How you can Open your own Vending Service Exactly where are the very best locations to location ice vending machines? Places with the best flow of road and foot traffic, that make ice accessible to those that use ice on a daily bases like construction workers, landscape workers, coaches and soccer moms... Are usually the best places. Destination places or locations where your machine only serves the purpose of one type of consumer are usually poor choices. For instance, if you program to install a machine at a location near a body of water like lake or a swimming pool where a majority of one's business will be taking place over the weekend by only those on site. Unless the quantity of ice sold over the weekend throughout the warm months is so great that it will allow you to not require sales throughout the week and throughout the cold months, this could be a poor decision. Keeping this in thoughts a slight alteration like placing the ice vending machine on the method to the lake off a primary road, or near a marina entrance would usually be an much better location and will make yourself accessible to much more customers and not just throughout the warmest months. How much Ice or Water will I sell with an Ice Vending Machine? Each location is different and produces a various quaintly of sales, but on typical few locations sell much more than 40-60 bags of ice and 20-30 gallons of water per day on typical, unless there is a special occasion like July 4th. There are of course machines situated in places that sell more or less ice and water on a every day basis, but they are the exception not the rule. Ice & water vending company plans usually offers two schools of thought: Option 1, is to place one large high production machine house able to sell a large quantity of ice from 1 location. Option 2, is to location smaller, lower production vending machines that can be expanded as and if demand requires. The a lot smaller size allows for the possibility of many different kind locations and the affordability allows for multiple places. Option 1. Large & Junior sized Ice Houses Pros: Production - Capable of producing approximately 8000 lbs of ice and selling 800 bags or more per day, of which 650 10lb bags of ice could be sold in a row, if the occasion arose exactly where there were 650 customers waiting in line, and replenishing ice at a rate of 545lbs per hour. Cons:
Cost - Approximately $125,000 to $160,000 Size - 10' x 18' - 9 x 15" Return on Investment: As previously mentioned, each vending machine location is various and produces a various quaintly of sales, we have heard delightful stories of machines working to capacity in superb locations; however, most are similar to an owner of 8 large vending machines houses in Southern US, whose gross sales typical per machine is $35 per year per machine or sells approximately 64 bags per day not 800 equaling a very slow return on your investment. (ask for a retail projection workbook) Location - If you purchase a large or Junior sized vending machine house the places accessible for placement are limited due to the size of the ice house. If you choose a poor location, or if road other construction diverts or blocks visitors flow towards the ice house or any landlord issues occur it will cost tens of thousands of dollars to relocate your ice house. Rents will be relative to size of property required. Miscellaneous - Utility Bills, three-phase power Option 2. Compact Ice Vending Machines Pros: Cost - Approximately $34,000 to $66,000 Size - 52" x 35" - 52" x 78" Multiple sizes and production capabilities permit for multiple solutions. Only take up the space, only spend the money and only build the ice that is required by that location. Return on Investment: (ask for retail projection workbook) Places: "use your imagination" Car Washes, RV Parks, Parking Lots, Convenience Store Side Walks....most places a Soda machine can fit. Rent will probably be relative to size of property required. Cons: Production - Smaller ice vending machines will not produce the tremendous amount of ice at 1 time as the large ice houses, and are aware of very few instances where it could be prudent to do so. Our smallest ice vending machines can produce 1900 lbs of ice and sell 190 bags or much more per day, of which 40 10lb bags of ice could be sold in a row if the occasion arose exactly where there were 40 customers waiting in line, replenishing ice at a rate of 75lbs per hour.