Planet Antares Is A SCAM – Avoid Them

Planet Antares Is A SCAM – Avoid Them.

2010-12-08T02:17:00.000-08:00

Planet Antares Inc headed by Mr Dana Bashor is engaged in manufacturing vending machines and are selling them across United States and Canada. The company has a long history of getting involved in one or the other issues. With passage of time and coming up on new technology, the company has lost its lusture as they have sticked to old and out dated vending machine technology. If you know a little about Planet Antares, then you must be aware of One Million Dollar penalty on the company by Federal Trade Commission. The company, earlier by name of Antares Corporation, was charged and fined for wrongly representing the potential of vending business. They were found guilty of luring people into vending machine business by misrepresenting the business potential.

Over the period of time, Planet Antares has spread its sales network across many states. They are known to conduct seminars – popularly known as Financial Freedom Conferences or Wealth Builder Conferences to attract entrepreneurs to start up vending business by investing in Planet Antares vending machines.

The irony is that the vending machine by Planet Antares is not actually manufactured by them. They are procured at cheap prices from Asia and are sold off in the west for exorbitant prices. If we browse internet we can find many operators complaining about poor technical support provided by the company. Moreover, the vending machines have been reported to fail in initial few months of installation. This can result in loosing vending business contracts. One may find newly bought Planet Antares vending machines on resale at various online shops. This could be a reason of failed business or faulty machines.

There are also number of online websites and communities that have highlighted the cons of Planet Antares Inc. Here are few of them.
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

Planet Antares Scam Tips To Avoid Vending Frauds

2010-04-29T04:56:00.000-07:00

Never be under the impression that vending is a source of making easy money. No doubt once set up on the right track, vending generates good revenues but initially just like any other business, vending machine business also requires a lot of hard work and planning for its success. Planet Antares Scam alert mentions that not all vending machine companies are honest. Some of these companies misguide newbie’s by their false commitments and promises and somehow convince them to purchase wrong kind of machines. Such companies mostly sell refurbished vending machines after repairing them a bit.

You might have come across a lot of hoardings or advertisements stating that you can make easy money with almost little or zero efforts. This is definitely a misnomer. How can you avoid such scams? Here are some tips by Planet Antares Operators to avoid such scams.

Read small print mentioned below their ads. Sometimes it is stated that machines are bought at sole discretion of buyer. Thus they shoulder entire risk on you.
Wherever possible, try to take expert guidance. Maybe some friend in vending industry can help you with that. Or ask the vending company to provide few numbers of operators in your area.
Never get mislead by fraudsters and invest huge money. If you are new to this profession, start on a small scale with few machines and gradually expand over a period of time.
Always buy new vending machines. Do not buy old/ refurbished vending machines.

Do not let yourself become a victim of vending machine scam. Trust in vending machine company that is there since years.

Benefits Of Planet Antares Vending Business

2010-04-27T05:57:00.000-07:00

In the past few years, there has been tremendous increase in demand for vending machines. More and more number of young and enthusiastic entrepreneurs are taking up this business with a view to make huge profits. What makes this business so popular among the entrepreneurs? The answer is quite simple- “Benefits of vending business”. Now let us look at some of these benefits:

Instant cash flow: This is one of the few businesses that generate revenue right form the moment you place your machine. One of the main benefits of vending business is that your cash flow starts from day one.
Complete cash business: This is an all cash business which means that there is no scope for bad debts and collection issues.
Flexible working hours: Another amazing benefit is that regardless of what you do during the day, your machine works for you 24/7. As your machine takes care of sales, you need not worry about their supervision, training or motivation.
High return on investment: The main purpose of any investment is to make money. This business provides you with high profit margins and greater return on investment. What else would you look for as an investor?
Perfect business opportunity: No boss, No set working hours, No employees, No paper work and No territory limitations. Is this not interesting?
Part time or full time: This business gives you the unique advantage of continuing with your main occupation and take up vending as a part time activity. In this way, you would be able to make additional income. However, if this work out well, then you can take up this business on a full time basis.
No employee issues: You need not worry about recruiting, training and supervising sales staff as this business does not require any employees. Your machines are your sales force that does not require any supervision.

I am sure that after going through the list of benefits stated below, most of us would be inspired to start our own vending machine business. To get a detailed insight into this business get in touch with Planet Antares staff now!

What Should Planet Antares Vending Operators Consider While Starting a Business?

2010-04-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

The comfort, convenience and instant services offered by Planet Antares vending machines are driving more and more operators towards them. In order to become successful, operators need to offer products and services that meet customer requirements and expectations. The key elements of marketing mix are products, price, place and promotion. The first and foremost priority is given to product. Since the success or failure of your business is greatly influenced by the kind of products you offer.

What is that customers want? This is the most important question which every operator needs to ask him before taking up a vending business.

Your Target Audience: Who is your target customer? Depending on your customers, the choice of your product would vary. In case you are targeting children, you can offer toys, candy, chocolates, ice cream, snacks, video games and similar products. On the other hand if you are targeting youngsters or business class, you can offer snacks, newspaper, healthy food items etc.
Tastes and preferences: The product you offer is also influenced by the tastes and preferences of your target audience. For instance: Youngsters would love to try almost every new product that is introduced in the market. On the other hand children generally get carried away by bright and attractive products.
Competitors: Operators also need to consider their competitors before offering a product. Are there any existing operators in your locality? If yes, which products do they usually offer? How are its sales? All these aspects also need to be considered by the operator before finalizing on one product.
Location: Location is key factor that can either make or break your business. It is imperative that operators need to locate their machines in areas with huge customer foot fall. However, this customer traffic needs to be similar to their target audience. Or else there is no point in installing your machine in offices when you are vending chocolates.
Kind of machine used: Some products are perfectly suitable for particular kind of vending machine. There are various models of vending machines available in the market. Some of which are designed exclusively keeping children or youngsters in mind. So depending on the product you offer and customers you target purchase an appropriate vending machine.
Financial ability: Besides all other aspects financial ability is crucial for starting any business for that matter. Right from the choice of product to the kind of machine and the location you would like to install it, all depend upon your financial ability.

Hope these facts would be of great help to all those upcoming entrepreneurs who are keen on taking up a vending business.

Various Vending Machine Models – Planet Antares

2010-03-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

Vending has been in existence for quite sometime now but lot has changed in this industry. These machines which were initially used for dispensing limited number of products are now able to dispense wide variety of products. Thanks to latest technology which has made all this possible.

As number of customers and operators using vending machines is growing, several models of machines available in various shapes, sizes and colors are being introduced into the market. However, vending machines can be broadly classified into two kinds: machines running using electricity and machines run using mechanical motion. Both these machines come in various shapes, sizes, models, colors and varying prices. However, the most common type of vending machines which we usually encounter is snack and soda vending machines.

The design of these is customised and varies depending on the products that are offered in them. The make of few machines is done keeping in view its target audience. For instance: vending machines targeting kids are usually very attractive and come with animations and other sound effects that can grab children attention quite easily.

Customised vending is also gaining popularity these days as more and more customers are switching towards using vending machines. Unique machines are being developed that fulfil your day to day needs. These machines can be used for vend a variety of products like DVD’s, CD’s, tickets, computer equipment, cameras, stamps and stationery. The most ideal place for locating these machines are super markets, shopping malls and retail stores with huge customer foot fall.

Another kind of vending machine that helps you earn huge profits is the popcorn, ice cream, bottled water and deli food vending machine from Planet Antares. Though these machines are occasionally seen, they still have a huge business potential. Cigarette vending machine is commonly seen in public places but these days due to restrictions on public smoking, they are being carefully located.

So, it is for the operator to decide on which machine he would like to start his business with.

Where Should You Purchase Planet Antares Vending Machines

2010-03-15T11:48:00.001-07:00

Selecting the right vending machine is not as simple as it may look to be. With increasing demand for vending business, more and more varieties of vending machines are being introduced in to the market. Hence operators need to be very vigilant before purchasing a new machine. It is advisable that operators need to look at various available options and compare them with each other before purchasing new vending machines.

More over buying a new machine is always a wise decision because these machines come with latest and attractive features capable of drawing customer attention and at the same time create impulsive buying in them. Another advantage of purchasing reputed company machines like those from Planet Antares is that these companies ensure best quality products at reasonable prices.

Starting a vending business is easy if only you are able to choose the right kind of vending program. This of course is dependent on how much you are can invest and how many machines you would like to purchase. Since you are a novice to this industry, it is ideal to begin with one or two machines. Once your business takes off, start expanding it by adding more number of machines to the existing ones.

New and branded machines would be best to have in your business or office. These are of high quality and can never let you down. You have different machines that can sell a variety of products like snacks, soda, confectionery, ice creams and food items. Latest vending machines also have high capacity which means that they can accommodate wide variety of products. The most ideal locations for placing vending machines are shopping malls, offices, schools and other places with high customer traffic.

New vending machines purchased from reputed companies will not let you down. Preventing break downs or downtime is very important for an operator as downtime can make you loose money. Downtime refers to the time when a vending machine is out of order. During this time customers will be unable to use your machine thereby affecting your sales. And if this problem persists for a long time, it would adversely affect your sales. Frequent break downs can be prevented by proper maintenance and timely servicing of the machine. Hence always go for new machines.

Tips for Running Vending Business Successfully- Planet Antares

2010-03-09T10:21:00.001-08:00

The very idea of taking up a vending business is in itself your first step towards prosperity. This does not mean that vending does not require any efforts and generates high profits just like that. Just like any other business, vending also requires operators to put in a lot of hard work and dedication.

If you are a full time employee looking for some additional source of income, vending business is ideal for you. To begin with you can start with one or two machines and after you have acquired sufficient experience, you can add new machine or new vending route and thus expand your business.

However, there are three things that can either make or break your business. These are location of vending machine, kind of vending machines purchased and initial investment or capital required. Why is vending location so important? Vending is a customer oriented business and unless your machine is easily accessible to customers you may not be able to generate revenue.

Nowadays a wide variety of vending machines are designed exclusively for dispensing specific products. Hence the kind of machine you purchase would definitely impact your business. Lastly finance is what is required for all these things to happen. The kind of products you dispense, the location you install them and the machines you use in this process are all dependent on the amount of money you are willing to invest in establishing this business.

Whether the vending business you have started can make profits or not depends on the extent of ground work you have done before taking up thus business. If you follow adopt a more organised method for starting this business, the chances for your success are definitely very high. Paying attention to these vital factors would only contribute to your success.

How to Start Your Planet Antares Vending Business

2010-03-02T11:07:00.001-08:00

Vending is one of the very few business opportunities that give complete freedom to its operators. However, the revenue generated from this business is purely dependent on the kind of decisions taken by the operator and its effective implementation. The decision to start your own vending business is influenced by several factors like the kind of machine you use, the products you offer and the location in which you place your machine.

A perfect combination of these factors is sure to deliver productive results. There are several considerations that can help you increase the chances of having a profitable vending business.

• Location: Where you place your machine is most important factor that will determine the success of your business. The choice of your location is influenced by two factors- the products you deal with and your target customers. Any location with constant customer flow is ideal for installing a machine. However, it is important that you consider the kind of customers visiting this place. Some of the most popular locations for installing vending machines are schools, hospitals, clubs, malls, coffee shops, movie theatres, restaurants, bowling alleys and many more.

• Choice of vending machine: The quality of products and services you offer would depend on the kind of machine you purchase. However, it is imperative that you conduct a thorough market research before finalising on a machine. A survey will help you in procuring vital information like the kind of machines available in the market, various competitors, the kind of machines used by them and many more. Planet Antares machines are the one of the best in business and have been trusted by the masses.

• Financial limitations: When planning to start a vending business the first and most important aspect you need to consider is your financial modalities. In case you have installed your machine in rented premises, it is important that you decide before hand on how you would share your earnings. The extent to which you can invest will also determine on the kind of machine you can purchase and the products you can offer.

Vending is undoubtedly a lucrative business opportunity provided you pay close attention to minor details that influences your success.

Profit Maximisation in Vending Business

2010-02-24T08:22:00.001-08:00

The main aim behind starting any business is to reap huge profits. How to maximize profits? This is a very common question that haunts most businessmen. Income- expenditure= Profits this is a simple equation that helps us in understanding how to arrive at profits. However making profits is not as easy as depicting in the form of a equation.

When it comes to vending business, location plays a significant role in boosting sales and thus increases profits. Operators need to be very choosing while selecting vending locations. Before finalising any location, operators need to negotiate for the best possible deal. It is a common practise to charge 10% to 30% of profits as rent for installing your vending machine. Try to fix a lower percentage by bargaining.

Installing machine in a location with maximum customer traffic is another way that can help you in maximising profits. High footfall would mean more chances of people buying from the machine. Since vending is impulsive buying, higher the customer traffic higher are the chances of increasing sales. The kind of products dispensed in the machine also influences your selection of location. For instance: if you vend candy, then choose location that has maximum number of kids. The product mix is influenced by your target customers.

Quality is another factor that influences revenue generation. Hence, it is important that you vend only fresh products in your Planet Antares machine. This will not only create goodwill among customers but also boost your sales. Another important thing to be remembered is that customers have fancy for new products. So, try to make use of this by offering latest products in your machine.

Try to keep your Planet Antares vending machines clean and in proper working condition. Since a clean and well maintained machine is highly successful in attracting customers and creating impulsive buying in them

Tips For Starting Your Own Vending Business

2010-02-18T08:40:00.001-08:00

Are you curious to start a vending business of your own? Wondering how to proceed? Vending would be a perfect business option for you since this business does not ask for any specific skill set or prior experience. This might be one of the main reasons for growing popularity of this business.

Generally procuring funds for establishing any business would be the prime concern of any entrepreneur. This is not a very big issue when it comes to vending as there are many financers ready to help you in setting up your own business. But before approaching a financer, every vending operator needs to come up with an estimate of the costs he would incur during the process of setting up his own business.

Your initial establishment cost would depend on two factors, the model of machine you are about to purchase and number of machines required. If you have taken up vending business for the first time, then you might just start with one or two machines. It is also advisable that you choose a product that has maximum demand among customers. Another important thing that operators need to bear in mind is to purchase a new vending machine whenever they take up this business. Several models are vending machines are available in the market at reasonable rates. So, choose the one that best fits your financial limitations. Also make sure that the machine you purchase is from a reputed manufacturer like Planet Antares so that you can bank upon them if the need arises.

Your next step would be choosing the right location. Location plays a crucial role in making your business a huge success. Try to identify locations that have maximum customer traffic. Schools, offices, restaurants, shopping malls, bus and railway stations are some of the most popular locations. Make sure that the location you have selected is easily accessible to your target customers.

After identifying location and installing your machine in there, make sure you give due importance to its maintenance and servicing. Prompt maintenance and timely servicing can increase the life and performance efficiency of your machine and thus provide uninterrupted services to customers. All this would result in happy and satisfied customers.

Challenges Faced By Vending Operators

2010-02-09T08:13:00.000-08:00

Vending industry has given employment opportunities to several young and enthusiastic unemployed youth. This is perhaps the only industry that has performed consistently even in time of economic fluctuations. This business has gained equal or perhaps more popularity both among customers and its operators.

However there are certain challenges which every operator who takes up vending business needs to face. Some of them are stated below:

• Competitors: Vending industry is experiencing severe competition among existing customers. In order to sustain and survive in this competitive environment, it becomes mandatory for every operator to come up with some unique strategy that helps him in gaining competitive advantage over his opponent. Although several operators are taking up to vending business, only a few are able to survive why?

• Customer requirements: All the fingers of our hand are not the same. Similar is the case with customer requirements. All customers do not crave for the same. Some are particular about the quality while others are price conscious, some like trying new products while others stick to traditional products. Success can be achieved only by those few operators who understand what customers look for and offer the same to them.

• Products: Products can be broadly classified into two kinds. Branded products and unbranded ones. It has been seen that sales of branded products is usually very high when compared to unbranded ones. But all customers do not prefer branded products. Hence it would be very wise if operator offers both these products in his machine. The main advantage of this is that operator need not take up special promotional activities to promote his unbranded products sale. Since customers who visit the machine for purchasing a branded item would get lured by the unbranded product that is offered and thus might purchase it.

A operator is sure to become successful if he overcomes these few challenges that are mentioned above. Planet Antares can help you a great deal while venturing into vending business. All you need to do is to contact their support staff and understand about the business and its needs.

What Makes Glass Front Vending Machines Popular?

2010-02-01T08:31:00.000-08:00

With increasing demand and use of vending machines, several models have been introduced. In 1880 coin operated vending machines were first introduced followed by drop shelf and electronic drop shelf vending machines. Each of these had their own set of merits and demerits. Drop shelf vending machines use was limited to selling just one product at a time. In due course glass front vending machines have been developed.

Glass Front machines from Planet Antares have been a huge success and were able to gain popularity within no time. The reason for increasing popularity of this machine is its benefits. Some of these benefits are mentioned below:

Increased sales: In a front glass vending machine from Planet Antares, 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.

Besides being useful to customers, these machines are also beneficial to its operator. The first benefit being, operator can market more products in lesser shelf space, reduce promotional costs by vending branded products and identify products that have crossed expiry dates. Not only this, operator can easily identify slow moving products and replace them products that have high demand.

From the above mentioned reason it is clearly evident why these machines have become so popular.

What Do Operators Look For In Vending Machines?

