kind of locations that are ideal for snacks and beverages. Schools today are more focused in offering healthier foods to kids and since vending machines are very convenient for schools; these kinds of products are now available in vending machines that have been placed in schools.

Vending is a great business
People who have operated vending operations have made lots of money. The best thing about vending is that you can start it as a part time or a full time business and still make money. Planet Antares Inc. has provided vending opportunities to a huge number of people, who now have success stories to tell. With a vending business, you can make enough money to take care of all your financial needs.

Financial Independence is Possible with Vending

2007-02-28T07:40:00.000-08:00

The chances of Planet Antares vending business failing is fewer than that of other businesses. What almost everybody in this world wants is financial independence so that they don’t have to worry about money all the time. Vending is a very profitable business which can easily lead to success. .

With this business you can be your own boss, which means that you are free to choose your own hours. You can choose to make vending a full time or part time business. Being your own boss, will give total control of the running your own vending business on your own terms. Having to work under somebody can be very frustrating. The main motivation of getting into any business is “money”. Vending is a unique business that allows a person to invest 10 to 20 hours per month and get a return of 100% to 200% within the first year, on money invested. This is what has made a vending business attractive to many people. A Planet Antares vending business can give you a healthy return on your investment within a year or so. With a return on your investment, you can then think of expanding your vending business so that you can earn higher profits.

Income from your Planet Antares vending machine will start as soon as your machines have been placed in a good location. This is an all cash business where there are no bad checks or collection problems to worry about. Over the years the vending business has proven itself to be recession proof.

Money follows financial independence. Vending allows 95% of start up to go for machines and products. You can use your home as your office which allows possible tax write offs that other people never receive. It is well known fact that 50 well located vending machines are worth at least triple the cash value of the vending machines themselves. It is also possible for a business broker to sell a route for two or three times the route’s annual gross profit.

Statistics have shown that just about 70% of vendors start off on a part time basis while maintaining their regular full time job. 85% of them turn to full time vending after a couple of years. Having money or not having it controls what we do in our lives. Investing in a Planet Antares vending business will give you the kind of financial independence that many people are seeking everyday. It has been predicted that the best of vending is yet to come.

Vending is a billion dollar industry and still growing. With a vending business you will experience financial independence which will allow you to control your time, money and ultimately your future.

How Cashless Vending Works

2007-02-22T01:29:00.000-08:00

Cashless vending is selling a product that is in a vending machine to a customer without there being a cash transaction. This is a trend that is slowly picking up in the vending industry. This kind of technology can be placed in your Planet Antares vending machine and any other vending machine, if the vending operator wants to switch over to a cashless form of payment.

Benefits
There are great benefits that come with having a cashless payment option in your vending business.

• Increased sales: when you have this technology in your Planet Antares vending machine, your sales will definitely increase. This is because customers will now be able to buy from vending machines without having to carry cash around. Customers don’t see money as part of the sale, so they will not really think about what they are spending. The customers will even be inclined to buy more from the vending machine since they are not using cash.

If the system is in your Planet Antares vending machine, there will never be a ‘no change’ situation with the vending machine. Sales will always be accepted as long as there is stock in the vending machine. Having no change in a vending machine has lead to vending operators losing sales.

• Reduced theft and vandalism: the major source of theft in the vending business is shrinkage due to employee theft. If you have a sizeable Planet Antares vending business, it means that you will need employees to help you run the vending business. A route driver would be the one who will be servicing the vending machines, so you can never really keep a track of what they are doing. Employees can easily decide to dip into the till or they can even add their own stock of merchandize to take the place of yours.

With a cashless system employees will not have a reason to steal money from
your vending business.

Vandalism is also another major problem that vending operators face. Vending
machines that are usually left unsupervised are always the target of miscreants.
With a cashless system, nobody can even try to break into the vending
machine, since there is no money in it.

Understanding the Vending Industry

2007-02-16T04:38:00.000-08:00

The need to understand change in the vending industry may seem obvious. However, companies misinterpret clues and arrive at faulty conclusions all the time. Despite all the talk about the need for organizational agility, a surprising number of businesses stay stuck in neutral when they need to execute new strategies. If you stay in place, the competition will easily run over you.

The market place for vending is experiencing more change than others. Today’s economic conditions and fierce competition have resulted in an environment that is noticeably different from that experienced in the past decades. The vending industry has really advanced greatly since it was founded back in 1936.
It is important that your Planet Antares vending business is aligned with the changes taking place in the industry. For this to work, you will need a strategy. In order to survive, you will have to make money at your smaller accounts, achieve higher per capita sales, open new markets, introduce new products, utilize technology, sell new locations and most importantly, you must hold on to your existing Planet Antares vending business.

Cutting costs
When you want to improve the efficiency of your Planet Antares vending business, you can look at cutting down on your costs. But this is a one trick pony. When revenue drops again, another round of cost cutting would have to be implemented, and then another, until you wake up one morning and find out the organization has been crippled. In theory, there is no need to cut costs if good expense management is practiced on an ongoing basis. This is why financial management is very important to both small and large vending businesses.
For your Planet Antares vending business to operate successfully, you will need to have strong controls and preventive measures in place. Smaller businesses are more vulnerable because they typically lack the secondary controls and procedures.

Vending software
Software has given vending operators, the opportunity for more control over route warehouse inventory than ever before. This is an opportunity that can be easily lost when collection procedures are not followed and cash meters are recorded inconsistently.
All vending operations need a culture of excellence that incorporates cost controls. This is required because the market place is changing for the vending industry. The business has changed and that means that you should move with the current as well.

Common Questions about the Vending Business

2007-02-12T03:27:00.000-08:00

How much money can I make from a vending business?
The success of your vending business will depend on three factors: location, location and location. Having quality vending machines, like those provided by Planet Antares, in the right location will be a winning combo.

Do I have to pay a commission to the location owner?
It all just depends on the approach that you use. If you are only interested in expanding your Planet Antares vending route, it would then be proper to offer them a percentage of the sales. You can offer anything from 15% to 33%, depending on the location. Another approach can be made through charity. There are some charities that can supply you with stickers to place on your vending machines for a monthly fee of about $1 per machine. Some location owners can allow you space in their location, if you are associated with a charitable organization.

Which are the good locations for vending machines?
Generally locations that have high foot traffic would be ideal for all vending machines. Snack and beverage vending machines like those by Planet Antares would be ideal in places like shopping malls, subways, lunchrooms, bowling alleys and companies with more than 50 employees. This is just to name a few.

Do I need a business license or insurance?
Consult with your local licensing department to find out the specific rules and regulations in your state, because they differ from state to state.

How often would I need to service my vending machine?
Servicing vending machines includes collecting money from the vending machines and refilling them. Planet Antares vending machines sell snacks and beverages and when placed in an ideal location, you might be required to service the vending machines once or twice in a week. It all just depends on how fast the products sell. If you have an established route it can take you about 2 - 3 hours a week to service the vending machines.

Can I run a vending business from my home?
Most established vending businesses started running their businesses from home. This is because one usually starts with one or two vending machines, so it only makes sense that you should run your business from home when you have just started out.

How much do vending machines cost?
Snack and beverage vending machines usually cost anything from $2000 to $3000. Buy from manufacturers that are offering you quality vending machines at reasonable rates. Bulk vending machines would cost about $300 - $500.

'Better for You' Snack Selections in Vending

2007-02-06T22:08:00.000-08:00

Studies have shown that vending machines stocked with ‘better for you’ products draw a wider base of customers, when properly merchandised. The demand for healthy food and snack options has risen and fallen throughout the years, due to shifting of consumer focus towards healthy foods.