2010-01-27T11:19:00.000-08:00

Vending is a fast growing business that has given life to several new and upcoming entrepreneurs. Today this industry has been successful in providing employment opportunities to several enthusiastic individuals.

When compared to many other business opportunities, starting a vending business is quite simple and it does not require huge capital. All that is required from an operator’s side is thorough market research and time to time up gradation of what’s happening in the industry.

In order to ensure that you run a smooth and profitable business, selecting an appropriate vending machine is very crucial. Some requirements you should be looking at before purchasing a vending machine are:

• How powerful and efficient the machine is? A strong and powerful vending machine from reputed manufacturer like Planet Antares will perform efficiently without any break downs.

• How attractive the machine is? An attractive design and appealing looks will catch people’s attention and create an urge in buying the product.

• Does the machine have latest features? Latest features help in increasing performance efficiency and provide better customer service.

• How flexible the machine is? A flexible machine would be able to handle multi products thereby increase the efficiency.

• Does the machine have low operational costs? Low operations costs would mean more revenue for the operator.

• Does it come with inbuilt security features? Security features are mandatory not only from operator’s perspective but are also required to safeguard the interests of customers.

• Does it belong to an established brand? Always vending machines of established brands should be preferred. These brands have been existent in the market for quite sometime and have proved their working efficiency.

• Is it a new machine? It is always advisable to purchase a new vending machine as it has long life span and comes with a warranty.

Vending- Always “IN” Demand Why?

2010-01-21T05:44:00.000-08:00

If observed closely, it has been proved that sales of products dispensed through vending machines is always very high when compared to those sold in normal retail stores. Why? The answer is very simple. Modern customer is too busy and pre occupied with day to day activities that he hardly has any time to stand in long queues waiting for buying or paying bills. This situation has been taken advantage by vending operators who have come up with several new and latest models of vending machines.

From typical traditional vending machines used in good olden days to the modern automated machines, vending industry had a undergone several changes. Modern vending machines are unique, exclusive and simple machines capable of selling customised products to its customers. These machines that were restricted to selling few selected products are now capable of dispensing almost all kinds of products.

Some of the main benefits of using these machines are:

• Flexibility: These machines offer lot of flexibility to the operators. For instance you purchase a vending machine to vend a particular kind of product. The same cannot be used to sell other products. On the other hand if you purchase a custom vending machine, then you can sell snacks, chocolates or any other merchandise that can fit the dimensions of the product you want to sell. Thus it offers a lot of flexibility to the operator.

• Creativity: Only those people who are creative can survive in this competitive world. Custom vending machines helps you to come out with all your creativity. All your dreams can come true with the help of a custom vending machine. You can sell both tomatoes and pineapple using the same machine.

• Different shapes and sizes: These vending machines come in various shapes and sizes. Hence they give you a wide range of options to choose from. There are large, medium and small size machines with different dimensions, suitable for different products like hot and cold products and many more to choose from. Planet Antares can be the best choice for all your vending machine needs.

Besides these vending business provides you with financial freedom and helps you to be the master of your own self.

Common Vending Mistakes

2010-01-13T06:57:00.001-08:00

There are plenty of minor errors which we often tend to over look when it comes to the world of vending business. But how many of us actually take time out and acknowledge them. Vending machine business can be very successful if only we can avoid these mistakes that most operators commit.

Your financial limitations need to be considered while investing money in this business. Vending machines are not cheap and if you purchase by taking finance, major portion of revenue earned by you goes towards those payments. Some of the most commonly committed vending mistakes are:

• Miscalculation of future profits. This error occurs when you have not chosen the right vending location. As a result you do not make expected business and end up spending more money on your machine every month.

• The type of machine or equipment you invest in is also very important. Planet Antares machines are recommended and have been trusted by all since decades.Operators need to evaluate carefully all the available options when it comes to procurement of machines.

• Insufficient business knowledge is also harmful: Always consider where you are purchasing your vending machines from. Ensure that you purchase branded machines from established or reputed companies. Otherwise you may end up purchasing the machine from someone whom you have never heard of. Hence make sure you gather warranty and related information.

• Few operators purchase vending machines first and there search for ideal locations. This is not a perfect approach. It is vital for you to find locations for your machines even before you purchase them. In case you are not quite sure of identifying locations all by yourself, you can take the support of a location finder who would evaluate customer traffic and work out the specifics of contract.

• Not understanding customer’s requirements is another big blunder. Pay attention to what customers want. If a certain product is not selling well, replace it with product that has maximum demand. Ensure your machines are stocked well since empty vending machines would not be able to generate any revenue.

“Knowledge is power”. This is very true in case of vending industry. This knowledge helps you in implementing strategies that would help you in taking one step at a time towards success.

Selection Of Right Vending Location

2010-01-08T22:38:00.001-08:00

Identifying the right kind of location for placing your vending machine is quite challenging. There are several locations in the market that have high customer footfall. But does it include your target audience? This is something you need to ask yourself before finalizing on the location. Few tips that can guide you in identifying the perfect location for your machine are:

• Customer Traffic: Try to identify locations which are visited by maximum number of customers. For instance: if you are targeting kids, then try to identify places that are visited by maximum number of kids. It would be beneficial to locate your machine in schools or parks.

• Accessibility: Whenever you choose a location, make sure it is easily accessible to your target audience.

• Visibility: This is something operators need to keep in mind while locating your Planet Antares machine. There should not be any problem in locating the machine. It is always better to place your machines in places where people wait for some time. For instance you can place your machines near rest rooms or entrance of a hotel or near the reception.

• Transport: You need to restock your machines at times so make sure that it is not too far from your regular vending route.

If you are not too sure of identifying a location all by yourself, you can make use of flyers. Flyers are short and informative pamphlets that spread information about your business. In fact they are the best method to gather information related to existing operators, models used by them, products vended by them and other information that may impact the success of your business.

Planet Antares Vending business is a customer oriented business which aims at attracting customers and create an instinct in them to purchase your product. To make this happen you need to make sure that your machine is in good working condition and properly maintained. An attractive and stylish machine can easily grab the attention of customers.

Tips for a Successful Vending Business

2009-12-21T08:36:00.000-08:00

After accumulating experience in vending business hefty profits can be gained without a problem. But for gaining sufficient experience it is important to get started in a perfect way. If venturing into business is your choice, vending is the best choice. And here are few steps/tips that help you get started:

1) The product selection can be crucial and its demand and profit margin is to be studied thoroughly before investing.

2) Once the selection of product is done the second most important step is the choice of a perfect location. There can be various options such as: waiting rooms, bus stands or other transport stations. It is very important to select a location on the basis of what product are you going to vend through that vending machine.

3) The choice of machine is also an important thing. One has various options of buying or renting a vending machine. Apart from renting, purchasing a new vending machine is also very easy considering the fact that they are self sufficient and are able to pay for themselves in a short span of time.

4) One should not go for used or refurnished machines as they may cost cheaper but prove costlier in the longer run. Besides getting jammed, currency change problem can even be faced in the same.

5) It is very important to see the availability of replacement parts. Using a metal machine is better than a plastic body machine as its repair is easy and parts are easily available.

Pondering on these important facts a small investment in the vending business can provide you nice returns in no time. The biggest benefit of starting a vending business is that you do not need staff. With the latest user-friendly vending machines available in the market it becomes very easy to operate the machine yourself. With machines like Planet Antares ‘Office Deli’ that can vend both beverages and snacks you can use even small space to start a big business.

Purchasing Vending Machines from Reputed Companies

2009-12-16T07:58:00.001-08:00

Selection of a vending machine is the first step before starting a vending business. There are several companies offering various kinds of vending machines in the market. But before you purchase, look at all the available options and compare them with each other and make sure you buy a new machine from an established and reputed company. This is because latest and attractive vending machines can lure customers and create impulsive buying in them. Moreover machines purchased from reputed companies ensure best quality at reasonable prices.

Starting a vending business is easy as long as you choose the right kind of vending program. This of course is dependent on how much you are can invest and how many machines you would like to purchase. Since you are a novice to this industry, it is ideal to begin with one or two machines. Once your business takes off, start expanding it by adding more number of machines to the existing ones.

New and branded machines would be best to have in your business or office. These are of high quality and can never let you down. You have different machines that can sell a variety of products like snacks, soda, confectionery, ice creams and food items. Latest vending machines also have high capacity which means that they can accommodate wide variety of products. The most ideal locations for placing vending machines are shopping malls, offices, schools and other places with high customer traffic.

New vending machines purchased from reputed companies will not let you down. Preventing break downs or downtime is very important for an operator as downtime can make you loose money. Downtime refers to the time when a vending machine is out of order. During this time customers will be unable to use your machine thereby affecting your sales. And if this problem persists for a long time, it would adversely affect your sales. Frequent break downs can be prevented by proper maintenance and timely servicing of the machine.

New and high quality vending machines allow you to have a competitive edge over others not only in terms of their looks but also their performance efficiency. Hence it is important to purchase vending machines of established and reputed companies.

Basic Knowledge Required For a Vending Operator

2009-12-11T10:49:00.000-08:00

Do not get lured away by the profits generated by vending business. If you want to be a successful vending operator and create a unique identity for yourself in this billion dollar industry, then you must understand few elements before you make a decision of taking up this business.

If you are a novice and money is your main constraint, then candy, gumball or toy vending machines would be appropriate for you. These machines are available at lower prices and can be installed easily in any location. The service, maintenance and repairs required for these machines are also very simple. On the other hand, if you willing to invest large amounts, then snack or soda machines is definitely a good option. Snack vending machines are available in various shapes, sizes and styles. Some of these machines are portable and can be hung on the wall.

After deciding on the type of vending machine you would like to purchase, choose the product you would like to dispense in this machine. But before you choose, identify customer requirements, products in demand and latest entrants. You need to offer products that are preferred the most in order to increase your sales.

Always try to acquire products from a wholesale supplier. Modern technology has made it possible to look for online product suppliers. You can use this information to compare their prices and arrive at a fair deal. If you are able to procure stock at a cheaper rate, you can fix higher profit margin to it and sell. In this way you will be able to generate huge profits.

Try to offer more than one variety of products in your machine since this will attract customers towards your machine thereby increases the number of repeat customers. Try to offer a combination of products. For instance: best selling product along with branded ones or new entrants.

Besides these methods, you can also offer some discounts or introduce draws and coupons to attract customers. It is imperative that operator keeps himself updated with changes in markets, customer’s needs and preferences. These factors can help you generate huge business.

Say No to Refurbished Vending Machines

2009-12-01T08:24:00.001-08:00

The only substantial investment you have to make while starting up a vending business is procuring a vending machine. It is important to make the investment in the right and futuristic vending machine that can work without any fault for years. Not only the vending machine should be fault free for years but should have the latest upgrades. I would advice vending operators to simply say NO to refurbished vending machines. Refurbished vending machines are old machines that are repaired and painted.

Why we should avoid refurbished/ used vending machines? Well, simply because they are old obsolete vending machines discarded by their original owners for some or the other reason. Most of the vending machines are discarded when they start giving a lot of trouble and owner have to spend substantial time and money in getting them repaired. These discarded machines are purchased by refurbishing companies at almost junk price. These machines are repaired and painted to make them look like new and through marketing campaigns they are sold off at higher prices to novice entrepreneurs.

Buying a refurbished vending machine can give you problems like:

1. Frequent machine failures
2. Power supply failures
3. Temperature and humidity control faults.
4. Machine jams
5. Product spoilage etc

Refurbished vending machines are old machines which are just repaired; they are usually bulky and would not suit sophisticated locations. Frequent failure of vending machine can also result in loss of vending account. There are a lot of negatives associated with refurbished vending machines. It is advised to make a smart move by purchasing a new vending machine in the first instance rather than learning from mistakes.

Planet Antares has remarkable vending solutions including brand new vending machines. Just contact Planet Antares support staff with your requirements. They will assist you in choosing the right vending equipment for your business.

Why Is Purchase Of Used Vending Machines Discouraged?

2009-11-27T12:38:00.000-08:00

New entrepreneurs who take up vending business for the first time often opt for used vending machines. The reason behind this decision is monetary constraints. New vending operators get carried away by low prices and are thus lured to purchase used machines. However, the truth is that these used machines turn out to be very expensive in the long run. The amount spent on their repairs and maintenance is far more when compared to the cost of a new machine.

The main aim of any vending operator is to make profits at the earliest and these used or refurbished vending machines can shatter all your dreams. This is the main reason why entrepreneurs are encouraged to purchase new vending machines of reputed companies. The below mentioned reasons further enhance the importance of new vending machines.

• Used or refurbished vending machines come with out of date technology and hence the performance efficiency of these machines is very low.

• Operators should understand that used machines have experienced lot of wear and tear and are also subjected to lot of repairs. This is one reason behind selling them.

• There may be some flaws in the parts of these machines which result in frequent break downs. This will drastically affect your business.

• Used or refurbished machines do not come with any warranty.

• Used machines consume more power and hence there is a great risk of increased power bills.

• Previous owners of these machines have sold them because they had some problem with the functioning of the machine.

• Old machines are more bulky and cannot be installed as simply and easily as the new and compact machines.

• Used machines are not very attractive to look at hence they may not be able to create impulsive buying among customers.

All the above mentioned points clearly indicate that used machines have more disadvantages than advantages. New vending machines from reputed companies like Planet Antares are more durable and long lasting. Hence operators are advise to purchase new machines only.

Repairs in Vending Machines

2009-11-23T02:13:00.001-08:00

To increase the performance efficiency, vending machines need repairs once in a while. However, the frequency of repairs can be reduced if the machines are maintained properly. Regular servicing of machines can make this possible.

Another important thing you need to ensure while purchasing vending machines is, always purchase new vending machine from an established and reputed manufacturer. This can avoid frequent mechanical issues and break downs with vending machines. There are several companies selling various models of vending machines in the market. Do not get carried away by their false commitments. Try to identify the best machines available in the market by doing a small research. You can also browse the net to gather this information.

An established and reputed company like Planet Antares can also give you some tips on how to deal with minor repairs. In case of simple repairs, they can be dealt by the operator at the location itself while major repairs need to be attended by qualified mechanic at the shop. These simple repairs can be attended to by the operator with the help of a small screw driver. Operators need to ensure that mechanic shops are in the same locality as the vending machine. This can save a lot of time.

It has been observed that most problems get fixed at the site of the vending machine itself. In case of something really serious where heavy machinery is required for repairing, it is dealt at the shop. A vending machine seller usually provides you with necessary information regarding vending machine repairs.

Whatever may be the case, one thing is for sure “prevention is better that cure”. Ensure you maintain your machines properly; this will prevent any malfunctions or sudden breakdowns. Prompt lubrication of all parts of the machine will ensure smooth functioning of the machine. These simple methods if implemented properly can bring in great results.

Healthy Vending-The Future of Vending Business

2009-11-19T09:57:00.001-08:00

Our hectic lifestyles and food habits are making us more prone to heart diseases and several other health hazards. This has lead to revolution in the eating habits. Now-a- days we find more and more people avoiding junk foods and shifting towards healthy foods. Since its inception, vending machines have been very popular for their snack and beverages. One of the most preferred locations of vending machines have been schools. But growing obesity among children has forced management to become more stringent about the kind of food that is dispensed through vending machines.

Majority schools are undergoing healthy vending changes due to increased recommendations from nutritionists, parents as well as state legislatures. Candy, chocolates, snacks, ice-cream, burgers, pizzas are being replaced by fruit juices, low fat snacks, milk and other natural products. These drastic changes in eating habits of customers have to be noted by vending operators from a time to time basis and necessary changes have to be made in their business in order to become successful.

Although healthy vending is good, it also has its own set of demerits. Cost is the main problem with this type of vending. Natural/organic food and low fat products cost twice the regular items. This is perhaps one of the main factors that are preventing most of the vending operators from offering healthy vending products. The fear of losing customer is also dominating operators. Hence they are not quite prepared to take up healthy vending.

However this is not the case always. Selection of location is most critical in vending healthy products. You need to identify those places where people will be keen on buying healthy products and install your machines there. Health clubs and hospitals may be few places where people would prefer healthy foods. So, placing machines in these locations can be very profitable.

Business executives also perceive healthy vending as a part of their health and awareness program targeting employees. With change in attitude, most people are shifting towards healthy products. It is the right time operators should make use of this opportunity and do some good business.

Vending A Lucrative Business Opportunity

2009-11-03T06:08:00.000-08:00

Of late several young entrepreneurs are getting lured towards vending industry. Gone are the days when vending machines were limited to few selected products. These days there are several types of machines right from coffee vending machine to those that dispense pasta, eggs and even industrial goods are made available. And all these machines have been specifically designed to meet individual requirements.

Industrial vending, one of the latest entrant in vending industry is gaining huge importance and this has lead to increased use of automated tool vending machines. These automated tools are helpful in ensuring strict supervision on inventory usage. They are also useful for replenishing industrial tools and accessories and for increasing production time.

Operators these days are ready to invest any amount on their business with the vision to harvest huge returns. Vending is a billion dollar industry that has been growing ever since its inception unaffected by recession and other economic downfalls. All these make this an attractive business idea. Now let us look at some of the benefits of this business:

• I guess this is the only business that allows you to earn right from the time you install your machine.

• There is no on season and off season for this business. So you can make money 24/7 365 days without any interruption.

• Setting this business is very easy and you hardly need to spend any amount on advertising as most of the propagation happens through word of mouth.

• There are no set working hours, no employees are required, no franchise fee, no royalties and most importantly no territory limitations. All these features make this a good business venture.

• The profit margins are very high in this business unlike other businesses.

• Whenever you want to expand your business, you can reinvest the returns earned from existing machines instead of going for loans.

All these benefits make this a very simple and successful business venture. So do not waste any time further and start your vending business now. For any help or assistance on vending business process contact Planet Antares – One of the most respected companies in the vending industry.

Security of Vehicles and Drivers on Vending Route

2009-10-28T06:51:00.001-07:00

In Planet Antares vending business, you need to keep moving as per the need of your vending machine to keep it stocked. However it is not as easy a task as it sounds. You have to be sure that trucks and drivers are sage from theft, vandalism, break-ins and high jacking. Although, such incidents are rare but can happen to anyone, so it is advised to ensure reasonable amount of safety for the driver and the inventory.

It is advisable for Planet Antares vending business owners to have a security plan for the drivers by including a combination of tools, alarms, door lock hardware. It is important to include some communication procedures with the driver which may enable him to speak with you in case of emergency.

It is recommended to train your drivers on security procedures and their necessity and benefits. It has been found that in most cases incidents like robbery occur due to negligence or improper conduct of drivers. Such incidents can be avoided if proper training is provided.

Planet Antares vending route driver would generally be carrying merchandise and cash. It is important that the driver is fully aware of the surroundings and is alert while making a service stop or while driving as these trucks are easily recognizable and can be a soft target.

Starting early in the morning can reduce chances of such thefts robbery a lot. Also make sure that all your vending routes are well planned. Never assign the same driver on same route every day. Drivers should memorise the road side emergency numbers and should know where nearest police stations or hospitals are located. This can turn out to be precious piece of information in case they are being followed.

Don’t wait for the situation to arise before starting planning. You should plan in advance to deal with any problems. Make sure you have a contingency plan in case of emergency to avoid any disruption of services. The easiest way to have Drivers follow these instructions is to take a print out and place it on the dashboard of the vehicle. This information should go into the sub conscious mind of the driver.

Remember, vending business is all about the service you provide and by following instructions discussed above, you will surely on the safer side as far as security is concerned and on the brighter side as far as business is concerned.

Various-Vending-Machines-Operators-Choice

2009-10-21T08:56:00.001-07:00

Vending industry has experienced tremendous growth by leaps and bounces since its establishment in 1936. The technology advancements have enabled this industry to offer diverse products and services. Besides products and services, various models of vending machines are introduced to meet customised requirements. Let us look at some of these machines and their benefits.

Vending machines can be broadly classified in to two kinds. Some machines run on electricity while others that using mechanical motion. Both these varieties come in various sizes, shapes, colors and prices. The most common vending machines that we often come across are soda and snack vending machines. These machines are generally located in shopping malls, offices, schools, colleges, bus stations, airports and hospitals. The oldest and most popular vending machines include gumball and candy machines which are automatically run. Medicines, tattoo and laundry vending machines are also used.

Several kinds of machines are developed based on the target audience. For instance if we target children, then we should be ideally using food, toy, video games, sticker and candy vending machine. Coffee vending machine is another popular version that is power by electricity. With growing health consciousness among people, health drinks vending machines are also being introduced. Combination machines are also present that allow you to vend two products at a time.

The other vending machine that gives you great business opportunity is the popcorn, ice cream, bottled water and deli food vending machine. Though these machines are occasionally seen, they still have a huge business potential. Cigarette vending machine is commonly seen in public places but these days due to restrictions on public smoking, they are being carefully located.

The latest vending opportunity is customised vending. With increasing dependency on vending machines, unique machines are being developed that fulfil your day to day needs. These machines are used to vend products like DVD’s, CD’s, tickets, computer equipment, cameras, stamps and stationery. The most ideal place for locating these machines are super markets, shopping malls and retail stores with huge customer foot fall.

For all you enthusiastic entrepreneurs out there, you have a wide choice to select the kind of machine you would be purchasing to begin your vending business with. Choose Planet Antares as your vending machine manufacturer as they have been in business for over thirty years of experience in manufacturing vending machines. Moreover, Planet Antares staff will help you in choosing the right location, machine and will guide you in other aspects of vending business which will help you in increasing sales and expanding your vending business.

Tips on finding a perfect location for your vending machine

2009-10-14T10:56:00.000-07:00

The success of a business lies behind the fact that the commodity being provided is made available to the target population with total convenience. Similarly, for the advancement of the vending machine business, it is essential to place the machines at locations which have colossal human traffic. Products out of a vending machine can not be sold just anywhere, placing these machines at conspicuous sites is an essential phenomena for an ever-growing business venture.

In order to select a suitable location, first the target population should be decided, for instance, high school students, office going adults, or people shopping in malls. All vending placements are distinct from one another, the ones with vendible health drinks and convenience snacks that are installed in hospitals or clinics cannot be used in restaurants and hotels. Vending locators provide a list of all the available locations that are coordinating with your requirement, in turn helping in the selection of a perfect site for your vending machine.

Vending machines are being acclaimed globally. The installation of these machines from mid sized offices to large-scale industries, near public facilities, laundry rooms, cash counters in stores, shopping malls, train stations, school and college cafeterias, stadiums, auditorium corridors and all those places where the machines are easily observant and comfortably utilized with high traffic will prove to be a boon for your business investment. The spending capacity of people should also be borne in mind before finalizing the location. Besides, the ease of refilling the machine and its maintenance should also be taken care of while concluding the apt location.

By strategizing and planning the required locations and placing the machines according to the planned layout, the people in this industry can take over a profitable route towards a successful business undertaking. Gathering in-depth information about the various existing locations and dealers, being in contact with the location owners and operators in an area, followed by convincing them for your business plan and thus, negotiating a deal with them will lead to the selection of a good location and therefore a fruitful vending business.

Devising a plan and working on it will result in a profitable business venture. Planet Antares provides help in finding the perfect location for placement of your vending machine besides, guiding you at every step towards the new business. Contact the Planet Antares sales team right away!

Importance Of 4P’s In Vending Business

2009-10-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

Wondering which business to take up? Why don’t you consider vending business? Yes, vending is one of the rarest and most promising businesses that require low capital and ensures instant revenue. Though these machines were initially used for vending selected products, with modernisation and technological advancements, they are used to vend almost all products now.

The four P’s (Product, Price, Place and Promotion) of marketing play a crucial role in any business and vending is no exception to this. After you have decided on which business to take up, the next and most important step would be to do some initial ground work for deciding the product to be vended. After selecting the product, you need to price it in such a way that you have an advantage over your competitors. Now comes the turn of location, yes, location is very important because it determines the volume of the business. If the product you have chosen is targeted at kids, then you should locate your business in such a place which is highly accessible for kids.

Several factors need to be taken into consideration while choosing the most appropriate location. Few of them have been mentioned below:

• Visibility: Is your machine easy to locate or is it located in a corner. A clearly visible machine will automatically attract customers to it.

• Customer flow: If the product you are offering is targeted at kids, then you should place it in such a place where number of kids visiting is very high.

• Proximity: Reach or proximity is also important for generating higher revenues. There is no use in placing a candy vending machine that is far away from children play area.

• Competition: You should also find out if similar machines already exist in that area. If so, is there a need to install another machine.

• Target market: Whom are you targeting at? Children, Middle age, teenagers or old people. Based on your target customer, your vending machine needs to be designed. If you are concentrating on children, then try to make your machine attractive by using graphics, flashy lights or animated characters. This will help in grabbing their attention.

Choosing Planet Antares machines can be the right decision for you as you can easily get what you want as far as machines are concerned. Planet Antares offers wide variety of vending machines which will suit your requirements, be it style design or robustness.

Strategy for Vending Business Owners

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

Unquestionably vending has proven to be a big way to endorse diverse products. Vending machines offer extraordinary services to customers. Vendors can create extra earnings from the vending machines and is one of the most practical business opportunities today. Vending machine business has grown exponentially in recent years and offers countless vending possibilities. The magnetism of vending business has resulted in high competition. Planet Antares is a reputable name in the industry. Getting started with Planet Antares will automatically set your reputation in the industry; however a little bit of promotion will work like icing on the cake with a red cherry on top.

Advertising always carries additional benefits to a business venture. Today almost everything is being publicized. Consumers are exposed to commercials where ever they go. You can see ads in your home, office, internet, radio, television, bus stations, railway stations, shopping malls, restaurants and many other potential places. Here are few informative tips from Planet Antares on how you can bolster your vending business while not crossing your budget:

• Business stationery is the perfect business promotional tool. Use your business name, contact information, logo and slogan on your letter heads and envelopes.
• Writing articles on topics related to your business expertise is an excellent business endorsement practice.
• Use internet for your company promotion. A website can also be designed and advertised on google and other search engines. Promote your websites through social networking sites and social bookmarking sites like Facebook, Digg, Twitter etc.
• Give away freebies to your customers to promote your business.
• Use banners or stickers on your vehicle to promote your business.
• Offer a guarantee.
• Stock your machines with branded and well known products.
• Place your machine in places where it can be seen.
• Opt for only new and attractive looking vending machines.

All the above promotional stratagies will help you to inform, to remind and to persuade your customers. Showcase them benefits of buying your services and offer a best deal in the business. Planet Antares holds a reputation which is transferred to its customers.

How To Deal With Competition In Vending Business

2009-09-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

Competition in vending is limited to securing the best location. It could also be possible that your competitor also secures a location right next to you. To overcome the competition, you would need to be a little proactive. First of all you need to equip yourself with complete knowledge about your competitor’s strategies. Once you have an idea of what your competitors strategies are, then you need to make some changes in you own vending business. Below are few tips that will ensure your success over competition:-

• Vending Equipment: Latest and innovative vending machines should be your success mantra. These latest attractive machines with their stylish looks get easily noticed by customers. Such machines create an urge in the customers and thus increase your sales. For instance: Planet Antares Glass front vending machines can be singled out easily even in a large crowd.

• Technology: Including high tech products in your business is another easy way of driving sales. Customers have adopted vending machines because of the convenience it offers. Efficiency accompanied with latest technology is a great feast to all customers. Moreover recent technological advancements like automatic temperature control units, telemetry and vending software have been well accepted by customers across the globe. You can find the latest technology vending machines at Planet Antares. All you need to do is to call up the sales staff and they will brief you about the features and benefits of vending machines manufactured by Planet Antares.

• Quality products: Stay ahead of all your competitors by offering the finest quality products to your customers. Create a special place for your vending machine by catering to specific needs of customers. Try to vend nationally renowned brands using your machines. This will help in building a strong image for you in the market. Be watchful of your competitors and their pricing strategies. This will help you in fixing highly competitive prices for your product there by increasing your sales.

• Customer service: The last and most important point is customer service. Customer service plays a vital role in vending industry. A customer would always like to be associated with a company that offers best products and services at reasonable prices.

Following these simple guidelines will help you stay ahead of competition always. To know more you can also contact support staff of Planet Antares. They have unique program through which, they educate operators on how to be successful in vending operations.

Vending Machine And Its Advantages

2009-09-22T08:01:00.000-07:00

Vending machines are developed as a result of demand from people and technological advancement. Taking up vending business is turning out to be very lucrative. Several types of vending machines starting from coffee machine to industrial tools vending machines are available in the market. These machines offer lot of convenience and help in saving valuable time of customers.

There are several advantages of using vending machines. Few of them have been listed below:

• Customers will be able to purchase products of their choice without waiting in long queues.

• Vending machines can be placed in areas where there is no sufficient space for establishing cafeteria or malls.

• The cost of establishing vending business is low when compared to other businesses.

• You need not employee anyone as machines are you employees that handle both sales and collection of cash.

• There are no set working hours. A vending machine can operate 24 hours round the clock and earn you income.

• These automated machines enable strict control on inventory.

• You can start earning immediately after installation of machine. Revenue starts flowing in from day one.

• Branded products can be sold easily using these machines.

• Front open vending machines are available which are most suitable for selling multiple products using single machine.

Miniature front end embedded computer is latest advancement which is used for industrial device networking applications. This provides vending machine manufacturers and maintainers a competitive edge. Programmability is the main advantage of MOXA. System designers can write programs that can control operation of vending machines. This technology helps in fixing problems related to maintaining temperature in vending machines and automatically notifying management when problem arise. It is very useful for coffee, candy, snack and soft drink vending machines.

This program is also used to monitor the quantity of items dispensed by the machine and helps in replacing product before they become are outdated. Controlling temperature guarantees customers of the quality of product. So all those who are eager to get into vending business can reap higher profits using this latest technology. Planet Antares manufactures vending machines equipped with latest technology. Contact sales staff of Planet Antares to choose from remarkable range of vending machines.

Importance of product selection in vending

2009-09-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

Once you know you have a trusted partner like Planet Antares by your side and a good vending machine on a good location, you will have to still make sure that you have the tight and quality products that would meet the demand of the customers in the area you are targeting.
Underneath, we will discuss about the selection of products for your Planet Antares vending machine. Here are some points that you should always keep in mind while making your product selection.

Which brands are preferred in your target location by your customers?
Eye catching packaging tempts the customers to buy
Figure out which products offer higher margin
Choose products which have longer shelf life
Never compromise on quality
Product selection should be made in accordance to the payment capacity of customers in the area.

You can always take a survey in the target location of customers to know their preferences of brands and then stock your vending machine accordingly. This can be an important point as there are some products which may sell more in health clubs and might not sell at all at a school. You must note that getting the right product in the machine will determine your sales and profits , so just don’t take it lightly.

Offering range in a single machine attracts diverse customers. Category Management is a key to success. An extensive set of choices will definitely maximize sales. Most popular product categories are salty snacks, gums, cookies, chocolate candies, and healthy snacks, hot and cold beverages. Accurate product selection will help in maximizing sales and build repute in the vending market.

Vending right products using Planet Antares machines will involuntarily set a positive representation in the consumer’s minds. Planet Antares is a brand name in itself. Your future in the vending industry is definitely bright with Planet Antares.

Vending as full time business

2009-09-07T11:21:00.001-07:00

Recession has left many jobless and under debt. People who thought stocks to be a profitable investment have lost millions. In such disheartening times, one looks forward to an opportunity that will not only provide complete financial freedom but also is easy to manage. Vending as a business has been accepted by people across US as an alternate source of income. In recent years, vending has grown to be one of the most lucrative and profitable businesses around. Today, vending is more than $40 Billion industry and is still growing at a fast pace.

Along with normal job engagements, people have opted for vending as a part time business. Being an easy business to manage and operate, vending has grown in popularity. Vending business can be started from one or two vending machines. All you need to do is to find a good location with high traffic to install them. Once you do this part, all you need to do is to refill the vending machines at timely intervals.

Returns from vending machines are so amazing that people reinvest the money earned into buying and installing even more vending machines. From one or two vending machines, you can easily grow into a full time vending tycoon in no time. To manage a large fleet of vending machines, you may need to hire couple of professionals. You may need to plan a vending servicing route. Being into vending as a full time business opens doors not only to financial freedom but also you can be your own boss with your own work timings. With vending machines working 24 hours a day for you, you won’t have to worry about recession and its after affects.

Plan to start a vending business? If yes, then you should consult experts from Planet Antares Inc for setting it up. Planet Antares Inc, not only manufactures one of the most advanced vending machines but also provides complete assistance in setting up the business from scratch. With unmatched after-sales-support, Planet Antares can be regarded as a trustworthy vending partner.

Vending cold drinks from Planet Antares vending machines

2009-07-29T11:40:00.001-07:00

Cold drinks have been the largest selling product through Planet Antares vending machines, under the beverage category. The success ratio has just kept on increasing in the past years. Whether you are looking for a soft drink, bottled water, juice, isotonic or energy cold beverage, Planet Antares has all that to meet your preferences. Americans love soft drinks over any other drink and that is why they are the largest vended cold drink category in Antares vending machines. Closed front soda vending machines remain in the majority, but glass front vending machines are the favorites of late.

Planet Antares vending machines have a glass front so that you can see the products that you would want to purchase. As a vending operator you should choose vending machines with glass fronts because they allow greater variety and a larger display of eye catching packages. It is important that the customer should be able to see the product in order to make a right choice.

Customers also demand broad package choices for their favorite cold drink. Cold drinks are available in bottles and cans. Planet Antares vending machines can accommodate anything from 5.5 fl oz to 1 liter bottles. It has been reported that 73% of cold drink sales were generated by twelve ounce cans. Antares vending machines can hold over 150 cans which are of 12 oz. This size is the most popular in all vending machines.

The relatively new vending machine category of energy drink products also increased 1% in vending machine sales. Soft drink sales always remain the most popular in all vending machines, followed by diet soft drinks. These two dominate the percentage of sales for cold drink vending products. As Planet Antares cold drink vendor, place these machines in schools, colleges, restaurants, club houses, amusement parks and many more.

Cold drinks in vending machines have resulted in extraordinary profits for vending business owners. The innovative and technologically improved Planet Antares vending machines will pilot your business towards unlimited profits.

The category concept in Planet Antares vending machines

2009-07-24T21:44:00.000-07:00

Category management is a proven merchandising system that maximizes product sales from vending machines. Vending business owners can offer a wide variety of products through category management. Increased variety creates greater consumer demand as they generally find products they want. Identify the categories according to consumer tastes, preferences and product characteristics. Most popular product categories are salty snacks, gums, cookies, chocolate candies, and healthy snacks, hot and cold beverages etc.