Offering a healthy option in your Planet Antares vending machine can turn out to be profitable for you if you choose the right products for the right location. There are some operators that have stocked healthier alternatives in their vending machines at the request of clients, only to generate less than robust turns. This does not mean that the same thing will happen to you, you can easily be like others who have found a niche for healthy options, which can result in substantial incremental sales for your Planet Antares vending business.

Many operators have agreed that the percentage of overall sales in the “better-for-you” alternatives is always rather small and that it’s their conventional high-fat, sugar rich products that consumers actually buy. This is why it is very important that you choose the right kind of location to vend healthy products.

‘Better for you’ products are a must in food and snack vending machines. The quantity of these healthier alternatives is what you will have to decide on. If you are a Planet Antares vending operator who believes that healthy lifestyles are here to stay, you can place healthier options in your vending machines, because this will not only benefit the consumer, but you as well.

Healthy options in your vending business can also be done in small scale. You don’t have to place only healthy options in your vending machines, because you can never be to sure about what kind of response you will receive from the customers. Try placing a “healthy” column in your Planet Antares vending machine that is dedicated to low fat alternatives such as pretzels, granola bars and cereal bars. These products are known to be strong sellers. Depending on the locations response, you can continue maintaining the column or you can even add more columns.

Despite the fact that healthier products are more costly than regular products, health conscious people are always willing to spend more to buy the products, because they know the reason why they are buying the products.

Resolving Currency Issues in Vending

2007-01-30T21:18:00.000-08:00

For a Planet Antares vending business to be successful, sales have to be made from the vending machines. In the past years, millions of Americans made purchases from vending machines virtually trouble free. All that they had to do was to insert some coins, press a button and then receive their product. It was all very simple at that time. This of course is all thanks to the United States Mint for making billions of coins a year at its state-of–the-art facilities. These coins allowed customers to comfortably make their purchases with coins. At that time the industry bragged of a trouble free vend rate of 99.9 %.

Today the dollar bill is the new quarter, which has resulted in a decrease in the vend rate. These days, purchases are made from Planet Antares vending machines as well as other vending machines, using the greenback. Vending machines have even started to accept $5 bills. Rejected banknotes can be a very frustrating experience. However, advances in bill validator technology over the recent years have improved the acceptance rate to about 98%.

Since the vending industry is a $40 billion dollar industry, the difference between 99.9% acceptance and 98% acceptance results in a $760 million a year in lost sales. Planet Antares vending machines come with bill changers, for the convenience of the customer. It is very discouraging for a customer to approach a vending machine with a valid currency in hand, only to get it rejected by the vending machine because maybe it is too old or torn. Eliminating the $1 will be the right thing to do.

A third dollar coin has been issued recently by the congress. This has helped to curb the problem of the one dollar bill. Coins don’t get torn or wrinkle. This makes them easier to use than the one dollar bill. The one dollar coin needs to be widely circulated, though this has proved to be quite a problem because the $1 bill still remains in circulation.

There is a growing number of vending operators that are opting for cashless payment options in their vending machines. This has helped them resolve currency issues. A cashless payment system in your Planet Antares vending machine will put an end to any currency problems, since there is no cash being used as a medium of payment. This form of payment is increasingly becoming popular because it has brought about efficiency to the vending industry, which of course leads to higher profits.

All about a Vending Machine Business

2007-01-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

In the U S most vending machines are operated either by store owners, or by individuals who rent or buy several machines. Some machines are maintained by governmental or quasi governmental entities. An independent vending machine business attracts people who have never been in business before. Planet Antares Inc. can give you the opportunity to start off a vending business.

To start with you will need to secure a quality vending machine like those provided by Planet Antares. Your machine must have great capacity so that when you go to service the machine you would end up collecting more than $100. If you collect less than that it either means you went too early or the machine doesn’t have a great capacity. A Planet Antares vending machine is well designed and stylish and to top it all off, it has a great capacity. This is an important factor because the machine has to draw attention to itself, especially if there is competition from other vending machines in the location. A vending machine should stand out.

As a Planet Antares vending operator, you will need to act as a salesman in persuading locations to accept the machine. Don’t get discouraged when you are told “no”. You will get turned down more times than you are told “yes”. Your concept has to be special to the location. Give them a reason to want your machine.

The area in the location where you will place your vending machine can make a difference in sales. Below are some of the places that would be ideal for your vending machine.
-Next to the entrance
-Near the exit
-Next to other vending machines
-Next to the cash register
-In the waiting room

There are many types of vending businesses that produce a healthy return on your money. A good example would be a snack and beverage business. You can easily pick $200 from a location with this business. The ability to change your price quickly and easily is fundamental for the success of your vending business. A vending machine business will get the best return on the money that you invested.

Making Easy Profits through Vending

2006-12-28T07:22:00.000-08:00

A normal day at the work usually consists of someone having a snack and maybe something to drink. Some locations are very far from eateries, that the only choice left is for the workers in that location to use vending machines. This can also apply to a location where the work is too hectic and you hardly have any time for a full meal. If you are interested in starting a vending business, you should know that it takes a little savvy to make customers happy. If the customers are happy and satisfied, you will have a successful vending business.

Making profits with vending machines is something very feasible. Companies that have a large number of employees usually require vending machines. If you start a Planet Antares vending business, you may decide to set it up so that it is designed solely for your profit alone or it may be a business where you would need to split the profits with the location that hosts the vending machines. Whichever the case, you just need to make sure that your vending business is the best in town. Planet Antares Inc. can help you achieve this. Below are some tips that can help you get started.

• Find good suppliers. Look for suppliers who can offer the best prices for your snacks and beverages. Make sure that you find the best bulk purchases, especially if you have more than one machine.
• Fair pricing. If you are selling sodas at 75 cents and the store next door is selling at 60 cents, this will affect your business. The pricing should be fair and at the same time you should be able to still make a profit.
• Service frequently. Nobody wants to visit a vending machine on a thirsty day, only to find that there are no beverages left. Another scenario is if the machine is unable to accept dollar bills due to some malfunction. The customers of your Planet Antares vending business need to be kept happy at all times.
• Stock variety. Offer a wide variety of snacks and beverages in your Planet Antares vending machines. Try out new products and remember to have some health choice products in your vending machine.
• Feedback. Ask the customers about the products that they would like to see vended. It will pay off to listen to their preferences. If you are catering to an office that has 10 diet soda drinkers and only two that drink the regular soda, don’t stock up your machine with more of the regular drinks.

If the routes of your Planet Antares vending business are properly handled, then that means that you will have a lucrative business. Remember that you are only as good as your customers’ say you are. Good customer service is the key to this business. Customers will keep coming back to your machines so long as you are giving them what they want.

2006-11-04T04:11:00.000-08:00

Vending Management Software

At whatever stage the development of your Antares vending operation is at, whether it is at the beginning, growing, stagnant or declining stage, vending management software will offer an important tool for improvement. The only scenario where this would not be true is when a company is planning to sell or liquidate.

Industry specific software systems have existed for many years, and they have progressively offered more benefits. For the Antares Corp. vending operators that plan to grow, they will find that management software will keep the company organized, thus allowing it to operate efficiently. This will help to achieve maximum business results.

The challenge that you would face in your Antares vending operation, would be in making the time to learn your own company’s information needs and the capabilities of the available software systems. Most vending companies do not have the resources to allocate an employee to study and implement the software. Once the information gathering process begins, it becomes easier as long as the management remains committed to it.

A major investment that pays tangible dividends

Software like any management tool requires a significant investment. This in itself has forced many vending operators to put off the decision to make the investment. In time, however, all sensible operators realize that there is more to lose than gain in procrastinating.

It is easy for a software novice to become confused. New software products are introduced every year, making it seem like the amount of preparation is insurmountable. There is also the logical concern about investing in a product that will become obsolete.

A review of the major software packages indicates that most of today’s packages provide significant benefits that will not become obsolete.

A key development in recent years has been the establishment of the uniform DEX (digital exchange) protocol; the electronic data standard that enables vending machines to report data to management software. Most vending specific software systems allow operators to use DEX.

Once an Antares vending operation’s information management systems are organized in a way that supports DEX, the company will be able to utilize future DEX-based benefits. This will of course improve its chances for increased profitability.

2006-11-02T03:50:00.000-08:00

Guidelines for Bidding on Government Contracts

There are some guidelines to follow that will help an Antares vending operator gain a competitive advantage when it comes to bidding on government contracts.

First step: opportunity analysis

The first step in the process is to identify the scenarios that best apply to your offering and only pursue those opportunities that fit best. Those opportunities should be ranked and a strategic plan will need to be developed – especially in the state and local government (SLG) marketplace.

Utilize market intelligence services

If you don’t have the time and resources to dedicate to this, there are strategic market intelligence companies that provide this type of information. They specialize in helping businesses develop relationships with government entities. You can use them for your Antares Corp. vending business.

Know the customers

It is important to study and understand that primary drivers initiating the procurement. You will need to know who the decision makers and influencers are. State and local procurements tend to be much more influenced by elected officials and staffers than federal agencies. Be sure to develop a political plan that does not violate any anti-lobbying laws.

Know the competitive landscape

You will need to determine which competitors are likely to bid on the same opportunities, and how they compare. Winning government requests for proposals would require you to develop a winning strategy. A good strategy will provide the customer with compelling reasons why your Antares vending operation should be selected over all other vendors.

Validate your message

This process would involve you “deciphering” the message of your Antares Corporation vending business. For example, if you say that you offer healthy products, what exactly does that mean? You must validate this message. You can accomplish this by stating the nutritional contents of the products you provide, along with an explanation of why those nutritional contents constitute “healthy” offerings. In doing this, you validate that what you are saying in writing is going to meet the customer’s objectives. Practice, preparation, research and execution are key components to winning.

2006-10-31T04:22:00.000-08:00

The Different Levels of DEX Data

Several years ago, the early adopters that tried to utilize DEX complained that most machines didn’t support DEX correctly. This is a situation that has been remedied. Here is a broad summary of the different levels of DEX in vending machines in the field today.

No DEX support. There are some machines that were designed before DEX was adopted. There are audit boxes available that can be installed in these machines and thus provide DEX support. These DEX kits which are compatible with about 90 percent of the older equipment, can be installed in as little as five minutes, and can cost anywhere from $120 to $200 per machine. If your Antares vending machine doesn’t support DEX then you can have the DEX kit installed.

Cash meter only DEX support. Some of the earliest equipment made to support DEX did not provide all the information needed for a full DEX cash audit. At that time there weren’t too many of these types of machines produced. They are still capable of giving you a cash meter reading via the DEX port. This is certainly better than the driver manually recording a cash meter.

Full DEX cash audit support. All Antares vending machines that are being produced today are capable of supporting a true DEX cash audit. These machines can tell you how much cash comes into the machines, how much change was given out and what coins went into the coin box versus into the change tubes.

Full item –level DEX support. All snack and soda Antares vending machines that are being produced today are capable of reporting item-level sales (and price) by column or button. This information married to a planogram (or product list) in your driver’s handheld can help the driver service the Antares vending machines more quickly. The vending company will also be able to easily collect line –item sales information and make use of this information in a variety of profitable ways

Soda and snack venders take priority. A snack or soda Antares machine that is retrofitted with a column-level DEX retrofit kit is capable of supporting both DEX cash audit and item-level DEX reporting.

2006-10-27T05:54:00.000-07:00

Intelligent Vending is a Reality

Antares operators as well as other operators have found that machine monitoring yields real operating efficiencies. In recent years, costs for intelligent vending have fallen while equipment and software manufacturers have improved the DEX standard; as a result more operators are now testing the waters.

If you use intelligent vending in your Antares vending operation, you will find that, you will be able to view the status of all your vending machines on a password protected website. Every night the machines would be able to send their activity reports to a Web server via a cellular phone connection. The system will also let you know about any mechanical problems with any of the machines. This system will alert you on what machines need servicing so that you don’t waste time going to locations that don’t need service.

Technology impact

Computer hardware and software engineers have reduced the cost of intelligent vending in the recent years. These systems are ushering in a new generation of operators with no prior vending experience. And because the technology can work, these operators then have an advantage, because they don’t need to relearn operating procedures, nor must they upgrade their equipment or computer systems. They can service more machines in less time, learn about mechanical malfunctions sooner and know the exact amount of cash in the vending machines. The previous day’s sales activity can let the Antares vending operator know what is and isn’t selling from the vending machines.

Established Antares vending operators who are not equipped with the latest generation of vending equipment and computer systems should study the new technology and implement it slowly. Those who are willing to introduce it will have a competitive advantage.

How successful an operator will be in introducing this technology, will largely depend on his level of commitment. Intelligent vending is a reality and all operators agree that a major time commitment is needed. Most also agree that the technology provides tangible benefits once it is up and running.

2006-10-25T01:55:00.000-07:00

The Challenge of Carrying Ethnic Items

The challenge of carrying ethnic items is not an easy one. When you have a mixed customer base, it is important that you don’t go overboard catering to only one group. While Mexican items are popular with Mexicans, the natives usually won’t but them. In general, Mexicans eat much spicier foods that whites.

Immigrants buy more on visual appeal

Glass front vending machines like those provided by Antares Corporation are very important when it comes to serving immigrants, because many immigrants buy based on visual appeal. Make sure that you have these Antares glass front vending machines in the locations with a lot of immigrants, because they buy by color.

Immigrants are more frugal spenders

Another reason it makes sense to cater to immigrant tastes is that in many cases, they won’t buy as much product top begin with. They tend to be more frugal. This means that they are not going to spend the same amount as the other groups.

Catering to the ethnic community is something that Antares vending operators need to do, because the importance of doing so has grown over the years. Vending operators cannot ignore the change. Operators have noted that Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic group in their customer base, followed by Asians.

Vending operators have also noted that immigrants are disproportionately represented in blue collar locations, which for many, are their largest accounts. This is the reason why it makes sense for operators to cater to these customers.

Suppliers are taking notice

Several ethnic product suppliers have begun to focus more marketing efforts on the vending customer.

Bilingual text proves helpful

You can target the Hispanic consumer with bright and colorful packages with bilingual text. Bilingual packaging is important in reaching the immigration population because it shows more authenticity.

If you want to make a decision on whether or not to have ethnic items in your Antares vending machines will all depend on the location that you are catering to. If your machines are in a location with a large ethnic community then it would make financial sense to vend these products.

2006-10-20T05:43:00.000-07:00

Security for Route Drivers

Planning alternative routes and delivery schedules in advance for your Antares vending business, is very important for the security of the route drivers. Management should also avoid having drivers at the same place at the same time. Drivers should make a mental note of roadside emergency phones and where the nearest police station (or patrol cars) and hospitals are located. This would be the best way for them to get help quickly, when they will be in need of it.

Illumination is critical at night

If the area is patrolled by security or police, the route driver should try to obtain their acknowledgement that he is on the premises. Before getting out of the vehicle, he should observe his surrounding. A route driver should always carry out his work in a well illuminated area.