Once you recognize the product category for a particular location, the next important step is product selection under each category. Careful selection and rotation of the best selling product within a category ensures both variety and consumer interest. A vending business owner can select products considering the following three categories:
1. Core products - a few key products that deserve placement in every machine, every day.
2. Primary products - a majority of the products that change between menus but are in every machine during the menu period.
3. Flex products – these are specific product options which vary for according to location.

After the product selection, they should be allocated machine shelf space. Every product category should be represented with atleast one product facing. The number of facings also depends on the category sales and how the product fits into the shelf.

Success in category management does not come from putting products on a menu but from having right products in your Planet Antares machine and when your consumers want them. 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 and fast. Category management has proven to be a win-win solution to increase vending sales.

Overcoming Myths in the Vending Business

2009-07-20T06:12:00.001-07:00

Big success in any business gives rise to many myths spread by those who have very little knowledge about it. Similarly, a few myths have been circulating in the vending industry as well. People have established notions which might not hold true in the real world of vending. If you have thought of starting a vending business and have limited knowledge regarding the facts, you may run into many negative people who are not in the industry. Yet, they may provide you with all the wrong information about vending and discourage you from the idea of starting your own vending business.

The first myth that may discourage you a great deal is that the vending business cannot start with a small amount of capital. The fact is that an initial investment in the business only requires a small start-up. Once you begin at a small scale it becomes easy for you to understand even the minute details of the industry and eventually expand the business to a larger scale, making higher profits. The vending industry can also allow beginners to continue their previous full time job along with the part time vending business, until such time that they don’t need the full time job any longer.

Rumors have been that vending doesn’t generate sufficient profits for its operators. Such rumors can be squelched with the fact that the vending industry is today a $40 billion industry offering viable opportunities to a large section of the people. Overhead is almost nothing when you start a vending business on a small scale. As soon as you get established in the industry and grow your business to larger number of vending machines, it allows you to control more of your money and future.

The fact that “vending machines with non-branded products do equally well as with top branded national products” is another vending myth that has to be addressed. Most American consumers identify themselves with product brands. A vending machine will not generate solid sales if it vends non-branded products with which the consumers can not relate. Vending top national brands through your vending machine will gain consumer confidence and make them more comfortable with your vending operation. Companies like Planet Antares stress stocking the machines with top-branded nationally known products to make higher sales and earn greater profits.

Claims of running the vending business without making any effort is not practical. The fact remains that the vending business does not call for extreme hard work, but operators need to make every effort to make and grow a strong, thriving business. Growing the business without keeping records or applying yourself with diligence is just a dream. Tracking your business growth and product usage allows you to understand the trends of the market and react accordingly.

Step into the ever growing vending business with Planet Antares and overcome the myths out there made to discourage the new business owners. Planet Antares provides factual information about the vending industry and helps you establish a successful vending business.

Quality Control – The buzz word for successful vending operations.

2009-07-17T01:35:00.001-07:00

With so many success stories around, it is quite apparent that owning a vending business is a gateway to financial stability and prosperity. In last decade, vending business has grown tremendously. As of date, vending is a whooping $40 billion industry. Business experts have predicted the growth to shoot up exponentially in times to come. Taking out your chunk of profits is not a tough task to do. With little planning you can reap substantial earnings out of it. One of the factors that will decide on your vending business success is Quality of products you stock in your machines.

No matter what, customers just want products of top quality. They will get disappointed if they can’t get the foodstuff matching their expectations. After location of your vending machine, the most important factor that will govern your business’s success will be the quality of products that you sell.

For successful vending operations, quality of vending products needs to be maintained at all times. If your machine is stuffed with inferior products, customers will not come back and you will lose repeat business. Not to mention, your business reputation will be affected badly. So your aim should be to maintain the top quality for products you stock in vending machines.

Below are some tips to maintain quality in vending machines.

• Always buy vending machines from reputed manufacturer like Planet Antares. They provide vending machines with accurate temperature controls and tight food unit sealing to prevent food decay.

• Always service your vending machine on time and follow the service manual properly. This will keep your vending machine protected from any faults, which may affect food quality.

• Keep branded products in your vending machine as manufacturers for branded products have strict quality control norms for production. It is very rare that you will find any substandard product in their lot.

• Clean your vending machine regularly. This will keep the food stored hygienic.

• Keep the surrounding of your vending machine clean too.

• Always keep a check on expiry date of products you stock in vending machine and make sure that you replace them before expiry date.

• In case of breakage, always consult the manufacturing company for repairs. Do not get them repaired from untrained personnel.

• Never buy refurbished vending machines as they are generally fitted with substandard equipments, which can fail often thereby spoiling the food you have stored in vending machine.

With help of these few tips, you can provide quality food products to your customers at all times. Serving customers with superior quality food products will not only generate repeat business for you but will also get a good name to your business. If you are planning to buy vending machines, then consult Planet Antares vending specialist, they not only provide state-of-art vending machines but also provide necessary consultation and coaching to make your vending business a success.

HOW TO HELP CLIENTS KNOW YOU ARE HONEST AND ETHICAL

2009-06-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

The increasing number of vending operators has made the prospective clients skeptical of whom to believe. NAMA (National Automatic Merchandising Association) has laid down few points which will help you as a Planet Antares vending operator convince your clients that you are honest and is not involved with any sort of forgery.

Explain to your client that in ORR (Operating Ratio Report) operators from across the country reported on various financial aspects of their operations, including the percentage of costs associated with operating and payroll expenses. According to the report the ranges for these expenses were:

Operating expenses: 18% - 22.5%
Payroll expenses: 20% - 27%

In case your account informs you of your competitor who is offering to pay higher commissions, advice your account to ask for clarifications from the competitor about the figures and how does he manage to pay higher commissions until and unless the operator has some aspects which are different from these percentages.

You should not hide the working of your operations and encourage the clients to ask you questions. Any unethical operator would not be able to validate the high commissions and would not be open about his operations. Share your financial information with the clients and inform them that any operator who is unwilling to participate in audit should not be trusted how so ever. Share the NAMA Vending Industry Accounting Best Practices with your clients, which helps discover the under reporting of sales.

Explain and highlight technology used to your clients where possible. Make them aware of such operators who are hesitant to invite their client’s participation in the whole process. An honest Planet Antares vending operator will always maintain the transparency for all aspects of machine transactions, along with invaluable information about every machine.

The issue of unethical vending operators has been dealt by making mandatory for all members to sign NAMA Business and Ethical Standard Code.

VENDING AN EASY TO DO BUSINESS

2009-06-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever dreamt of becoming a successful business man and earning revenue which leads you to a luxurious and healthy lifestyle? Certain factors such as initial investment, rate of returns, time factors etc proved to be a hindrance in your way of success? If your answer to the above questions is a yes then Planet Antares offers you a solution for the problems obstructing your path. Planet Antares vending business is an undemanding industry which will fulfill your dream without asking for the efforts which pulls you away from your life besides work. A unique way to gain financial independence, and a opportunity to control your time, money and future.

Vending industry stands tall with unbeatable revenue and is an all cash business in the world. You can mint money faster than anything. There are tremendous tax benefits you are entitled to as a business owner. Initial investment does not mean evacuating your bank account. The work is minimum and collecting and accounting for your cash is all that is required. You are the owner and beneficiary of the profits as well. Do whatever you want to with that money.

Planet Antares business operators need not to worry about high over heads and can run their business from home. No rented office space, expensive office equipment, clerical support, office furniture or complex phone systems are required to run the business reducing the burden and simplifying the job. Vending is such a easy business that women can run it with a perfect ease without going away from her children or home. You choose the working hours making it a flexible work.

Technical abilities to own the business have been left out with Planet Antares. Company provides you the durable vending machines and are attractive and user friendly. All that is required is the diligence of the operator to make it successful and long lasting.

Planet Antares is the business to go for in this highly demanding and competitive world.

Snack And Beverage Tips For Planet Antares Vending

2009-05-21T07:49:00.001-07:00

A Planet Antares snack and beverage vending business can be quite profitable if your vending machines are well maintained and you use the right vending program. Here are a few tips that can be used to make your vending business more profitable:

a. Spread out your route in a way to increase your sales volume. More the selections placed in your Planet Antares vending machines, more will be the profits that the location will generate.

b. Think of ideas of avoiding payment of a certain percentage of your profits to the location owner. Make an offer of free advertising of their business on your other vending machines in other locations. If the owner of the premises still wants a commission, set the sale price at a level that covers the commission.

c. If possible, try to vend sodas for 50 cents and your chips for the same amount. The customers will be inclined to spend the whole dollar in your Planet Antares vending machines.

d. Always keep “mountain dew” in your vending machine. It is a favorite among kids and popular among adults too.

e. Keep in mind that 24 oz bottles cost you much less than 20 oz bottles.

f. To pull canned drinks from the lanes of a vending machine at a faster pace, try using a toy arrow.

g. By using only quarters in your bill changer, you will only get the whole dollar fed back into the vending machine. Focus on maximizing the profits of your Planet Antares vending business whenever it is possible.

h. As compared to a neglected vending machine, a well maintained one will be used more often. Service on a regular basis is essential along with replacement of slow moving products to alternatives whenever required.

i. Attractive looking vending machines have greater potential for encouraging impulse buying by customers. So, try to make your vending machines look nice and interesting.

What Is Planet Antares Quality Service

2009-05-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

The meaning of providing quality vending machine services is that the clients or the locations that you are providing for is not lacking in any way. As the owner of a Planet Antares vending business, you will like to install your snacks and beverage vending machines in particular locations. Many business offices, colleges, schools, hospitals and other locations require vending machines in their premises. Vending operator will have to offer locations with Planet Antares vending machines and also need to service them on a regular basis.

The responsibilities of a vending operator will include cleaning, maintaining and refilling of vending machines. Also, cash collection has to be done. The time of servicing depends on the number of vending machines and the type of vending machines. Commonly, the location owner provides the location for vending machines without servicing the vending machines.

If you are unable to service the vending machines effectively, it will end up disappointing the location owner. They may even ask you to remove your equipment from their premises. This implies that you may lose your business and your company name will be tainted. That makes it important to provide quality vending services.

Planet Antares vending business involves quality vending machines that will not let you down as you will hardly ever experience any downtime. As a vending operatyor, you need to focus on preventive maintenance on the vending machines to keep them functioning at all times. The location owners should not experience any downtime with the vending machines as it means irritated customers for them.

Restocking of vending machines is a crucial function of vending operators. Keep track of the stock levels in the vending machines in different locations, so that you can know when you will need to refill the vending machine. There are items that are usually quick sellers. So, you need to work out a schedule for it and make sure that the vending machine doesn’t run out of any item.

What Mechanics Can Do For Your Vending Machines

2009-05-05T09:07:00.001-07:00

Vending machine mechanics are skilled technicians who install and repair vending machine. Moreover, they transport the machine and make the essential water and electrical connections by using the instructions of the manufacturer.

Daily use of Planet Antares vending machines will eventually lead to deterioration and damage. This implies need for repair and replacement of vending parts in field locations and shops. The vending mechanics must diagnose the problems that make the machines stop and fix them. If they are unable to do this at site and isolate malfunctions, they can troubleshoot by following procedures developed by vending companies.

For major repairs or overhauls, the vending machine mechanics will take the equipment or a certain part to the service shop. This will be followed by dismantling of the vending machine, repair and reassembling of the units.

You must ensure that the mechanics follow technical guidelines, blueprints, schematics, diagrams and repair manuals to fix up the Planet Antares vending machines. Nowadays, technologically advanced vending machines have become very popular and contain electronic parts that set prices, calculate customer’s purchases and control the dispensing of change and products.

Apart from this, hand tools like wrenches, screwdrivers, pipe cutters and hammers may be used to tighten, adjust or cut the machine. The mechanics use heavy machinery such as grinding wheels, saws and drills to work in the shop. They also handle problems related to the water flow of the vending machine or with the carbonation system and brewing devices.

It is essential to maintain your vending machines properly and lubricate them regularly. Remember that mechanics who repair Planet Antares snack and beverage vending machines need to comply with state and local sanitation procedures and health codes.

Usually, Planet Antares vending machines are heavy and must be moved with the help of hand trucks or any other moving device for taking them for repair. The mechanics will be responsible for the vehicles provided to them by the employers.

Even after the rise in number and type of vending machines, there are lesser job opportunities available for mechanics these days. With computerized vending machines, vending operators are eliminating the need for mechanics. Still, there is always demand for skilled technicians and mechanics.

Planet Antares Vending Business Opportunity

2009-04-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

People who have spare money set aside always want to find out ways to generate some income using this money. While some fall for deposits and such plans some people look out for business opportunities that will help them achieve their financial goals.

Vending business opportunities are one of the most advertised and popular ventures of our times. This is a fast moving business that allows you to multiply your income, however you have to know and recognize the right business opportunity.

The first thing which you need to understand is that the road to riches doesn’t have any short cuts. Once you invest in a vending machine or machines, you will have to locate them, service them and manage your business like a professional.

Planet Antares vending programs will offer you guidance at every step of setting up a vending business. Even though you gain complete financial and decision making freedom, there will be more responsibility for generating regular returns. It’s not possible to sit back and wait for the money to start flowing in.

At Planet Antares Inc, you will find all the elements for a successful, worthwhile vending business. Instead of responding to a telephonic or TV advertisement, you can invest your money in this reliable vending machine company. As an experienced supplier, Planet Antares Inc will be able to offer much more variety of machines, products and after sale services than any “get rich” scheme.

However with all this you still have to achieve your goals which will be directly be dependent on the selection of the location. You could be looking to earn some additional income or looking to invest big capital for a full fledged business, Planet Antares ensures that your money is not going into any sort of fraudulent scheme where you lose money. Planet Antares is here to give you a business opportunity where you can generate desired profits.

Planet Antares Vending Operator

2009-04-07T09:01:00.001-07:00

It is the best choice generally to hire a vending machine operator to manage you business operations. It is easy to find a vending operator over internet as most vending operators have their own websites and can be contacted through these sites. Just to be sure that you are choosing the right operator try and visit their site and check if it is updated, if you feel it isn’t then move to another option.

Once you have hired the vending machine operator, all you need to do is to keep your Planet Antares vending machine in your premises and the rest will be taken care by the operator

An independent vending operator will offer vending machines that are best suited for your vending business. If you need only one vending machine, you can even get that. For example, a Planet Antares vending operator will install the vending machine at the chosen location. It will be his responsibility to refill the vending machines and maintain it generally. He will need to keep check on the time within which the machine drains out. This may be a few times a week or just once a week, depending on the kind of location and target customers. The vending operator must also ensure that the vending machine is clean so that the vending machine is hygienic.

Having a vending machine in your location implies getting a share of the profits along with the vending operator. You will have to decide about a commission rate after negotiating with the vending machine company.

Preferably, the vending operator must keep only in-demand products. An independent vending operator will allow you to select the menu so that the vending machine can only have the products that your employees want. Branded, popular products are risk-free and always sell well. A good vending operator is one that helps you to enhance your business profits.

Maintaining Sanitation In Planet Antares Vending Machines

2009-03-31T10:22:00.001-07:00

It is the responsibility of all vending operators to keep the vending machines and surrounding areas clean at all times. Once the machines have been refilled, remember to remove all the trash, empty soda cases, boxes and other components. Make sure that the immediate area of the vending machine is well lit and has a covered trash receptacle. Also, check that the area is protected from overhead leakage or water condensation, waste or sewer piping.

Remember that the Planet Antares vending machine should be mounted on a stand so that it is at least 6 inches above the deck. This will make it easier for the vending operator to clean under and around the vending machine. Make sure that the inside and outside surface of the vending machines is free of dust and not sticky.

Check whether the door and panel to the Planet Antares vending machine and any other opening for food is tightly fit. Vendors must replace any worn out material to prevent dust, or any other foreign particles from entering. Workers need to be provided with adequate hand washing facilities near the vending machine.

Maintenance of safe food temperature in vending machines that provide potentially hazardous items can be ensured with refrigeration or heating units and thermostatic controls. Also, automatic controls must be included to prevent the machine from vending food in the event of a power failure or a mechanical failure.

Planet Antares vending machines are equipped with tight fitting, self closing cover for the vending stage. You must take care that the vending machine exteriors are designed and fabricated in order to minimize the entrance of insects and rodents. Effective screening must be provided for ventilation louvers or openings in the vending machine. For microwave ovens, it is a must to clean the cavities and door edges at least once a day to keep them free of grease deposits and other accumulated soil.

Don’t forget to maintain a record of the vending machine operations and keep them with you during inspection and servicing. It is important to provide vending machines and the food contained inside with the same protection as provided by any other food service facility.

Financial Stress Buster: Planet Antares Vending

2009-03-10T00:47:00.000-07:00

In these times of economic crisis, majority of the people are looking for alternative ways of paying the rent and the endless bills. If you are one of them, its time to say goodbye to a stressful life by getting into the vending business. Finally, you can find time for all the things you always wanted to do.

Viability of the opportunity
You will see vending machines everywhere you go. It’s like the business opportunity is staring you in the face. As a vending business owner, there will be no need to go to office or supervise a team of employees. Just purchase and install the Planet Antares vending machines to set the money rolling.

On an average, a Planet Antares vending machine can make about $30 a month. Just multiply this by the number of racks in a machine and the number of machines placed in various locations to get an idea how lucrative this business may turn out to be.