Plan for contingencies

Contingency planning can be when you do not wait for a situation to occur in your Antares business, before taking a course of action. The panning should include the procedures to deal with both routine contingencies such as lost keys and emergency situations. Procedures should be disseminated in the form of written instructions and through periodic security awareness training. There are some vending companies that print instructions on what to do incase of a robbery on a decal. This can be posted on the vehicle dashboard as a constant reminder to the Antares route driver.

Never resist a gun

Giving the money over to a robber without any resistance, and thus avoiding further confrontation is the best course of action. When confronted by a robber with a gun, it is important that you corporate with the robber by turning over the money, keys, inventory and vehicles. Above all stay calm.

Reporting all incidents

Operators should report all crime incidents to the police. Oftentimes, operators ignore this critical step because it is time consuming. By the operators reporting all incidents to the police, it will mean that they will be doing their part to prevent future thefts.

For the smooth running of your Antares vending business, it is important that all operations of your vending business run smoothly. This of course would also include the safety of the route drivers when they are on their route.

2006-10-14T01:28:00.000-07:00

Promotions that Work in Vending

Facing a struggling economy, Antares vending operators are utilizing any resource they can find to try to motivate drivers and create excitement at the vending bank. A promotion that works does so for more than one party. It pleases the end customer or, depending on the situation, the route driver. It also puts new gloss on the Antares vending operator.

Successful promotions range from the most homespun projects generated by the local operator all the way to games and contests involving a whole continent of competing coupon-or box top- mailings to consumers or route drivers.

Promotions that don’t work don’t appeal to the end winner, or the vending operator, or don’t even work for the manufacturer.

Customers love specials

You can offer something special to the customer once in while, because this is something that they love. Depending on the size of your vending operation, you can easily decide what specials to offer the customer. It just has to be something significant that will appeal to the customer.

Employers like incentives

Promotions have really picked up over the past years. There are more promotions now than before. Business owners want to keep their employees happy, so they come up with every kind of program. Many Antares vending operators use planograms systems in coordination with manufacturer promotions, to regularly purge slow sellers.

How much do you empower drivers?

You need to be careful about driver promotions, because the driver should not be the arbiter of what goes into the machines. As far as route promotions for your Antares business are concerned, you should make it easier for them in addition to less paperwork. If you complicate things, the route drivers will loose motivation. In-house promotions work best for the route drivers. Route drivers are motivated by cash. You can try all sorts of promotions because anything that promotes high standards in route driver honesty and exactitude is worth the outlay.

The vending industry has worked hard at creating excitement for the customer, but it has also worked at making vending fun for route drivers as well.

2006-10-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

How Competition is affected by Acquisitions

The business entity that is closest to the acquired operator is his competitors. It can then be assumed that the competitor is the first to be affected and feels the most impact of the situation.

For most Antares operators, the first word that comes to mind when they hear that their competitor has been acquired is “opportunity.” Some will quickly target accounts of a competitor who was recently acquired. They don’t care who was in there or who bought the accounts. Their goal is to hit the account when there is instability.

Some Antares vending operators realize that bashing a well respected and established competitor harms every player. In this case it is best to give a new owner a chance to satisfy his new customers before going after the business.

Impact on associations

The shrinking number of vending operators throughout the nation is having a direct impact on vending trade associations as well. This has the potential to affect operator’s ability to protect their interest in the legislative and regulatory arenas.

Less personal but more professional

The bottom line of the impact of acquisitions on the industry is a less personal industry than in the past, but a more professional one. Computerized route management, line item accountability, electronic cash auditing and more versatile equipment have given the industry tolls that improving its public image.

Consolidation is a fact of business in any industry. For the most part, the industry should benefit as companies grow larger and stronger. Competition has to look for new and better ways to deliver products and enhance customer service. This will improve the industry image. Firstly you will need to improve your Antares vending business by implementing new technology and merchandising techniques.

There is a view that larger companies provide better service, but many small and medium Antares operators are quick to dispute that. This is because in so many cases, small and medium size companies provide better service.

Acquisitions are part of the vending industry, so one has to have a successful vending business to take acquire other vending businesses. Always keep in mind that competition is there waiting to take the opportunity.

2006-10-10T22:53:00.000-07:00

Wireless Transmission of Data

A well designed system will enable a merchandise manager to stock each Antares vending machine with those brands the location has demonstrated they want to buy. It will do so in real time, with the appropriate number of columns devoted to each brand (space to sales analysis); so that each brand can sell out evenly. Sales (and profits) are thus maximized in relation to route support costs. This will improve gross sales and reduce sold outs.

The system should track the level of unsold inventory in each machine, in real time. In this way the route person can be scheduled o service each Antares machine only when enough sales have been made so that it will be profitable.

The fact is that it costs almost the same amount to service a machine with $10 in the cash box as it does to service one with $200 in the cash box. This will reduce route support costs by 10 to 30 percent depending upon how efficiently your Antares vending company is managing these costs.

Machine function reports

Wireless systems can also tell us, in real time, when a machine door has been opened, and by whom. The systems can also provide information on how often the compressor cycles relative to the ambient temperature (this will let you know if the refrigeration unit needs to be vacuum cleaned), and how many dollars and coins have been deposited in the machine. In addition to this, it can also tell you if the coin mechanism refuses to accept quarters.

In other words, it will reduce downtime, vandalism and embezzlement for each Antares vending machine and at the same time provide input for an effective accountability system. In this way the vendor can respond to an emergency call before the location can get to know that the machine is out of order.

Wireless transmission of data can enable a machine to vend based upon a debit or credit card system

Two way communication

It is possible for each machine to become an interactive terminal because they will be able to send and receive data from each Antares vending machine. For example, it will be possible to provide point-of sale advertising, which will enable operators to charge suppliers for advertising. In short, the supplier will in effect subsidize the cost of the information system.

2006-10-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Building a Better Website for your Vending Business

Internet commerce is evolving rapidly. It is important for your Antares vending business website to be able to attract and retain online visitors. This means that your website must be easy to locate, aesthetically pleasing, logical to navigate, entertaining and informative. The fact that a number of vending operators have migrated to the Web, underscores the need for benchmarking “best practices”

Basic best practices

A website would be deemed more effective if it avoids clutter, restricts extraneous and irrelevant content, and minimizes download time. As some vending companies strive to solidify one to one customer relationships through invigorated marketing programs, websites are beginning to play a central role. You need to create the most efficient site for your Antares vending business. Here are some commonly accepted website operating principles.

Eliminate time sensitive material

Remove dates from all Web pages, unless dates are to be routinely changed as content changes. There is probably little else that informs a visitor of website neglect than a “Last updated” tag that is beyond 2 to 4 weeks old.

No room for clutter

Do not think of the website for your Antares business as a hypertext table of contents. This is what makes surfers most frustrated. Websites are usually poorly organized, cluttered and illogical in content presentation due to a concentration on hyper linking.

Visit counters serve no purpose

Remove all counters at the website. Low frequency indicates a potential problem to those visiting the site. Being the 106^th visitor and returning several weeks later to find that you are the 108^th visitor. This shows that there is no interest in the website.

Easy to remember URL address

You need to have an easy to remember URL for your Antares vending business. There are a number of websites employing unappealing color schemes, small or hard to decipher fonts and long download times. This is all very disappointing.

The Antares vending company website would probably be designed, developed, financed and maintained by the operator or a contracted agent.

2006-10-04T05:37:00.000-07:00

Truck Buying for Vendors

As your Antares vending operation grows, you will ultimately face the need to upgrade your delivery vehicle. With gasoline prices rising, fuel economy has become a bigger issue. This concern does not appear to have impacted the type of vehicles most operators plan to buy, according to a survey that was conducted. Most operators expect to buy medium duty, commercial vehicles built by the leading U.S truck manufacturers.