Facing the Competition
Even thought there are countless number of vending machines and vending operators in the market, you will be surprised to find a lot of undiscovered locations with great potential. Start searching for good locations and match them to your product to capitalize on untouched venues.

Planet Antares Bulk vending machines are some of the most popular vending machines, especially candy machines amongst children and families. Such machines can be placed in areas visited by them frequently. While waiting for their parents, kids are highly probable to indulge in some candy, gumball or toy shopping and that is where your vending machine makes money from.

Calculating the Cost
The cost of vending machines will depend on your needs, objectives and budget. The size and type of vending machine also plays a role in determining the cost but are generally quite inexpensive. You can get a triple vending machine for just $110.

In short, Planet Antares can help you benefit from this unique combination of low investment and high profits. It’s best to start with a few small sized machines and get a feel of the business before expanding your scale of operations.

Product Planning As Part Of Successful Vending

2009-01-20T04:06:00.000-08:00

Business success depends on various factors. Like any other industry vending also requires constant planning and decision making. One such decision is keeping the right products in your vending machines for the success of your vending business.

Usually, Planet Antares vending machines sell snacks and beverages, products that sell highly in most locations. Many people like to buy a quick snack or soda when they are passing through a location or waiting there.

During the process of product selection for your vending machines, the first thing to be considered is the supplier that will provide you with all the products that you want to have in the vending machines. Look for a supplier that is based near your area of operations.

The next step will be to check whether the products are fresh and have an expiry date that is nowhere close to the date of purchase. You would not want customers to visit your vending machine to buy products and find out that the snack or soda they bought is expired. Obviously, it will bring negative impact on your business image because the next time the same consumer will not come back to your vending machines.

If you want to be completely sure about placing the right products in your Planet Antares vending machines, you can go out to different vending locations and see people buy from vending machines there. Take note of the most popular snacks and beverages. Repeat this exercise for several locations in your area.

As it is, children constitute a huge portion of vending machine customers. They always know about the latest products in the market and you can try asking them about the products that should be placed in your vending machines. Also, suppliers of products can serve as information sources for the right products to vend as they are always in touch with other vending operators.

For effective product planning and selection, you should buy branded products from reliable companies like Planet Antares Inc. These are easily identified by the consumer and this is the reason for their popularity amongst general public. As these products have already been popularized through national media, you will be saved from the headache of advertising and hence, save a lot of money and time.

Why Choose Outdoor Vending Locations?

2009-01-12T03:45:00.000-08:00

The vending industry is still exploring the idea of outdoor locations for keeping vending machines. These outdoor locations now form an integral part of the business accounts.

Currently, locations such as parks and amusement centers have been successful for outdoor vending. Outdoor snack vending machines perform well in these places and prove to be highly lucrative. In large theme parks, bottlers perform the task of vending but the smaller parks prefer independent vending operators like Planet Antares vending operators.

Such a trend can prove to be highly lucrative as you gain for:
1. Reaching a wider customer base
2. Offering diverse product selection
3. Enhancing vending business profitability

Several elements of outdoor vending locations make them highly attractive. These include:
1. Increased square footage in retail establishments and gaining heavy customer attention and traffic.
2. A rise in the number of housing complexes with common areas has also been noticed.
3. Public parks have witnessed a growth in attendance.
4. National accounts of vending management companies that manage vending services have been persuaded to make better use of the vending opportunities available, including outdoor sites.

Planet Antares vending operators do not face any hassles or maintenance problems in outdoor locations as they don’t get frequently kicked underneath and in the condensers. This is usually a headache for indoor locations.

As far as profitability is concerned, there is a mixed view about the lucrativeness of vending machines in outdoor locations among vending operators. Some of them feel that outdoor machines generate similar returns as indoor machines in same kind of locations. However, vending management companies are of the view that outdoor locations provide higher sales and revenue.

In reality, the cost of maintaining a vending machine in an outdoor location and the returns are higher than any other premises. However, independent vending operators can lease cold drink machines from bottlers, who will bear the overhead of security.

A large number of vending operators, including Planet Antares vendors, have also experienced success with beverage and snack vending machines placed in such places.

What The People Say About Vending

2009-01-07T04:19:00.001-08:00

Till date, health and nutrition form one of the most debated topics related to vending. As a Planet Antares vending operator, you can read about it every day, mostly in relation to schools and college campuses.

As a measure to deal with this, trade organizations are spending huge sums of money to make the media and government institutions realize their role in public health and fitness. They are trying to create awareness that the vending industry didn’t create the obesity crisis and are in fact, part of the solution.

Planet Antares Inc is supporting these efforts, which they view as a price they must pay for being in a business that is involved with the public health. Their aim is to play a role in the well-being of the general public and lessen any negative impact on their health.

No doubt, it is a fact that obesity and nutrition have very little to do with daily business reality for the average operator. Generally, they will be happy to offer products that have high quality and nutritional value if these are desired by the customers.

In the private sector, employee wellness has taken on greater importance and is emerging as a visible movement towards greater efficiency and healthy work force. Employers have been forced by medical costs to consider multi-faceted wellness programs to ensure healthier employees and lower health insurance premiums.

For now, you cannot expect the media to leave the obesity issue because it is a universal problem that has an impact on all sections of society. We all know that many times, issues in the public spotlight tend to become larger than life, media attention feeds itself until the public loses interest in the issue.

Majority of the Planet Antares vending operators have been satisfied to let their national trade association carry the weight of the health issue burden. Still, they are learning that the issue has a direct affect on their vending business as well.

Last year, vendor associations launched a campaign to provide tools that help operators to address the media at the local level and enable them to participate in legislative initiatives at both the local and state levels.

Additionally, the group support from dieticians who are ready to help Planet Antares vending operators work with legislators and other public officials on the behalf of the industry can help in dealing with this issue.

Vending Machine Rentals For Profitable Vending

2008-12-22T06:25:00.001-08:00

If you want to become a vending business owner but do not have adequate funds for it, there is good news for you.

You can temporarily make use of the vending machine rentals that are available in your area. Vending machine rentals can be found everywhere and the equipment can be rented by anyone who is interested in starting a vending business.

Planet Antares Inc offers some of the best vending programs for your vending machine rental business. It is important that you look up companies that have vending machine rentals. In contrast, you may purchase a vending route from a person selling it for one or the other reason. In that case, they may be looking for someone to lease out their machinery.

You will be in great luck if the individual has Planet Antares vending machines. While renting a vending machine, look for machines that are in good condition and durable. The best choice for you is those offered by reputed companies like Planet Antares Inc.

For offices having long working hours, vending machine rental can be the perfect solution for their hunger and thirst needs. According to their desires or needs, the machines will provide quick fix meals to employees.

Locations such as schools, hospitals, businesses can rent the vending machines as an alternative to hiring a contractor. In this case, the location has to take care of servicing of the vending machine. You can appoint people from the location for this task. All you need to do is find a well reputed vending distributor for acquiring your vending machine rental.

For a successful vending rental, just make sure that you choose the best location and spot for your business. Not all locations are suitable for this. A lot of vending machines are available in the market but finding the right spot for selling products to customers involves strategy. Planet Antares vending program will show you how to make your business profitable in the minimum possible time.

With the help of Planet Antares vending programs, you can control your capital and expand your business. Once you have made a reasonable amount of profit, you can own your own vending machine. Just don’t give up on this dream due to hurdles in the early stage of business.

Vending Machine Confections And Snacks

2008-12-18T06:47:00.001-08:00

The basic determinants of sale of vending machine confections and snacks are the customer desire for convenience and snack variety. There has been a rise in the assortment of snacks offered in vending machines, which has blurred the distinction between snacks and food items. Many times, Planet Antares vending products replace meals as people have no time to sit down in a restaurant for a meal. The demand for vending machines in certain locations was partially due in part to the popularity of “energy”, “breakfast” and “meal replacement” bars.

The dominance of glass front machines remains and has even increased in vending locations. A new trend has been found in the willingness of consumers to pay a higher price for premium products. For Planet Antares vending operators, it is an opportunity to raise the prices of your products without worrying about the customer’s response.

Technology in vending machines has enabled vending machine operators to automatically collect data on vending machine sales. You will find that implementing technology will help your vending business to be more successful. Machine and location specific Planet Antares vending machine sales can help operators to monitor the movement and profitability of products being offered.

Americans love snacks and soda. Vending machines offering these products attract all kinds of customers whether young, old, female or male. This fondness of snacks and confections works in favor of vending mahcine business owners.

Which Is The Best Vending Distributor?

2008-12-09T05:23:00.001-08:00

Success in the vending business requires you to find reliable machines from legitimate vendors. Vending machine distributors are companies which sell vending machines of various kinds.
The vending machine distributor may be a person or a company. They form a link between the vending machine manufacturers and vending operators. A vending machine distributor may offer a variety of services, depending on their size and experience.

In your search for vending machines, look for Planet Antares vending distributors who offer a wide range of machines as well as quality service. This may seem to be an easy task but it is difficult to choose the right vending distributor from the thousands which claim to be the best.

Planet Antares vending distributors recommend the type of vending machines which are best suited for your business aim and requirements. Even though you might not be able to find a good quality vending machine manufacturer in the beginning, vending distributors will help you to find persons having machines - rental, used or new - according to your needs and budget.

Online vendors can also be a good source of information as well as vending machines. Compare various vending distributors and choose the best one. Planet Antares provides you with the best priced, good-quality machine as well as after sale services like repairing, location, shifting, refilling and maintenance of your vending machine.

Preferably, you must find a vending distributor who is in your area or near your city. This will help you to minimize purchasing cost as there will be lower transportation costs as compared to a distributor located in a faraway town. Benefits such as the ability to inspect new machines, visit his office and storage facility and enquire about his experience are other benefits.

Check an online vending distributor’s website for updated information as well as contact information. Try to contact them through the email or phone number given on their website. You must also read customer reviews about the vending machines used by them and find out about previous client’s experience through their contact info or forums, as provided.

Don’t forget to check the references to verify the reliability and reputation of the vending distributor before settling on any one.

What Is Meant By Quality Vending Services?

2008-12-03T03:54:00.000-08:00

For any vending business, it is imperative to provide quality vending machine services so that the clients or the locations that you are providing for is not lacking in any way. Planet Antares vending operators would also like their snack and beverage vending machines to be installed in particular locations.

Business offices, colleges, schools, hospitals and other kinds of locations usually need vending machines in their premises. The locations will have to be acquired for your Planet Antares vending machines and require regular servicing too.

Common functions of vending operators include cleaning, maintaining and refilling of vending machines. You will also have to collect money from the machines, the time of servicing depending on the number of vending machines and the type of vending machines. Usually, the location owner provides the location for vending machines without servicing the vending machines. This is the responsibilty of the vending operator only.

In case of inadequate or unsuitable maintenance, the location owners may become disappointed with your services. They may even ask you to remove the vending machines. This means that you may end up losing your business and your company name will also be tainted. Hence, it is essential to provide quality vending services.

One company that provides reliable vending machines is Planet Antares Inc. These will never let you down because you will hardly ever experience any downtime. Downtime is equal to loss of sales. As a vending operator, you must practice preventive maintenance on the vending machines to keep them functioning at all times.

Another important function is refilling of the machines. Keep track of the stock levels in the vending machines in different locations, so that you can know when you will need to refill the vending machine. Work out a schedule for it and make sure that the vending machine never runs out of a particular item.

Workings of Vending Machine Dispensers

2008-11-27T04:42:00.000-08:00

It is common knowledge that a vending machine is incomplete without a dispenser. As a Planet Antares vending operator, you will be aware of this fact. Basically, this is an essential component that dispenses the products selected by the consumer. To operate the vending machines, the customers insert coins or other form of currency.

Different vending machines and locations require dispensers for effective functioning. Most of them are in automated form that dispenses diverse kinds of products like snacks, hot and cold beverages, tissues, cigarettes, water, digital items, etc. Planet Antares vending machines usually dispense toys, candy, snacks and beverages being dispensed.

In order to purchase the right vending equipment, you need to keep several factors in mind. These include customer requirements, business goals, budget and quality of features like dispenser, coin acceptors, security system, etc.

You may go for vending equipment with cashless technology that allows customers to pay by way of credit or debit card. This allows you to attract more customers to use your vending machines for desired products as they don’t have to look for change to buy them.

Here are a few things to be kept in mind while purchasing vending machines with dispensers.

 Generally, vending machine dispensers dispense fluids or beverages. With the help of features like “peristaltic pumps”, these are able to dispense fixed and accurate level of liquids. Reputable vending companies like Planet Antares Inc offer vending machines that incorporate this feature.

 Vending machines with dispensers are very easy to fill and simple to operate. A push button mechanism that is user friendly and highly effective enables you to operate the machine in a hassle-free manner.

 Another feature of dispensers is the level indicator window that allows you to check whether the dispenser requires refilling or there is adequate amount of vending product in the machine.

Planet Antares vending machines dispense high quality, branded snacks and beverages without any issues like stuck products or frequent malfunctioning. The dispensing procedure will be completed in minimum possible time and customers will prefer using your vending machine to going to the local store. So, it is imperative to invest in a vending machine with reliable dispensers.

The Truth About Mechanical Vending Machines

2008-11-21T03:45:00.001-08:00

It is quite difficult for a vending operator with a small vending machine business and inappropriate equipment to achieve success from mechanical vending machines. Planet Antares vending machines can ensure a successful vending business for you.

With Planet Antares vending programs, you can generate substantial business income by investing in a few machines or a large number of machines. Hence, it is crucial to invest in the right kind of vending machines.

Buying Planet Antares mechanised vending machines is a good idea. These are low cost and easy to maintain, when it comes to the vending products. These sort of mechanical vending machines are known to be the most reasonably priced vending machines in the industry.

Each vending section in a mechanized vending machine has a separate coin mechanism. So, if one coin mechanism gets jammed, the other selections will still operate. This is possible through the turning of the coin mechanism handle.

Change can be dispensed through a side mount dollar bill changer. For smaller accounts with less than 75 employees as they have lesser capacity and are more compact. Refrigeration is carried out via usage of power and electricity. It is simple to troubleshoot and repair these machines.

High capacity vending machines like those offered by Planet Antares Inc enable you to make lesser trips to the locations for refilling and servicing. Refreshment Centers are capable of vending snacks, candy, soda, bottled juices and change for dollar bills.

Being user friendly, Planet Antares mechanical vending machines provide great benefits to the vending operators. This is essential for customers as no one wants to spend more time than necessary to figure out the workings of the machine.

Uniform DEX Standards For Effective Vending

2008-11-14T05:54:00.000-08:00

In the current vending industry, vending operators are ready to blame the equipment manufacturers for not doing enough to standardize their DEX hardware and software. Certain people believe that the manufacturers did not adopt a set of standards and these are too broad.

Amongst others, 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. During their first attempt with utilization of DEX, some of the operators have had problems.

In certain cases, the DEX standards have been too broad. Out of these, 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. There is risk of extra cost in excessive standardization without providing any additional benefits.
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.

In itself, this 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, 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

Deriving Product Mix For Planet Antares Vending Machines

2008-11-07T03:49:00.000-08:00

Planet Antares Inc attaches great value to determining and providing the best product mix for vending business. If some employees are responsible for filling of the vending machines, make sure that they place the right products in every vending machine.

In the meantime, you must rotate the products frequently to offer a large variety to the consumers. To accomplish all this, category management is a must!

Basically, this is a system that simplifies product selection at the route and warehouse levels and also enables you to control the machine menu. Certain products will only turn quarterly and this costs the company in terms of tying up the warehouse space. Experienced vending companies like Planet Antares Inc will always recommend category management to you.

On the other hand, several vending operators hesitate in using category management because it needs a different way of selecting products from the traditional practice. The problem with the conventional product selection based on the prejudices of the owner or route driver is that it is costing the operators more in sales and profits.

Using category management allows you to enjoy certain benefits, such as:

1. Higher profitability resulting in increased location sales
2. Lesser cash investment in inventory from a reduced number of stock keeping units in the warehouse
3. Greater labor efficiency and higher productivity

Go for the fastest turning products and you will witness a huge improvement in the level of sales for your Planet Antares vending business. As the inventory level reduces, so will the amount of investment in fewer but faster turning products.

Planet Antares Inc Offers Contactless Payment Solutions

2008-10-30T02:41:00.001-07:00

Nowadays, cashless transactions are gaining traction in the vending industry. Most vending operators agree that the next level of convenience has come in the form of contactless cashless payment technology.

In such a scenario, purchase transactions are conducted with the wave or tap of a plastic card, flexible tag, mini card or key chain fob, but not the swipe of a magnetic stripe. Such a process involves exchange of transactional data through contactless linkage with a specially designed radio frequency equipped device.

In reality, the transmission and receipt of radio signals that occur between a contactless credit card and radio frequency identification (RFID) enabled vending machine reader can enhance sales by boosting transaction speed as well as customer satisfaction.

Such mode of payment is targeted at traditional cash only merchant locations where fast customers become essential. These are places like quick service restaurants, vending machines and gas stations.

It has been noticed by many studies and vendors in general that consumer habits are changing in of favor cashless payments. Buyers can wave more and swipe less. As an account holder, all you have to do is simply wave or tap payment media near or on the reader mounted on the vending machine and the transaction will be automatically initiated and accomplished.

Planet Antares Inc is always looking for ways to improve your machine services so that your revenues can increase. Contactless technology is one way to achieve this since it can contribute to enhancing consumers’ perception of vending.