Ease of loading

This has emerged as a more important issue in recent past years as 20-ounce bottles have grabbed a bigger share of the cold drink business, when vending operators were asked about the type of commercial vehicle they prefer, most operators said walk-in vans or utility vans. You need to find the right truck for your Antares vending business. Since you will be transporting both beverages and snacks, you need to find the appropriate truck. To avoid a lot of complications when loading and unloading the truck, you can opt for a dedicated truck for transporting only the beverages and a truck for the transportation of the snacks.

Refrigerated trucks are typically used for transporting perishable products, which comprise a small but important percentage of vendible items. Antares operators do not need refrigeration units to transport perishable products, they can use portable coolers. The only group of operators that reported using refrigerated trucks was the extra large operators. These are the operators that earn $10 million or more in annual sales. Most vending operations would use coolers as opposed to a small group who would use refrigerated trucks for the transportation of their vending products. There is a group of operators that use both coolers and refrigerated trucks for their vending operations.

Buying preferred over leasing

A buying intention survey that was conducted some time ago reported that operators preferred buying to leasing. Gasoline was overwhelmingly favored over diesel engines. Some operators preferred to use both diesel and gasoline engines. If you want to buy a truck for your Antares vending operation, it will all depend on how much capital you have. If you are on a tight budget, then it might just e advisable for you to lease a truck instead of buying one.

2006-09-29T23:37:00.000-07:00

Brand Analysis Benefits for the Route Driver

There are a number of benefits that will come with brand analysis for the Antares operator. The operator will receive a number of benefits that he doesn’t presently receive.

Significant time saved

The driver saves time in the following ways: 1) the driver only makes one trip to the location. 2) The driver doesn’t have to pick orders from the truck if they are pre packed at the warehouse. 3) The driver doesn’t have to manually count any product at the machine level. 4) The driver doesn’t have to write anything on a route ticket.

The result of all this is lower route labor and vehicle cost percentages, since the driver will be scheduled to service more Antares vending machines.

Improved office functions

Office functions benefit as follows: 1) Route data entry functions in the office are eliminated since the data is automatically uploaded from the handheld. 2) Cash is automatically posted from the cash room by bar code. The net result here is lower office costs.

Fewer data input errors

Antares operators stand to improve their office functions in other ways as well. Such as: 1) data entry errors due to driver counting or writing errors are eliminated. 2) Accountability reports and sales analysis reports can be made available as soon as the cash is counted. 3) For the first time ever, management can directly impact the level of sales at each Antares machine by using cost effective, brand analysis reports.

The advantages here should be obvious. Most professional operators will agree that the biggest problems with existing accountability reports are the errors caused by counting or writing errors. With this system, human intervention is eliminated. It is important that these reports are available, at worst, by the next business day so that they can be acted upon in a timely manner.

Audit boxes obsolete

This new technology, such as wireless transmission will ultimately make audit boxes obsolete. There are a number of operators who will hold back on making a capital investment if they feel that the solution to the problem will be short term.

Any solution to the problem of transmitting the data, cost effectively will all depend upon some basis for capturing the data. Brand analysis will improve sales for your Antares business; this will be the largest benefit.

2006-09-27T05:26:00.000-07:00

Wireless Communication in Vending

If you want to build your Antares vending business for future success then you would need to implement a unique data capture and delivery system that uses wireless transmission. This can be developed together with route driver carried handhelds, to deliver the data on a timely basis. This system utilizes both methods based on the needs of the accounts served. This system can come with a number of benefits for the Antares operator:

1) Improved sales based upon brand preference analysis by location, fewer sold-outs due to intelligent double –columning of best sellers, and reduced machine downtime based upon faster response to out of order calls.

2) Lower route service costs based upon scheduling machines for service only when they have sold a predetermined percentage inventory.

3) Instant cash accountability at the Antares vending machine level.

In addition, hard data regarding brand preferences at individual machine level could be profitably sold to product manufacturers. There are some operators who have tested the systems, and they had all generally agreed that a 10 percent increase in sales per machine was attainable, due mainly to the benefit of brand preference analysis. The concept is that, you will sell more products if you stock the Antares vending machine with the appropriate quantities of brands that the location has demonstrated it wants to buy.

There was less of a consensus among these operators regarding the potential savings from improved route productivity. Many professional operators have already achieved higher route averages by paying close attention to historical sales, using existing technology, and scheduling their routes accordingly. This can work well in business and industry locations with stable, predictable work forces.

The ability to provide product sales information, in real time, did not significantly improve scheduling, since these locations tend to sell at the same level, week after week.

The ability to provide Antares vending sales information in real time, in transient locations would be very beneficial. All this can happen in spite of fluctuating levels of sales. The transient locations include colleges, hospitals, hotels, airports etc. They are difficult to schedule efficiently because the location population changes day to day.

2006-09-25T05:33:00.000-07:00

A Professional Vending Proposal

The vending business is very competitive. Good prospects for the services that vending offers are tough to find. When a salesman is finally able to schedule an appointment with a legitimate prospect, he typically shows up and sells his heart out. He has to describe the advantages that his company will offer over the competition. However, even when the salesman performance is faultless, all too often the prospect will ask for a proposal. This should not deter the salesman. Putting together a proposal for your Antares vending business is a positive and necessary step in the sales process. A professional salesman should understand the reasons why the prospect wants a written proposal and he should also welcome the benefits that will accrue to the Antares operation from a well drawn proposal. Here are some of those reasons.

An opportunity, not a setback

1) Both parties will benefit from a written document that clearly defines the rights and responsibilities of the parties to the transaction. Significant capital investments must be made, and the parties contemplate entering a long-term relationship that involves a number of other financial considerations, such as pricing, commissions and hours of service.

2) The presentation of a well drawn proposal enhances the sales process by ‘stroking’ the prospect. It essentially says that the salesman and the Antares operations business have so much to offer in terms of services over the competition.

3) A well drawn proposal also demonstrates a professional approach to solving the prospect’s problems. In fact, many professionals view their first meeting with a prospect as an intelligence gathering mission. They refuse to make an offer to the prospect until they have had an opportunity to carefully analyze the prospect’s needs.

4) A written proposal is a wonderful sales opportunity. It gives the Antares operator the ability to present, in logical order, every persuasive argument that he can dream up to book the account. Professionals understand that it is difficult to control the sales process in a verbal presentation.

The prospect keeps interrupting you with questions, and he may have a limited amount of time for a face to face verbal presentation. A written proposal, on the other hand is usually read by the prospect, in its entirety.

2006-09-20T05:31:00.000-07:00

Vendors Purchasing Intentions

The economy remains challenging, but Antares vending operators aren’t taking a defeatist attitude. They are giving themselves the benefit of any doubts, and have aggressive purchasing intentions. Vending operators have been expressing more aggressive equipment purchasing plans over the past years. Of late, there has been an improved business climate, so Antares vending operators want to take advantage of this by offering state of the art equipment.

Newer equipment helps sales

Antares veteran operators have learned from experience that newer and better equipment traditionally results in higher sales. When it comes to purchase intentions, operators typically set goals but wait until their sales figures justify following through on purchase intentions.

Sales must justify investment

Previous surveys have indicated that operators do not always follow through on their stated purchase intentions. This goes to show that business conditions did not improve enough for operators to follow through on their purchasing intentions. The most obvious example in which 2004’s purchase intentions were not followed was in the case of handheld computers. At that time 25 percent of the operators planned to purchase new handheld computers. A report later revealed only marginal change in the percentage of operators using handheld computers in 2004.

Plans more aggressive in all segments

Purchase intentions were more aggressive in almost every equipment category in 2005. Intentions are most optimistic in the candy/snack machine segment, the machine that vending operators traditionally spend most on. Purchase intentions were higher for both new and used candy/snack Antares machines in 2005.

Intentions were also noticeably more aggressive in the cold drink business in 2005. Many Antares operators noted exceptionally strong cold drink sales in that year. Combination machines were the one segment in which operators planned to buy more used than new equipment.

Whether or not vending operators follow through on their purchasing intentions all depends on how much the business climate improves. Most economic forecasts indicate a stronger economy this year than in the previous years.

2006-09-16T03:56:00.000-07:00

Opinion Research can be a Competitive Advantage

All vending operators at some point of time would want to know what their customers like best about the services that they are providing. As an Antares operator you will need to know specifically what you can do to keep your customers happy. By doing this your customers should be able to recommend you over one of your competitors.

Information is power, but it is good information that leads to good decisions. You will need to know a few details from your customers, such as how likely are they to stay with you in the future or what they think about a new service idea or a product that you are considering for your Antares operations. Some of this information may be readily available, but some of it lies hidden in the form of people’s opinion. Opinion research is often the only way to uncover this kind of information.

Competitive advantage

Research can help you identify opportunities for a competitive advantage and also helps you to avoid potential pitfalls. Engaging customers through research lets you test the impact of decisions before you actually make them. Before you spend a lot of money to introduce a new product, service or develop a new strategy for your Antares operations, you can see what the reaction from your key customers will be first.

Research is the critical tool that lets you listen to the most important people in your business- your customers. The success of your Antares business will depend on how well you listen and respond and how you will react in the marketplace. They might include the general public, current or former customers, potential customers, employees and other businesses. These groups are vital to your success, researching their opinions should be very important to you.

Principles of good survey questions

Questions should ask about first hand experiences or perceptions.
Questions should focus on one subject at a time.
Questions should use words that ensure all respondents will answer the same questions.

2006-09-14T05:50:00.000-07:00

New Currency Payment Systems

Antares operators have given mixed reviews on how much the dollar coins are circulating back into the machines. The one thing that they have all agreed on is that consumers are spending more dollar coins than they initially did. Some have even stated that it usually takes a few months to start seeing the dollar coins come back when you have introduced a 5 dollar bill acceptance to a location.

Counterfeit coin detection improves

The Antares vending machines have a mechanism that can detect counterfeit coins. There have been cases where quarters have been pressed together to expand in size so that they can be used as dollar coins. The Antares vending machines can detect such problems.

Validators versus Changers

The cost of adding a bill acceptor to a vending machine will not be much different then simply placing a small bill changer. Antares vending machine comes with a bill changer that is usually mounted on the side of the vending machine.

Many operators still find bill changers more economical for larger locations. It is more economical to have one changer than to have a bill acceptor on every vending machine.

Antares operators will need to invest in bill Validators if they want them installed, but they will still need to make upgrades every time a new currency design is introduced.

Enhanced Par Level Management

The 5 tube MEI Cashflow Series 7000 automatically manages coin levels in the changer to optimize payout and advises the driver of par values and optimum change configurations.

Another feature in this system is “change override.” If a customer puts in a dollar for a 7 cent product and the Antares machine is low on nickels and high on dimes, it will pay out three dimes rather than a quarter and a nickel. The Antares operator has the potion of disabling this feature, if he chooses not to use it anymore.

Operators have more validator and changer options available today, with more on the way, so they need to keep abreast of new capabilities of currency payment systems to maximize sales.

2006-09-11T21:42:00.000-07:00

Vehicle Inspections for Route Trucks

It has been estimated that the vending industry has 100,000 route delivery vehicles and drives over 120 million miles a year. So even though your main work is servicing food and beverage Antares vending machines, you are also a truck driver subject to specific state and federal regulations.

In order to ensure trucking regulations are the same state to state, the Federal Motor Carrier Act is used by every state to regulate trucks and drivers.

First of all, you will need to establish a driver qualification file for each driver you employ. The file should contain a job description; application for employment; a copy of the driver’s license; a copy of the current motor vehicle report on the driver’s driving and a copy of the medical examiner’s certificate for a physical qualifying the driver to drive a commercial motor vehicle.

Safety reporting procedures

For your Antares operations, it will be the responsibility of the driver to prepare a safety report in writing at the completion of each say’s work. This report must identify the vehicle and list any defect or deficiency discovered that can lead to the trucks mechanical break down. If no defect is discovered, the report must also indicate this. Upon completion of the report, the driver must sign the report and turn it in.

Deficiencies must be repaired

If there is any deficiency listed on the report that can affect the safe operation of the vehicle, it will; need to be repaired before the vehicle is taken out the next day. The smooth operation of the truck is vital for the running of the Antares vending business. These vehicle inspection reports have to be maintained for three months from the date the report was written.

Maintaining records regarding your vehicle inspections is very important, because if you fail to do so you can end up being fined and your trucks can also be taken off the street.

Prevention is the best medicine

The best advice is for the driver to practice defensive driving and he should also fill out the daily safety reports. On top off all, this keep in mind that an ounce of prevention is certainly better than the long arm of your state.

2006-09-07T05:11:00.000-07:00

Promotions Work Great in Vending

Branded products are now dominant, so Antares vendors must cash in on supplier advertising. We live in a world of sales promotions. From a free toy in the bottom of a Cracker Jack box to beanie baby giveaways at ballparks. Promotions are used extensively and effectively to increase customer awareness, boost sales and edge out the competition.

The retail restaurant chain, a competitor of the Antares vending operator, has been using sales promotions effectively for years. The vending industry has already incorporated these ideas into its business landscape in some unusual, inventive and surprising ways.

Product bundling works

This sales promotion technique has recently been used by some Antares vending operations. The idea for this promotion is simple and effective. Similar to a “value meal,” the vending operator can place a sandwich and a bag of chips together in one shelf and sell them at a value based price. Antares vending operators have found various levels of usefulness and success using this promotion.

Vendors must plan like other retailers

For many operators, product bundling is not currently being utilized, but it will become part of their marketing plan in the near future. Vendors must have a plan.

Bundling to reduce shortages

Some vendors who have utilized product bundling have found success, but not as they expected. This type of program can be an effective tool to reduce shortages. You can find success in your Antares business by using bundling to sell items that are nearing their expiration date.

Product handling can be an effective tool when put in place in an organized and planned manner. The long term success will depend on the commitment of the Antares and their route drivers to use this type of promotion and pricing strategy.

The vending industry, being customer satisfaction oriented, would seem to be fertile ground for fun, unique and successful promotional programs. Antares vending operators are using effective promotional ideas. Some spend a fair amount of money on their promotions while others make do with inexpensive items such as t-shirts and hats.

2006-09-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

The Future of Automatic Merchandising

Per capita purchasing from Antares vending machines will grow faster than overall consumer spending. The machines are becoming more reliable, and the product selection is better. This is important, because consumers appreciate the efficiency that comes with a successful transaction. People are tired of dealing with poorly trained service personnel and would prefer to do business with a machine

Technology, and the speed with which it is employed in our channel of trade, will define the winners. Route efficiency for your Antares business will increase, and product merchandising will become more scientific. In addition to this inventory will improve, and with all this, profitability will be enhanced. All this means that marginal operators will no longer be able to compete, and thus with reduced competition will come grater profitability for your Antares vending business. This scenario favors the larger operators.

All vending operators understand that big brands sell better. The reason for this is because a brand product has already been promoted, so it is quite popular with the public. For you to have a successful Antares vending business, always make sure that a large percentage of your products are branded. This will boost your sales.