Using a contactless transaction, the vending consumer will enjoy faster transaction speeds. On the other hand, the vending operator will have the luxury of reduced cash management and increased average purchases, which is usually reported at 15 to 20 percent.

All in all, cashless transactions have positively influenced speed and convenience in vending machines. Contactless technology can take your Planet Antares vending business to the next level.

Vending Machine Rentals For Budgeted Vending

2008-10-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

If you are one of those who don’t have enough money to buy new vending machines, don’t get discouraged. You can still start a vending machine business. Instead of buying new vending machines, you can opt for rented machines to help you earn ample returns too.

Entering the vending industry becomes possible with rented vending machines. You can go for a variety of vending products like toys, candy, snacks and even digital products.

Certain vending machines may have coin operated mechanisms for payment of dispensed items while others have electronic payments systems too. Higher the number of payment alternatives for customers, higher will be the level of sales of the vending machines. These may be smart cards, credit cards or debit cards. Usually, startups are provided with vending machines on rent by the reputed vending companies like Planet Antares Inc.

This way, you can obtain vending machines through an inexpensive channel and get updated information about product sales pattern and new innovations. Sales can be increased through rentals and wastage of money reduced. You can easily place the right products at the right location.

It is essential to read the service contract and ask for clarification of any terms and conditions. Once you get the vending equipment, place it strategically for maximum customer access and sales.

Best locations include business offices, convenience stores, lunchrooms and restrooms, recreation areas, etc. Just look for busy places where a large number of people are waiting or visiting frequently. Keep your target audience in mind while selecting the location for different vending machines.

Planet Antares vending machines can be rented by any and every sort of business. No matter what you do, be it running a convenience store or office for employees. If you want to expand your business, purchase a few more machines and maximize business profitability.

Rent a vending machine from a reputable vending machine company like Planet Antares Inc only after checking it for the condition of important features and the vendor’s experience. A broken vending machine or one with malfunctioning parts should be avoided.

Your vending machine purchase decision will have a serious impact on your vending business and can eventually; help you procure a substantial market share as a vending machine operator.

Using Technology In Planet Antares Vending

2008-10-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

Even today, many vending operators continue to struggle with low work site populations. Some of them have found emerging technology to provide new ways to operate more profitably.

Often, reputable and experienced vending machine companies like Planet Antares Inc have been at a disadvantage while competing with newcomers who are tech-savvy and equipped with high-end computer systems that allow faster and more accurate accountability of machine and route operations.

You cannot deny the fact that higher start-up costs are involved in advances in vending specific software but in the long run, this will pay off in a more efficient operation of the vending business.

Cashless vending solutions are one of the most important benefits of intelligent vending. It is believed by certain vending industry observers that cashless vending will drive intelligent vending. This in turn, will lead Planet Antares vending operators to discover the other advantgaes of telemetry such as polling line item sales and machine malfunctions from a remote computer.

Another major advantage of intelligent vending is remote data polling. As technology advances, vending operators using either of these will not necessarily use both. On the whole, vendors are evenly distributed on which of these key areas are to be focused on. Till now, not a lot of them are expanding from one area of concentration into the other.

Planet Antares vending operators can gain greater financial benefits with the help of these advances. As a result, you can face and even outperform your competitors. No longer will you have to compete with the new comers in the industry who are using this technology already.

Planet Antares Vending Machines At High End Locations

2008-09-25T06:35:00.000-07:00

If you thought finding good vending machines and right products is a big deal, wait till you have to start hunting for locations. That’s when your business prowess and vending business decisions play a major role.

Planet Antares Inc offers fantastic vending programs for newcomers as well as existing vending operators. You get to choose from a variety of vending machine models. These come in different sizes, shapes and colors. For small spaces, there are bulk vending machines. You can even mount them on the wall to save the floor space. The most popular Planet Antares vending machines are the large soda and snack vending machines.

After selecting the required kind of vending machines, you need to get ready to place them at strategic locations. You can’t just put the machines at any facility that agrees to keep your machines. Also, get ready to face a few rejections. This is a part of every vending business and should be treated as a lesson for future.

To save your time and effort, you can go for Planet Antares locator service. This involves professional help for searching and acquiring good locations for your vending machines. of course, it is best if you accompany the locator and learn the tricks of convincing and negotiating with the location owner.

If this idea seems a bit expensive to you, you can locate the vending machines on your own. However, that will require a lot of input in terms of time, money and effort from you. When you have other priorities to serve, its best to find a locator service and use it to your advantage.

Usually, you won’t take much time in finding suitable locations for your Planet Antares vending machines. These are known for their reliability and customer-friendly operations. In fact, their soda and snack vending machines can be placed within no time if you go about it in the right way!

As you look for locations, chip in your ideas too. Too much dependence on the locator alone is not a good practice. You are the business owner and nobody knows better than its requirements. Planet Antares locators are courteous and helpful but they understand and appreciate your participation in the locating process.

The Real Meaning Of Good Vending Service

2008-09-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

For smooth operations and consistent customer service, vending machines need regular servicing so that they are able to satisfy customer requirements continuously. However, many operators service their vending machines only after it becomes 30% depleted or sold out one or more products.

It’s not right to wait till the machine becomes empty to keep the servicing costs low. You can provide good service even without excessive trips to vending locations for servicing the vending machines. Here are a few strategies to make such efficiency possible:

Increase the amount of the best selling products in your Planet Antares vending machine. Double up two or three such items that are rapidly selling out and on “space to sales” soda vending machines, give greater space to bestsellers.
Monitor the sell outs for the next few weeks so that you are able to recognize the products to be eliminated.
Try to reschedule the Planet Antares vending machine for a 40-50% depletion level. This requires scheduling it for service at a 30-60% longer interval.

If you have mechanical vending equipment or lesser time and technical know-how for gathering these metrics, you can allow the route drivers to collect the data and make him prepare the service tickets. Such a ticket should include answers to:

How empty is the vending machine?
Which products are selling best and the number of columns allocated to each?
How many products have been sold out already?

The drivers should concentrate on this information and strive for better servicing.
The manual route scheduling process can be automated with the help of software and latest technology. Such investment will enable higher efficiency and accurate results.

Two important types of vending route scheduling technology include the following:
Dynamic scheduling
It allows you to automate the delivery schedule each day on the basis of several parameters like sell outs, number of days since last service and percent depletion. With dynamic scheduling, you can save company resources, driver’s time and fuel costs by avoiding any trips to locations that don’t require servicing of vending machines.

Remote monitoring
This system enables monitoring of real-time sales data. You will require other technology such as DEX, handheld, etc to remotely enable the machines. Servicing of vending machines in distant locations can be scheduled according to the information available.

Planet Antares Vending IQ: Importance Of Product Flexibility

2008-09-08T03:18:00.000-07:00

The best thing about being a vending business owner is that you can be in complete control of your actions. All the decisions are under your power and you get to choose the kind of vending machines, products or locations that will be suitable for your business.

Start by looking for good quality vending machines from a reliable company like Planet Antares. This will help in ensuring effective business operations, sales and overall performance. After purchasing or renting the vending equipment from a reputable source, it’s time to pick branded products for filling up the vending machines.

This can be done through various alternatives like choosing a wholesaler for providing vending products or going for bulk purchases from the vending machine company. Planet Antares vending operators can place popular items in their vending machines. As per your budget, you can opt for a specific range of products or offer a combination of two or more items that are in demand.

A national survey indicates that personal preferences for cold drinks are classified as follows:
• Coke – 38.6%
• Pepsi – 27.4%
• Others – 34%

Such percentages indicate that the best combination will be to keep various products in your vending machines. A single product will result in your missing out on other high selling products. When you offer a diverse range of beverages, customers will keep coming back for more and as a result, increase your business sales. Branded cold drinks will definitely sell more and also have the benefit of being durable, fresh and superior in quality to any local items.

It is imperative to check the check the merchandise for quality and freshness before making any purchases. Make sure that there are no expired products in your vending machines. Your customer’s health may be badly affected along with your business image.

Another determining factor for the success of your Planet Antares vending machines is the locations chosen for keeping them. This also has an impact on the flexibility enjoyed by you in stocking vending products of diverse kinds. Thus, you need to match the location with the products to be sold so that the target customers can get easy access to desired products and you can maximize sales.

Vending Business Details: Knowing The Ins And Outs

2008-08-27T09:32:00.000-07:00

It is not a tough task to start and run a vending machine business. If you know its basics, operating a vending business can be a very lucrative investment. To get a better insight into the fine print of vending business, you must analyze its various aspects carefully.

Before selecting a vending machine, you need to know the product which has to be sold to end customers. These may vary from small items like toys or candy to large products like snacks, beverages, stationary or even digital products. Research the products that sell best in a particular location and buy the vending machines accordingly. For example: snack and beverage vending machines are suitable for offices, hotels and airports while candy vending machines are suitable for primary schools, doctor clinics and children parks.

As it is, location is a key component for the success of your vending machine business. Look for the best, most visited places where a lot of people are there. Common vending locations include hotels, restaurants, offices, supermarkets, malls and airports. Explore potential locations for placing your vending machines and try to find untapped locations for installing your vending equipment.

You will need to buy vending machines to become an operator. These may be new, used or rented from a reputable vending machine company like Planet Antares Inc. Pick the best deal according to your business goals and budget. Make sure that the company offers a guarantee on the chosen machines for refund in case of errors or problems in the equipment.
Internet can also be used to benefit from special offers, discounts and great deals on both new and old machines. You can also learn about the vending business through online portals and forums.

Verify the working condition of the features of a vending machine. The coin acceptor, currency detector and product dispenser must be in good working condition. Test the technical support staff of the vending machine supplier before you actually purchase the equipment.
Basically, metal machines are more durable than plastic ones. It is also easier to repair them and prevent wear and tear due to stronger parts. Place good quality machines in accessible, high traffic areas where the target customers can purchase the dispensed product.

Exponential Returns From Planet Antares Vending Machines

2008-08-26T06:21:00.000-07:00

Have you been longing to become the owner of a profitable, home based business? Even as entrepreneurship rises among common people, studies have shown that 80% of all new enterprises fail within the first year of establishment. Beginners should be very careful about gaining considerable business knowledge and plan according to their business objectives.

With availability of greater variety of resources to guide you towards effective business planning and operations, it has become much easier to start your own vending business. In case of vending, the startup cost is exceptionally low. This is an extra advantage for people who want to be their own boss without investing too much money.

Most people hesitate to start their own business due to the overwhelming cost of operations. The additional renting, advertising, utility costs may prove to be a great burden and result in excessive overheads and business failure.

Becoming the owner of Planet Antares vending machines gives freedom to new businesses from usual costs. While the investment is low, you can earn extraordinarily high profits. Vending products like candy and gumball may cost about $30-$40 for a triple head vending machine. When you collect money from it, the revenue may be upto $300.

If you are unwilling to invest in a full time vending business, you can opt for a passive income generating venture. While the vending machine earns money, you are free to spend time with your family, work on another job or go for a vacation. Once the vending machines are located, the business returns start coming in!

After analyzing your personal needs and ability to run a vending business, it’s time to purchase equipment and products for customer satisfaction and business profitability. Find and compare reliable vending machine providers like Planet Antares Inc for quality of machines, features and price.

Next comes placing the Planet Antares vending machines at good locations with high customer traffic and easy accessibility. This can be done on your own or by hiring professional locators. However, you must see how the locator decides which locations are best for different kinds of vending machines. Learn strategies for future expansion of vending route. Also, make sure that there is a written agreement with the locator to enable high quality of services.

Many people assume that becoming a vending business entrepreneur is just about earning more money and being free of restrictions inherent in a job. In reality, you need to be even more professional and responsible to make your business successful. If you have the right attitude and capability, vending is a great way to earn enormous revenue.

Understanding Planogram Design In Planet Antares Vending Machines

2008-08-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

Basically, category management is a system designed to enable you to take advantage of market research in selection of products for your Planet Antares vending machines. There are three main steps for designing a planogram and consist the following:

a) Identification of product categories
b) Space allocation to each category
c) Deciding on specific products for each category

The categories must be identified and grouped into smaller categories. The lesser the number of categories, the easier will be the process of designing a planogram. Still, the more the number of categories you identify, more will be the variety in planogram.

You will also need to allocate space in the Planet Antares vending machine. a minimum of one facing should be available for every category. The number of facings will depend on the category sales and how the products fit into the shelf.

An important but difficult task is product selection. This needs consideration of:

Core products

These are items that sell consistently in all machines and represent 20% of the total product mix.

Cycle products

These are filled in each machine during the menu cycle but changed between such cycles. Majority of the products constitute cycle products.

Choice products

These are items that can be provided for a particular location to meet specific requirements. These are usually less than 20% of the product selection.

Separate planograms are created by certain vending operators for different accounts according to their nature. As it is, a planogram allows you to control the products to be included in the vending machine. Otherwise, there will be no efficiency in operations as drivers will use personal preferences to save time.

Latest In Planet Antares Vending: Milk Dispensing

2008-08-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

In recent times, there has been an emergence of a new alternative for soda vending machines, particularly milk. As more and more people go for healthier food items, the soda vending industry has launched new products like juices and milk to face this challenge. No doubt, this has been a smart move with respect to the rise in consumer demand and new regulations for healthy vending products in schools.

In fact, milk vending machines began as part of the food vending industry. Later, it has moved on to become a part of the soda vending industry. Now, many of the vending machines include different beverages along with milk. As a Planet Antares vending operator, you will benefit greatly by adding milk to the range of products offered by your vending machines.

Most of the locations prefer milk vending machines over the conventional soda vending products. With such a trend, almost 40% of the total vending machine operators in the United States offer milk items. Not only schools and colleges but even factories, c-stores and industry locations form a significant part of the milk vending market.

You must create a balanced product mix of the traditional soda items and the milk items. While some operators can switch to milk vending completely, others can maximize profits by effective combination of traditional beverages and milk. With time, new milk products have been designed for soda vending machines. You can pick from a variety of milk flavors and packaging to stock your vending machines.

Good vending companies like Planet Antares Inc are observing this trend and utilizing it for their advantage by providing new milk products along with the existing range of braded products to the vending machine operators at affordable prices.

Overall, there has been a rise of 900 million units in the sale of milk units in the past year. As more and more people take part in this relatively unexplored market, you can gain rewards from milk vending like never before. There is great potential for growth and development. In secondary schools, milk vending machines have still not been used much. Thus, it is an untapped location for newcomers in this field.

Contrary to popular belief, healthier food and soda options are not a challenge for the vending industry, rather, it is an opportunity that allows scope for growth in new areas and gives a chance to vending operators to aim for even higher levels of profitability.

The Role Of Software In Successful Vending

2008-08-05T07:39:00.000-07:00

If conducted properly, wireless transmission of data can enable a Planet Antares vending operator to solve most of the problems faced in the course of vending operations. Moreover, the operator gets to enjoy all the benefits that come with the use of software.

Planet Antares vending machines that are equipped with an automatic transmitting device make it possible to reap the benefits of dynamic scheduling as the operator comes to know instantly when a machine is out of order. However, real time transmission of data is not essential for operators and suppliers to gain advantage of recording and reporting brand preference analysis, by individual machine.

Changes in individual consumer brand preferences take place over a long period of time. Thus, the brand preference data obtained from a Planet Antares vending machine through a handheld computer when the machine is being filled and later downloaded into a host computer is a valuable resource of your business.

With the help of this software system, a driver won’t have to make repeated trips to the Planet Antares vending machines. This leads to vending operators feeling that the system meets their needs when it comes to effective vending operations.

In many ways, the office functions of Planet Antares vending operators have been improved with the help of software. These benefits include:

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) Management can directly impact the level of sales at each Antares machine by using cost effective brand preference analysis reports.

One of the biggest problems with existing accountability reports are errors caused by counting or writing errors on the part of the driver. With this system, human intervention is deleted and reports are available in real time, usually by the next business day so that they can be acted upon in timely manner.

Brand analysis by Planet Antares vending machines is primarily conducted to increase sales and thus gives you an opportunity to improve profits for your Planet Antares vending business.

Why You Should Opt For Planet Antares Vending

2008-07-31T01:19:00.000-07:00

Instant cash flow
When you install your Planet Antares vending machines in effective locations, you will start earning income almost instantly. Most of the new businesses fail due to lack of cash flow in the beginning. On the contrary, vending cash flow starts from the first day itself.

All cash business
There are very few other business opportunities that are all cash. Your Planet Antares vending business is all cash so you will not need to worry about any bad debts.

24X7 business operations
No matter what time of the day or week, your Planet Antares vending machine will work for you all day and night. This is what is called passive income. The machines work without taking any breaks of any kind. All that you need to do is collect cash at regular intervals.

High return on investment
The aim of making an investment is to earn money. The profit margins in snack and beverage vending machines are substantial and the returns found din the vending business cannot be seen in any other business.

Tax deductions
If you are still in a 20%-30% tax bracket, your chances of increasing your profits are incredible. When you start your Planet Antares vending business, you put money in equipment which is tax deductible. Other expenses can also be deducted and one should take advantage of all deductions in operating your own business.

Full fledged business
If you are tired of working in a regular job, start your own Planet Antares vending business. This can be done on a part-time basis initially and then taken to a full scale venture as it grows. When your income meets or exceeds what you are currently earning, you may consider being your own boss.