The vending business is getting more scientific, and Antares operators are beginning to understand that there is a cost associated with managing too many stock keeping units (SKUs). Manufacturers are going to have to accept their responsibility in managing the number of products they offer the trade at any one time. If they do not do this then that means that the vending operator will do it for them. This is what category management is all about.

In the not too distant future, automatic merchandising will be a fully mature retail channel of trade. The vending industry should capture information about the consumer and report this information to the manufacturer. This will enable the manufacturer to understand their consumers’ buying behavior. By doing this, you will be doing what the supermarkets have been doing for some time. When this happens, Antares vending operators will be sitting on an exiting new revenue source.

2006-09-01T05:48:00.000-07:00

Currency Handling Technologies in Vending Machines

New currency payment systems have more features to eliminate ‘exact change only’ situations. Some can even recycle bills which allows for multi vending. As currency handling technology evolves, vending operators are finding new tools to offer customers more convenient payment options.

Antares vending operators have found that giving consumers the ability to use whatever change they have on them, increases sales. These can be dimes or a twenty dollar bill.

Technology is enhancing the versatility, reliability and durability of bill acceptors and changers in Antares vending machines. There are some benefits that come with this technology, such as, reduction of consumer price resistance and at the same time wider variety of price points in the machine. This is very important for Antares vending machines because they carry product variety.

Dollar coin payout expands

Most bill acceptors accept denominations over one dollar and most pay out coins as change. A five dollar bill acceptance is a customer convenience that will help sales in your Antares business. Consumers are now getting used to putting five dollar bills in vending machines.

Fewer bill changers needed

Many Antares operators feel that higher bill denomination makes cash counting easier, since there are fewer bills to count and stack. This is all thanks to the increased capacity of the new coin changers.

Five dollar bills increase bill sorting

Five dollar bill acceptance does create the need to sort 1s and 5s. This can be easily overcome with a dual pocket coin sorter. While consumers have gotten into the habit of carrying dollar coins in their pockets, Antares operators nonetheless find it worth their while to offer dollar coin payouts to support higher denomination bill acceptance. This has created a need to continually replenish coin changers with dollar coins. Antares operators have also noted that they are carrying fewer coins to the bank than they used to.

All in all operators have given mixed reviews on how much the dollar coins are circulating back into the machines. Most also agree that consumers are spending more than they initially did.

2006-08-31T05:58:00.000-07:00

Customized Machine Fronts and Area Treatments

An improvement in printing technology has offered new options for vending operators who are looking to dress up their machine fronts. These options expand for enhancing the entire vending area as well.

Take a look at the break area where your Antares vending machine is placed. Does it look presentable? If it doesn’t, then it will all be up to you to make it colorful, inviting and sometimes even entertaining. People working in that office have to visit the break room everyday, so you need to find a way to hook these customers to your Antares vending machine.

Your Antares vending machines can also have character in addition to their attractive looks.

Design process

Specialists are taking advantage of new graphic design processes to enhance the aesthetic appeal of employee break areas. Vending machines in particular are beginning to come alive. You as an Antares vending operator can decide to use their services for your business.

In 1998 Automatic Merchandiser noted that Canteen Vending Service’s Market Central marked a new beginning for vending. The series of machine design concepts were nothing but revolutionary. The colorful designs were made of polycarbonate that fit over the top of the machines. Panel headers, including signs cut into decorative shapes, gave added visual effect.

Today, the design movement is gaining momentum as more and more operators recognize the need to dress up their machines, along with the machine environments.

Antares vending operators must keep in mind that by using customized door fronts, signage, customized floor mats and other customer unique offerings, that they can change the view of their service from a commoditized service to a premium service.

Today more operators are aware of the importance of aesthetics. Competition is now pushing the envelope, and the new graphic design technologies are bringing more products to the market.

2006-08-30T04:25:00.000-07:00

Costly Power Disruptions for Vendors

Digital technology has become prevalent in vending machines and in other equipment, thus rendering vendors at risk to costly power disruptions.

Lightning, power outages, and energy surges can disrupt sales in your Antares vending machine and at the same time cause damage to your equipment and revenue. Protecting your Antares vending machines and equipment with power protection is more critical then ever.

Today’s vending industry is not what it used to be. With the introduction of digital technology to the vending industry, machines, office equipment and other sensitive digital equipment increasingly rely on quality power to operate.

Lightning, power outages, and energy surges are not the only things that you should be worried about for your Antares business. By simply plugging the machine into an outlet, the machine can be damaged by other disturbances.

Power protection products to the rescue

You will need to protect your Antares vending machines with a power protector. This will prevent harmful electrical noise and interference from disrupting your machines’ operation. You should prevent any type of damage from occurring on the machine. This will extend the life of your Antares vending machine, as well as increase reliability, and most importantly, protect your investment.

There are different options of power protection available in the market; it will just depend on what you will require to protect your Antares vending machine and equipment.

The competitive advantage

There are some manufactures who offer extended warranties that provide coverage for all repair costs for equipment, up to the full replacement value of the equipment if a properly connected filter fails.

As you compare power protection companies, you should also look for additional advantages and programs for your Antares business.

Power protection is vital for any vending business. This protection should cover machines, computer based systems and digital equipment. They all require power protection to ensure optimum productivity and profitability.

2006-08-28T05:13:00.000-07:00

The Most Common Mistakes Made by Operators

The most common mistakes that operators make are usually at the beginning of their vending career. These mistakes can be avoided. Below are some common mistakes that are made by operators.

1) Buying into blue sky scams

Blue sky swindlers will promise you that your vending business will allow you to make money while you sleep. The potential operators would simply accept these promises without carrying out any research. Antares Corporation would provide you all the necessary information regarding vending. In this way you will avoid the scams you that are quite common in the vending industry.

2) Lack of accounting knowledge

Lack of accounting knowledge is one of the biggest causes of small business failure. You can’t get from point A to point B without a basic understanding of the accounting process. You will be required to evaluate and implement decisions that will impact profits in your vending business.

3) Under Capitalization

You will need to accumulate enough capital for your Antares business, up front, to support a conservative growth rate. The operator can start the business as a part time business, until the route gets established.

4) Trading away their advantage

Vending is an attractive business because the operator can operate the business with low overhead costs. As a result of this operators tend to think that they afford to offer lower selling prices and higher commissions. The operator can afford to do all these things only if the business has grown to the point where it requires more help. When the operator hires the first employee, the business has to be profitable enough to support the owner/operator and the employee. Don’t trade away your advantage in your Antares business by lowering your prices as soon as you start the business.

5) Using low capacity equipment

Many operators purchase small vending machines to save money. These machines usually have low capacity. These machines have low capacity, which means that they will need frequent refilling. It is always advisable to go for large capacity vending machine like those provided by Antares corporation.

6) Ignoring reinvestment requirements

Operators usually invest thousands of dollars to buy new equipment for a new location. When they do this they tend to take their existing locations for granted. They fail to realize that they have to periodically upgrade their better locations to keep them current. As an Antares operator you need to take care of this, so that you do not suffer the loss of a major location.

2006-08-25T05:43:00.000-07:00

How Fixed Costs Can Double Up Quickly

If your Antares vending business is growing, and you end up adding more routes over time, it makes sense to start treating expenses such as route labor, vehicle costs and depreciation costs as variable expenses. They are only fixed expenses in the short term. If you have a route person working and servicing a substandard account, then you will have to hire a new route person much sooner when a good account comes along. This would also apply to vending equipment.