Wealth creation
Many people have found the path to financial freedom with the help of Planet Antares vending programs. This has allowed them to control their money and future.

Use Of Global Positioning System In Planet Antares Vending Machines

2008-07-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

With technological advancements, vending operators have started investing in new technologies such as cashless vending or state of the art vending equipment. Still others are investing in satellite based fleet monitoring, known as Global Positioning System. When setting up a Planet Antares vending business, you can decide to make use of any of these new technologies.

GPS technology is beneficial as it provides up to date information on driver and vehicle activity such as service stops and variations in routes. If you are considering a GPS system for your Planet Antares vending business, you need to carry out research on providers to know whether it is worth investing in.

Two main types of GPS systems include:
a) active system
b) passive system

In the active system, data is submitted through cellular telemetry to the main office or a website where the subscribing company can view its fleet activity in real time.

In the passive system, the data is stored for retrieval and uploaded to the main fleet computer after the vehicle returns from the vending route trip. There is also a two way tracking system that utilizes low orbit satellites and allows communication between drivers and managers.

GPS can contribute to saving of fuel for your Planet Antares vending business by monitoring the company vehicle movement to make sure that it is not being misused. It will also allow more efficient routing by letting the managers to know how fast the vehicle is traveling so that no fuel is wasted on excessive speeding.

Some of the benefits of this system include:
• Faster response time
• Improved customer relations
• Better employee accountability
• Lower vehicle wear and tear

Apart from these, there are many other benefits as well.
However, the upfront cost for investing in the GPS system is very high. It is worth investing in for your Planet Antares vending business and you can ensure that customer needs are served in a timely manner.

This technology will be very efficient for your Planet Antares vending business and if you are willing to invest in it, your vending business will reap great benefits in the long run.

Planet Antares Vending And Financial Management

2008-07-09T06:28:00.000-07:00

With rising costs and new accounts still hard to find, it is essential for vending operators to focus on financial management. Usually, small vending operators don’t pat attention to this aspect of vending business. They believe that if they are covering their costs and making a reasonable profit, they are doing well.

Changes in business conditions can be unexpected and a Planet Antares vending operator who doesn’t have good financial benchmarks is at risk of not grasping the impact of the changing conditions. As a Planet Antares vending operator, you need to understand that keeping a business in good financial health requires staying regularly on top of several factors.

Majority of the companies have a profit and loss (P&L) statement, which measures the profitability of the company. This is the method of measuring profitability for some Planet Antares vending companies. It starts with the company’s gross sales for a limited period of time, and then shows all of the operating costs, including product costs. Next, the operating costs are subtracted from the gross sales, giving the net profit for the business.

Fortunately, there is a set of industry averages in the National Automatic Merchandising Association’s Operating Ratio Report. This report is conducted annually and is designed to offer comprehensive guidelines for analyzing profitability. The report includes key financial ratios in managing a vending business. The basic elements of financial management in any business are financial operating ratios.

After reviewing the financial ratios, you will get a clear picture about your financial position in a specific year. It is important to pay attention to these fundamentals so that you can meet all your expenses. To run your Planet Antares vending business successfully, you will need to ensure that financial management is being done in a proper manner.

It is your monetary position that will determine your ability to invest in vending machines, products and services. When you want to start your own vending business or have an existing vending company, make sure that it is financially sound and is able to generate high revenue and meet all expenses without hassles.

What Is Planet Antares Quality Vending Service

2008-06-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

Planet Antares Tips For Protecting Your Trucks And Drivers

2008-06-09T00:30:00.000-07:00

There is no sure shot system for protecting trucks and drivers from theft and vandalism, vehicle break-ins and high jacking. However, measures can be taken to cut down on the chances of such events and provision of a reasonable amount of safety to the driver and inventory.

In your Planet Antares vending business, a driver security plan will include a combination of tools, such as alarms, door lock hardware, as well as procedures for communications and security awareness.

It is not easy to measure the relationship between training personnel of your Planet Antares vending business in the area of security procedures and the benefits that result from this training. However, many robbery incidents occur due to improper conduct of drivers and not following safety awareness practices. The only way to ensure safety is training.

Usually, the Planet Antares vending route driver has a truck that is visually identified as a service vehicle. The truck usually contains cash and merchandise. The driver has to be always alert to the surroundings, whether making a service stop or when driving.

It is best to begin the route in the early morning, when there are fewer motorists on the road. Often, drivers have to driver through questionable neighborhoods, hence they must exercise caution at all times and not allow concerns outside the job to distract them. A vending business vehicle may become a potential target for crime with its “vending services” sign. So, you can go fro a different name for the sign.

You should plan alternative routes as well as the delivery schedule in advance for your Planet Antares vending business. Make sure that the same driver is not present at the same place every day. They should make a mental note of road side emergency phones, where the nearest police station and hospitals are located. In case they are being followed, this can be precious information.

Don’t wait for a situation to occur before determining a course of action for the same. Planning must involve procedures to deal with both routine contingencies and major problems. For your Planet Antares vending business, you can print instructions on steps to follow in case of robbery, and post these on the vehicle dashboard as a constant reminder of the policies and procedures to be followed by the drivers.

Low-carb Items For Planet Antares Vending Machines

2008-06-04T02:38:00.000-07:00

One of the basic challenges facing Planet Antares vending operators as well as other operators is being on the edge of trends. In the 90s, operators faced this challenge when low fat products seemed to takeover the market. In response, many vending operators stocked vending machines with low fat foods only to find that they remained untouched when they went back to collect cash.

According to the market research firm ACNielsen, more than 17% of U.S. households include someone on a low-carb diet. Now, you must be wondering if this is just another flash in the pan food fad that you shouldn’t waste a slot on, or is it a wave of profits that operators need to ride.
The most extreme low carb diet is the Atkins diet, which tells followers that they may eat liberal amounts of bacon, eggs, cream and other high fat products. The south beach diet also touts the benefits of a low carb lifestyle.

Actually, this trend has a large following, so placing low carb products in your Planet Antares vending machines can generate good sales for your vending business as well as enhance profits. By doing this, you will be catering to this growing segment of diet group.

Even the soda giant Coca Cola has a low carb product, which is known as Coca Cola C2. this includes half the carbs of regular cola. Pepsi Cola has introduced the Pepsi Edge with 50% lower carbs than the conventional drink.

Undoubtedly, the consumers are demanding low carb items in vending machines. A survey that was conducted recently showed that over 60% of vending customers are looking for low-carb products. This is a great opportunity for you to earn substantial profits and needs to be considered for your Planet Antares vending business.

As a vending operator, you must be aware that diet conscious people will pay a higher price for these products. Instead of focusing on the price, people have started looking for healthy products. You should understand that price is not always the issue that customer considers while making a purchase. You just need to consider the opportunity at hand.

Technology In Planet Antares Club Vending Operations

2008-06-03T05:32:00.001-07:00

Undoubtedly, the potential impact of automatic merchandising on the club industry is extraordinary. The combination of innovative vending machines and club management systems has the power to reduce labor costs and enhance profitability. With Planet Antares Inc, this will become possible.

As technological advancements in automatic merchandising and vending information systems increase, club management needs to consider using vending equipment in unique ways to meet or exceed member expectations and desires. Perhaps, this can be done by allowing cashless vending. Also, stocking signature snack items in machine spirals can be considered in Planet Antares vending machines, at several locations throughout the club. Such vending machines can be placed in a clubhouse, locker room, poolside and other locations with a variety of snacks and beverages.

The customers of your Planet Antares vending machines include club members as well as staff. Using new technology helps in cutting down on the labor cost that is incurred in vending club operations. Usually, clubs have a lot of activities happening at the same time and would need machines like those offered by Planet Antares Inc for snacks and beverages when members are thirsty or in need for a quick snack.

With the use of new technology, the machines will be capable of accepting many forms of cashless payments, communicate with other computing devices, conduct e-commerce and m-commerce transactions and open up new opportunities in advertising and marketing through interactive media services.

A world of networked, cashless, intelligent vending machines is opened with these new technologies. This is the kind of future that companies such as Planet Antares Corporation are looking forward to. The new advanced vending machines are capable of delivering internet content and services anytime and anywhere, in turn enhancing the consumer buying experience greatly.

These changes are taking place in the club vending arena, where vending operations will increasingly be conducted through a secure wireless network. This will include all the club operations.

Tips For Growth Of Your Planet Antares Vending Business

2008-05-27T03:06:00.000-07:00

There is no end to learning and the same goes for information about the vending business. To begin with, you will have to familiarize yourself with the customers, products and Planet Antares vending machines that will be used in your business. Don’t take the plunge before gathering information that prepares you for all sorts of situations.

Learning and operating a business in unfamiliar industry will be a great challenge for you. To have a smoother ride, you can use the Planet Antares vending program, which will start you off on the right foot. In order to finance your venture, ask your bank to provide financial assistance during the beginning as well as growth stages of the business.

Initially, you will probably have to do everything on your own. This will include running a route and taking care of day-to-day tasks such as paying bills, buying supplies of products and tallying the cash receipts. If you have family members, they can help you in running the business. This can really push your growth process to be at a faster pace.

The best part about the Planet Antares vending program is that it will fit a client’s needs as it will help you find out what the client wants so that you can give it to them. Customers will place their trust in you when you do this.

When you get a service call, be ready to respond within the first two hours. Make sure that an “out of service” vending machine does not remain inaccessible for prolonged periods of time. This can go a long way in ensuring your success as a reliable and efficient Planet Antares vending operator.

You can have an edge over the competitors by keeping personal approach in your Planet Antares vending business. It is a good idea to personally visit accounts on a regular basis and respond to customer calls in the office and on the road. Also, being on a first name basis with accounts is helpful. Quality clients, employees and equipment can really make a difference in your vending business experience and growth trend. So, be sure to incorporate all the right elements to make your Planet Antares vending business successful.

Things To Know About Planet Antares Vending Business

2008-05-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

Even though vending may seem to be an easy and boring business with repetitive day to day operations, you cannot allow yourself to remain stagnant in this fast evolving industry. The vending business is highly competitive, so you need to find ways to keep you ahead of the competition.

Some of the things to be kept in mind to prevent falling behind others in the vending marketplace are given below:

1. By having a secured vending machine location, it doesn’t imply that you have a safety net. If you have a Planet Antares vending business, you will need to give your locations the attention and service that they deserve. The trick to successful vending is high customer satisfaction level. This is because it is based on reputation and word of mouth advertising. Make sure that the reputation of your Planet Antares vending business is excellent so that the word of your vending business can be spread. If the clients are not satisfied, a vending business competitor will take over the vending machine location. This will mean a loss of location for you.

2. As a Planet Antares business owner, you must extend your oversight beyond your company office. You must get into the field and get to know individual customers at the locations. This can be done by carrying out periodic location visits. Talking to vending machine users and keeping an eye on vending machine purchasing trends will help you in tailoring of menus and services to specific vending machine locations.

3. As a whole, the vending industry can move forwards by sharing information and vending machine business tips with other vending business owners. This doesn’t mean that all secrets have to be disclosed. It’s benefit will be universal as sharing of information will divulge consumer demands that steer the entire vending industry.

4. You should never slander you vending machine competitors openly. Vending business needs to be operated with mutual respect and fair play. Healthy competition will only foster growth in the vending industry. On the other hand, undermining it will give a bad reputation to the industry.

If you are running a vending business, it is imperative to keep the goal of progress in mind. A static vending machine business will not be able to survive the competition that marks the vending industry at present.

Planet Antares Tips For Gaining Profits From Vending Machine Rental

2008-05-16T12:14:00.000-07:00

For those who are interested in starting a vending business but lack adequate funds, there is still hope. You can temporarily make use of the vending machine rentals that are available in your area. Vending machine rentals can be found everywhere and can be rented by anyone who is interested in starting a vending business.

Planet Antares Inc and many other vending companies offer wonderful programs for your vending machine rental business. It is important that you look up companies that have vending machine rentals. In contrast, you may come across an individual having a vending route who wants to sell it for one or the other reason. In that case, they may be looking for someone to lease out their machinery. You will be in great luck if the individual has Planet Antares vending machines. While renting a vending machine, you will want one that is in good condition and is durable. The best choice for you is those offered by reputed companies like Planet Antares Inc.

For offices having long working hours, vending machine rental can be the perfect solution for their hunger and thirst needs, the machines will provide quick fix meals to employees as and when required.

Locations such as schools, hospitals, businesses can rent the vending machines as an alternative to hiring a contractor. The only difference is that the location has to take care of servicing of the vending machine. You can appoint people from the location for this task. Just make sure that you need to go in for a well reputed vending distributor for acquiring your vending machine rental.

The key to successful vending rental is selecting the best location and spot for your business. Not all locations are suitable for this. A lot of vending machines are available in the market but finding the right spot for selling products to customers involves strategy. Planet Antares vending program will show you how to make your business profitable in the minimum possible time.

You will get the power to control your capital and expand your business with a carefully selected vending program. Once you have made a reasonable amount of profit, you can own your own vending machine. Just don’t give up on this dream due to hurdles in the early stage of business. Start off with a vending machine rental and soon you will be on the way to vending success!

Planet Antares Tips - The Best Way To Start A Vending Business

2008-05-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

If you want to know more about the vending industry, the best place to look for it would be the internet. There is a wealth of information about vending machines and vending routes available on the Web. It is a relatively easy business to enter and just requires you to make a substantial investment. Often, vending companies have payment plans available and you can opt for leasing the equipment that you need. One reliable vending company that has created a good reputation over the years is Planet Antares Inc.

Many people have also started vending businesses by purchasing an established vending route. This is a great way of starting a vending business because there would not be so much work involved in getting the vending business up and running. All that would be needed is to pick up where the previous vendor left off. There would be no need to look around for location and suppliers.

Information about vending machines routes for sale can be obtained from distributors who will tell you about routes where machines are already placed in strategic locations. If you can find an existing Planet Antares vending route, it would mean that the vending operator was using Planet Antares vending machines as well as excellent vending program. It won’t really be tough to find success with such a business especially if the previous owner was already doing it efficiently.

Accurate prediction of the amount of money that can be generated from a vending business is not possible. The success or the failure of a vending business will depend on the location of vending equipment and the products sold through it. Starting a vending business from scratch may be more beneficial than purchasing an established vending route.

While starting as a Planet Antares vending operator, you need to abide by state rules regarding vending. A business license would be required and you will also have to keep accurate financial records for tax purposes. You need to remember that when you have acquired a location, the location owner will have to be paid a commission out of your profits.

Also, you need to be sure about the products to be sold through your vending machines. There is no point in investing money in vending equipment that will not generate profits in your area. Generally, snack and beverage vending machines do well in all kinds of locations. This makes them a safe bet for any vending operator.

Vending Basics: Mid Market Accounts

2008-05-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

With the increasing costs, many Planet Antares vending operators have been forced to avoid locations with lesser than 100 people. One segment of this market, the honor box customer, continues to hold on. Still, as product and labor costs have risen in the recent years, even honor snack operators have begun exploring new business avenues.

One of the most obvious opportunities has been that of the ‘mid market’ accounts. This implies locations that are too small for traditional vending machines but larger than 10 to 50 person accounts that honor box operators traditionally cater to. As a Planet Antares vending operator, you can take an interest in this underserved market.

In the meantime, the honor snack market continues to be the exclusive domain of a small group of operators who have learned to survive the demands of 30 percent product shrinkage, 30 percent annual account turnover, high employee turnover and almost no means of product accountability.

Certain vending operators don’t see vending as a threat to any of honor box accounts. No vending company is interested in an account with just 18 employees. Majority of the honor box accounts have less than 50 employees. One of the keys to the honor snack business is the high account volume.

If an honor snack box is unable to fully meet the needs of an account, then you can place multiple boxes at a location. Additionally, you can call up a Planet Antares vending company to take over an account with about 80 people that want snack machines and soda machines. The owner of the honor box may be trying to diversify his business to meet the growing demands and requirements of midsize accounts.

A person who operates an honor snack business can also operate a vending route. Commonly, there is a need of vending when an account gets too big for an honor snack box, or maybe the shortages are too much to economically carry on with the boxes.

It is not easy to make a leap from an honor box to a Planet Antares glass front vending machine. There is urgent need to address the midsize accounts. Something has to be done to enable quick service of vending machines at small locations. A driver has to service 50 or more machines a day. All this indicates that there is an un-served midsized market out there which can be utilized to the advantage of a vending business.

Use Of American Currency In Vending Machines

2008-05-05T06:05:00.000-07:00

It is quite easy and simple to use the American money system. It is based on the dollar, on which all cash and coins are dependent. Coins are a part of one dollar, such as a quarter and dime. The most frequently used bills in Planet Antares vending machines are twenty, ten, five and one.
Each type of coin is defined by a particular size and design. The same applies to paper bills also. All vending machines accept coins and paper money. When the money is placed in the Planet Antares vending machine, it will read the money to determine the amount and then dispense the item accordingly.

If there is any change, the machine will return it. This is one of the reasons for preference of vending machines by customers. It is quite convenient. Planet Antares vending machines also have changer machines so that they can change the dollar bills for you, whenever necessary. It will be mounted next to the vending machine so that if anyone wants to use the vending machine and are in need of change they can use the changer machine.

Many times, people have tried to insert dollar bills half way and then pull out after the machine has read the dollar bill. Moreover, they try to get back the coins that they have inserted. These are just a few of the many tricks used by people to cheat vending machines.