As an experienced Antares vending operator you should understand that if you keep equipment employed in non profitable accounts, the equipment will not be available when a profitable account comes along. This means that you will have to needlessly invest in new equipment. These expenses should be eliminated in determining if a particular account should be resigned, because they are step-variable expenses, with frequent steps.

The average Antares operator can forget to deduct the direct labor cost of order picking in the warehouse, cash processing and the labor used for data processing attributable to the location, as the expenses that will disappear. You could argue that these are fixed costs for your Antares vending business. However if any of these functions employ more than one person, you should be able to reduce the hours of a second employee.

After adding up all the direct costs that would disappear, you should then give up the location if the revenues fail to cover the direct costs. This problem would become a little more difficult to solve if the revenues cover the direct costs but do not fully cover the fixed or so called overhead costs that have been allocated to this location.

In truth, the fixed costs are really fixed, when you give up such a location. On top of this, whatever contribution the location makes toward covering the fixed costs will disappear from your Antares business bottom line.

It is very important that you understand that the dynamics of allocating fixed or overhead costs to individual location statements. Fixed or overhead costs are a moving target in most businesses.

2006-08-24T05:26:00.000-07:00

Transportation of Inventory in Trucks

Customizing the interior of a route vehicle to maximize the efficiency of inventory handling is an important element to running an efficient Antares vending business operation successfully. To do this, operators often debate doing the work themselves or utilizing the services of vehicle design specialists. The first thing that you need to consider when customizing the vehicle is how much inventory you would need to carry.

First consideration: Soft drinks

The layout of the interior hinges on volume of beverages an Antares operator will move on a route. Soft drinks take up a lot of room and need to be located for a good weight distribution. Operators are usually encouraged to carry only what they need on a vehicle. It minimizes weight and extends the life of the truck. It has been said that on the majority of routes, over 200 cases are wasteful. This is not only because of the weight factor. Today the soft drink can walls are incredibly thin, which can lead to nasty leaks. This is the reason that proper inventory turnover is essential.

Your vehicle must be designed in such a way that proper weight distribution is achieved. If there is too much weight on the front end of the vehicle, it will wear out prematurely. If there is too little weight, the vehicle will bounce, making the tires wear out early. You can also decide to have the vehicle designed for you, to maximize inventory handling for your Antares business.

Step two: Snack shelves

The snack shelves are considered only after the number of beverage racks is determined. The amount of shelving required will depend on the quantity of product.

Chips, for instance are light, so they can be stacked on the higher shelves. In this way they won’t affect the center of gravity.

Antares vending operators also need to consider if they plan to transport perishable products (which will necessitate coolers) and other items such as carbon dioxide canisters. A candy cooler can be considered for chocolate, so that the Antares vending operators won’t get a blooming effect. Blooming is the result of temperature of temperature changes (i.e. cold chocolate put in a hot environment). A place for a hand truck should also be added, so it isn’t rolling around the back.

2006-08-22T05:39:00.000-07:00

Less Service Can Mean Better Service

Many operators service a snack or soda machine when it is only 30 % depleted, and when it has sold out one or more products. Here is a strategy for servicing an Antares vending machine less often while still providing better service.

· Double up on the best selling two or three products that are selling out. On a “space to sales” soda machine, reallocate the space to the best seller (s) to accomplish this.

· Monitor the sell outs for the next few services – they should be eliminated.

· Work to reschedule the Antares vending machine aiming for a 40 to 50 percent depletion level. Typically, this will involve scheduling it for service at a 30 to 60 percent longer interval.

If collecting these metrics is difficult, or if a manual system is being used, then let the drivers collect the data, and then let him/her write the following on each service ticket.

· How many products have sold out?

· Approximately how empty is the Antares vending machine?

· The products that are selling best and how many columns of each they have allocated.

Just asking for this information will get your drivers focused on it.

The latest software and technology solutions can automate much of the manual route scheduling process, using the following systems:

· Dynamic scheduling – this automates the delivery schedule each day based on user defined parameters, such as the number of sell outs, percent depletion, or the number of days since the last service. If an Antares vending machine doesn’t require servicing, there is no need to waste gas and the driver’s time on a trip. Dynamic scheduling works with non DEX as well as DEX able machines.

· Remote monitoring – this requires DEX, as well as a wireless or hard-wired network to remotely enable the machines. This technology allows the operation to optimize scheduling and merchandising by providing real time sales data. It is most suitable for distant locations that are costly to service.

By using these techniques you can not only have reduced visits, but you can also cut entire routes in your Antares vending business. This means that you can add customers without adding staff, or you can also reduce staff.

2006-08-21T22:01:00.000-07:00

DEX: The Bottom Line

Companies that are using DEX in most or all of the machines have two distinct advantages when it comes to controlling cash collected from vending machines.

1) They are capable of settling all cash differences on the same day the driver returns, or as soon as the cash is collected.

2) They can plug forever the change fund loophole

As a result, the best have gone from having cash control issues of 5% to 7% to having cash control down to within 0.1 %. This would make a difference to your bottom line in your Antares vending business.

Tracking individual products

Most Antares vending operators would love to have item level sales from each vending machine, but few are willing to pay the price of collecting the data. Even with an efficient handheld, a driver that tracks every slot in a snack machine is going to take five to ten minutes to service each snack machine. If you marry the DEX column sales data with a handheld computer that knows the product selection in each Antares vending machine, you will get all your item-level sales data during the DEX reading, which will take about five to fifteen seconds. Collecting this data will offer your Antares vending operation several obvious benefits.

Help in identifying sales trends

Software management systems can aggregate this data and look for trends and opportunities. Simply replacing bad sellers with extra columns of the best sellers will increase your customer’s satisfaction while allowing you to service the Antares vending machine less often. This system will allow you to increase revenue 15% and free up 10% more bandwidth to take on new accounts.

Tracking products: the bottom line

A driver taking one trip to the Antares machine can usually service 10 to 20% more machines in day, especially if they are moving from a manual system. From a productivity standpoint, the best solution would be to have all your Antares vending machines ‘online’ via a remote monitoring solution, and having the solution fully integrated with your back office systems. The main advantage of this system is to poll each Antares machine every night, to find out what it needs and when it will it needs to be serviced.

2006-08-18T05:59:00.000-07:00

Handhelds for Route Drivers

Vending is the last route based industry to utilize handhelds. Handhelds will make Antares vending route drivers more productive. This will be an added advantage for the business.

Apart from vending, every other route based industry has used “handhelds” for over 20 years. Company’s decided to employ handhelds after hearing about operator’s positive handheld experiences. Vending experts and trade magazines have endorsed handhelds for nearly a decade.

The expectations of handhelds are that they improve warehouse and route efficiency for your Antares vending business, with barcode scanning and information accuracy. The benefits harvested from improved machine service and product merchandising also encourages their deployment. Handhelds will be recognized by your Antares customers as a sign of professionalism, which they see as something that will improve the management of their satisfaction.

The Direct Exchange (DEX) of machine information with a handheld contains two important sets of information. First, it contains information on how many dollar bills are in the bill acceptor of your Antares vending machine, coins in the collection box and exact tube activity. Secondly it contains the number of vends for each column (selection).

From the cash information comes “tamper proof cash reconciliation,” while the column vends allow the handheld to instantly tell the quantity of each product necessary to restock the Antares vending machine.

DEX information is usually passed onto the handheld with a cable that connects the machine to the handheld. This process would take about 15 seconds. This of course is much faster than the manual process. This would inevitably mean that the accuracy of the data improves, and problems with illegibly completed route tickets and service logs are altogether eliminated. Your route capacity would increase because you are now able to service more Antares vending machines

Sophisticated product forecasting can predict what products are needed in which vending machines. it will pinpoint when the products will be needed.