One of the most useful coins is the quarter. Students, especially, should save these to be used in vending machines. Apart from coin operated vending machines, many vending machines will take small bills, such as ones, fives, and tens but the change that you will get back will all be in coins only.

With technological developments, more and more people are using credit cards for buying vending machine products. These are easy and safe to use. In future, they are expected to become even more popular.

Attitude Of Customers Towards Vending Machine Products

2008-05-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

With the enhanced variety and technical innovations, automatic merchandising industry has established a better image in the eyes of the consumers. Many of the Planet Antares vending operators are grateful for this progress but they would still like to see the reputation of the vending industry improve more.

By generating more confidence in the public regarding the value of money provided by Planet Antares vending machines, they will be able to charge higher prices and thus be in an advantageous position to maintain the highest level of service.

A lot of vending operators complain that customers still do not understand them. This needs to be improved upon. Many of them agree that a lot needs to be done to uplift the image of the vending industry. When it comes to buying products from a vending machine, customers have a different set of expectations. Almost half of them believe that as compared to vending machines, the retail prices in c-stores are lower. Of course, this is not true.

A number of customer hold vending products in low regard. They consider mobile catering food to be higher than vended food. It is a challenge for the vending industry to change this viewpoint in their favor.

The automatic merchandising industry doesn’t have the experience in image building and has not yet utilized the public relations as a tool for change. Planet Antares vending operators are equipped with the essential information on dealing with questions posed about potentially tricky or difficult issues, such as food contamination.

With time, the public that does not believe in purchasing food from vending machines will have to change their views. They will realize that retail prices are not lower than those of vended products found in Planet Antares vending machines. Commonly, it is the other way round. That can only be known when there is greater awareness about the cheaper rates of vending products.

Inevitably, consumers expect high quality service from every consumption channel. The credit for this goes to the performance of the competing foodservice channels. This means that it depends on the vending operators to ensure that they always offer quality services and cater to customer needs in the best possible manner.

All About Vending Machine Products

2008-04-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

For vending machine products to be successful in your Planet Antares vending business, there are a number of factors that need to be put under consideration. These factors can have an impact on the sale of your product. Some of these factors are listed below:

Taste
The customer is really concerned about the quality and taste of a product. These factors even outweigh the price of products among the essential elements for sales success in your Planet Antares vending business. If the product tastes good then it will automatically be popular among your vending machine customers.

Price
In the end, you need to have a sufficient margin for both vending operators and distributors. Without this qualification, the other product attributes will not be enough to gain an opening in the vending channel. It is ideal for testing new products and for new product introduction in well controlled and positioned segments. The relationship between price and quality is closely related issue. At the end of the day, you will go for a product that is able to generate adequate revenue for your Planet Antares vending business.

Merchandising
It is essential for you to know how to promote a new product in your Planet Antares vending business. This can lead to augmented vending sales. Offering new products to the consumer is important and it is also necessary that route personnel be familiarized with new items. Planograms can be used to get new items into all your Planet Antares vending machines. All in all, whenever there is a new product, you must ensure that the product name is clearly visible in the Planet Antares glass front vending machine.

Discounts
Coupons and discount offers can work well for drawing customer attention and interest. Sampling can also be tried to try and get customers to buy new products. This is a great way to promote the products as it will draw the interest of the customer.

Freshness
While choosing the products to be dispensed through your Planet Antares vending machines, remember that they should not exceed their shelf life. You will hardly want a customer buying an expired product from your vending machine.

Bigger Vending Operators With Acquisitions

2008-03-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

The vending environment has seen buy-outs and acquisitions becoming a permanent feature. A buzz surrounds the everyday activity of who acquires whom. Any acquisition creates ripples in the vending industry and has far reaching effects. It has an impact on customers, competitors, equipment manufacturers, distributors, product suppliers and other participants in the vending industry.

The immidiate impact of an acquisiton would be on the customers of the vending operator. They have to be well taken care of and this is highly dependent on who is acquiring them. If you plan to acquire a vending business as addition to your Planet Antares vending business, customers will have to be well attended and satisfied.

Many times, customers feel that they won’t have the same level of attention when a new company serves them. An acquisition can result in a negative impact on relations with some of the key accounts of the vending operator. If you don’t want the customers to feel like a pawn in a game of chess, you will have to handle the acquisition with great care.

You can visit each account with the previous owner during the acquisition. Most vending operators don’t do this but it is important to maintain that relationship. You can also hire the previous owner to stay on as consultant for best results. His job would be to maintain and smoothen over the relationship with the account. It’s an effective way to transition key accounts from one company to another.

A direct impact is experienced on supplier businesses, including distributors and manufacturers, by the consolidation of vending operators. Ultimately, the impact on suppliers will affect Planet Antares vending operators. This means more sources to shop in a competitive supplier environment.

From the pont of view of suppliers, an operator acquisiton does not eliminate business but just gets compacted into a tighter space. If the sales of company A are $1 million and that of company B are $2 million, combined they should total $3 million.

Vending E-books: Educational Source Of Vending Business Facts

2008-03-05T04:11:00.000-08:00

There’s no dearth of e-books about the vending business. When you go online, you will find a huge variety of books regarding the different elements of vending industry. It can be a convenient and affordable way to learn whatever you need to about a business in vending from such e-books as well as articles. Many websites allow you to download the e-book of your choice for a reasonable price.

Apart from e-books, another source of information about the vending business can be the company websites of vending machine manufacturers, distributors and other operators. Planet Antares Inc provides extensive information about the vending business, machines and products on its website.

All you need to do is carry out a search for ‘vending’ and there will thousands of results waiting to be explored. E-books can offer data regarding every subject you can fathom, including vending. No need to spend time at the local library or buy expensive books from the book store. Just sit in front of your computer and browse through the vast collection of e-books about vending to find the most suitable one. From setup basics to step by step guides, e-books have a lot to offer. You can also learn how to bring in big profits from vending machine sales.

Each year, Americans utilize vending machines to the tune of more than $40 billion in buying sodas, candy, coffee and snacks. This means that a vending machine business can be a very lucrative and highly rewarding opportunity for you. E-books can show you how to take maximum advantage of the booming vending business.

If you think about it, vending can be a great way to start a business of your own. You will have to do lesser maintenance and still earn more money in this all cash business. a good idea will be to start as a part time vending operator with a few, high-quality Planet Antares vending machines. As you get a feel of the business, you will be able to invest more in your business and enhance the potential of your business to gain more profits.

E-books can show you all of the dos and don’ts of the vending business. You can also learn how to find the best locations to place your vending machines, where to purchase new machines at a discount, how to manage your accounting and other helpful information. To choose a book, you can read excerpts from the book and then decide about buying it.

There’s so much variety in the e-books available online that you may get confused about the right book for you. Just conduct a search and choose a book that has the information you seek. You might want to read more than one e-books on the subject to learn more about the vending business.

An e-book won’t take much of your time space and in turn, be a source of continuous reference and guidance for you. a vending e-book can definitely make your business experience smoother, efficient and more fruitful.

What Other Vendors Won’t Tell You About Vending Machines

2008-02-20T03:41:00.000-08:00

You will find a lot of information about the vending business but very few of these tips and advice is actually helpful. Any newcomer will need to know about the different aspects of the vending business and see the bigger picture to establish and run a successful vending business.

Here are important things about a vending business that other vendors won’t tell you:

1. Every snack and beverage vending machine is not the same
You need to consider various factors while buying the right snack or soda vending machines for your selected locations. The factors that result in such differences include quality, features, capacity, shape, etc. most of the vending companies have not been in the industry long enough to become dealers for the good line of vending equipment in the market. This will result in a large number of inferior quality vending machines being sold as one of the best in the market. Make sure that you check the quality of the vending machine and not just its price.

2. Choose a vending machine according to the potential location
You must choose vending machines that are a proper fit for the type of location you have as well as the number and type of employees or customers that will use them. Apart from that, you need to assess whether the chosen vending machine has adequate number of snack and soda selections as well as make sure that you buy based on the amount of service time suitable for you. One factor affecting the location you choose will be the number of employees and customers and the environment as to how much product will go through the snack or drink vending machine on daily or weekly basis. Some combo vending machines may look very practical and appear to offer a large selection but in reality, they are not practical as the number of cans or bottles that can be stored is very less.

3. Price is not equal to quality in the vending business
Vending machines definitely possess great potential for generating income for you. The vending industry is attracting a large number of people who want to start their own business and are searching for a lucrative opportunity. Look out for unscrupulous vending machine manufacturers and fraudsters who are waiting to rip-off anxious vending machine buyers who are eager to start their vending business!

4. Which vending machine options are valuable and which are not worth your investment
Planet Antares snack and soda vending machines are no longer traditional. They have advanced systems and technology-enabled components that enable everything from talking to recognizing fingerprints. Your goals will determine the amount of money you need to invest in such frills and additions. If you just want to keep vending machines in office for your employees, there will not be need for more than a few of such features.

5. How and by whom can you get your vending machine repaired?
In case of new Planet Antares vending machines, you won’t have to worry about repairs of vending machines frequently. Many vending machines require very less repairs even after 15 -20 years of service. If you are using mechanical vending machines, anyone with mechanical skills can handle minor problems. For electrical vending machines, it can be a challenge for you. hence, you need to choose a vending company that has a strong customer and technical support service.

6. Some vending machines need more repair and servicing than others
Like any other item, vending machines also differ in models and quality. From no name, low-end models to high-end, premium quality vending machines like Planet Antares vending machines, you will find vending equipment of varying quality. Don’t make the mistake of buying the lower quality vending machines made for newcomers or even the premium quality models meant for large corporations. Try to find vending machines that have better than average performance as well as a reasonable price.

7. Know the cost composition to avoid any surprises later on
A lot of vending companies don’t explain or disclose the entire cost details to you up front. Ask for guaranteed cost including machine cost, processing fees, fuel charges, shipping costs, residential charge, notification fees, inside delivery fees, etc. make sure that all these items are listed before you sign the purchase agreement.

8. Employee incentive programs for your company
Giving incentives to employees is an important part of motivating them for better performance and increasing business productivity and profitability. If they are happy, so will be the customers who get good service and products. This will enhance the whole experience of your customers!

Keep these factors in mind while taking any decisions for your vending business. you won’t go wrong if you do your homework and be smart while making the choices necessary for setting up and running your vending business.

Role Of Technicians In Vending Business

2008-01-18T04:07:00.000-08:00

A technician is the person who installs and repairs your vending machines. Usually, their functions include loading and unloading of machines, transporting them to new locations and make other adjustments and connections. Once the machines have been setup, they will ensure that everything is working properly.

Different vending machines require different functions. For some, the technicians may have to check the product dispensing mechanisms and change making operations. Other activities include checking the refrigerating or heating mechanisms. All these functions must be conducted in a proper manner that will ensure that your vending machine business operates effectively.

Your vending machines will face deterioration as they are used frequently and by many people. Sometimes, these may also get damaged due to mishandling by customers or operators. Almost all vending machines face this problem even though the stages may differ. This makes it essential for you to go for good quality, durable vending machines such as those supplied by Planet Antares Inc.

It is the technician’s responsibility to determine the reasons for any problems with the vending machines. They will have to undertake repair, replace and rebuild of defective parts to ensure that your vending business operations resume and carry on effectively.

Planet Antares vending machines are very reliable and even when they break down, the mechanic will be able to troubleshoot the problems by following standard procedures developed by the company. The manufacturer will know best about the different parts and components of vending machines.

Usually, the vending machine technician can make repairs and solve their issues at the place where the equipment is located. However, major problems, repair and overhauls require the machine to be taken back to the service shop so that they can carry out repairs properly.

For carrying out repair, the vending mechanics follow technical blueprints, illustrations, schematics, repair manuals and diagrams to aid their work. Also, tools such as screwdrivers, pipe cutters, wrenches, soldering irons and hammers to keep the machines in working order. For the work carried out in shops, saws, grinding wheels and drills are used. Refrigeration systems are tested through thermometers and refrigerator manifold gauges.

Your vending machines are the lifeline of your business. So, it is best to prevent any issues or damages from occurring by taking proper care of the machines. The necessary parts can also be cleaned and lubricated regularly to ensure smooth functioning of vending equipment. All that you need to do is call a vending machine mechanic and get your vending machine into top condition.

Vending Machine Business And Value Pricing

2008-01-04T03:35:00.000-08:00

Your vending machine business is not just about purchasing and installing machines at good locations. It involves recording and tracking of transactions as well as employee operations through various techniques and management tools. Product turnover can be tracked through tools like planograms and handheld so that Antares operators find the means to control and monitor product turns with minimal extra labor.

In recent years, there has been an incredible rise in the vending industry players. With such an increase, there is aggressive competition amongst the vending operators to get customers for higher sales and revenue. The $40 billion vending industry has become highly competitive and if you want to survive and keep your market share, you must ensure cost reduction and profit maximization.

Antares vending operators complain that the retail stores and channels are able to raise prices without too many hassles as compared to the vending products. The main determinants of vending prices are customer account contracts and competition, not customer need. A good strategy for effective pricing would be to enhance sales and profits.

Initially, very few vending operators had the imperative resources for tracking the results of vending transactions. Now, the situation has changed drastically. There are various theories that have evolved as the solution for improving product pricing. According to one theory, operators can enhance customer choices and satisfaction by discounting secondary products. This will result in higher sales and profits for your vending business.

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

A good time to test value pricing is the current economic situation. This is because of various reasons such as:

• Due to downsizing, the location sales have gone down and made it the best time to buy lesser from established, experiences suppliers.
• Special offers are appreciated by consumers as they become more price conscious.

For certain operators, the product-specific point-of-sale advertising works well for increasing sales. The product price may or may not be part of the appeal. You will have to consider the cost of introducing price points in a vending machine. Most of the Antares vending operators consider the operating efficiencies as a priority over the fine tuning of pricing strategies.

With technological advancements, there are better tools for operators to handle both the above factors successfully. Handheld computers and enhanced machine and software planograms are such techniques that can achieve value pricing for the vending operators.

Protecting Your Vending Business Trucks And Drivers

2007-12-24T06:20:00.000-08:00

While on the road, you vending trucks and drivers always face the threat of robberies, hijacking and vehicle break-ins. This is a common problem faced by many vending machine operators in running their vending business and may also result in losses.

In order to avoid such threats and problems, there are several measures that can be used to reduce the chances of occurrence of accidents and thefts as well as to provide a reasonable amount of safety to the route drivers and vending cargo.

For evolving a driver security plan, you will have to use a combination of tools and procedures for communication and security awareness. These tools include:

• Door lock hardware
• Safes
• Alarms
• Digital software security systems

Don’t ignore the need for training employees of your Planet Antares business operations regarding security mechanisms and procedures. However, it may not be easy to determine the relationship between the training imparted and the benefits derived by the employees. Many times, the cause of robbery and other incidents is the lack of adherence to safety practices by route drivers.

To avoid such ignorance, you must ensure that safety practices are instilled in drivers from the beginning. The route personnel should understand the importance of security measures for themselves as well as for the company.

Your vending business trucks will usually contain merchandise for stocking of vending machines, spare parts for servicing and the cash from collection trips to various locations on the vending route. The driver must always remain alert about his surroundings while on the road or stopping for a location’s servicing.

Ensure that the route drivers are ware of the risks involved. It’s best for them to begin their route early in the morning and exercise caution while driving through questionable areas so that there are lesser chances of break-in and theft. Most vending vehicles have a sign of “vending services” that can make them a potential target for crime. If you can change the sign on your vehicle, it may difficult for robbers to detect whether it’s a transport vehicle or not.

Your task is to schedule and plan the activities of route drivers in the most effective and safe manner possible. Look for alternative, secure routes and avoid having the same drivers at the same place each day. You should also ask the drivers to take note of the nearest police station, hospital and phone booth on their route. During emergency, this information can help them greatly.

Planning is not just limited to prevention methods. You must be prepared to handle any unforeseen problems and emergencies. It may be a small issue such as lost keys or a bigger one such as a robbery. You should give instructions that can help the driver handle any problem safely and without panicking.

How To Get Rid Of “Exact Change” Vending Situations

2007-12-06T08:31:00.000-08:00

How many times have you faced the “exact change” situation in your vending business?
Vending operators with coin operated vending equipment have to work with machines that accept a single or certain number of coins only. This may restrict the number of customers that buy vending products as some of them don’t have change.

With advancement of vending technology, you have the option of adopting new currency payment systems that allow customers to pay for desired products through different modes of payment, such as coins, bills and credit or debit card. Some of these machines even recycle bills and have multi vending facility.

Planet Antares vending machines allow you to satisfy maximum possible number of customers by giving them the ability to use whatever currency change they have at the point of purchase. This can not only increase sales but also enhance business profitability while providing convenient payment tools.

A wider variety of price points can be introduced in the vending machines without fear of consumer resistance due to the technological improvements. These have increased the reliability and durability of bill validators, currency acceptors and changers. So, customers are encourages to make impulse purchases rather than stop for finding the right number of coins or bills for the same.

When you offer multi payment options, there are various benefits from the same. The first and most obvious one is the ease of payment for customers. The second one is the ability to sell a larger variety of vending products for you. There is no restriction on the price either. Credit card users can easily pay for higher priced items without thinking twice. For example, vending machines that dispense digital products such as iPods are expensive and able to accept credit cards from customers on the run.

For vending equipment accepting dollars, there should be a dollar sorter installed therein. Dollar coins are given out as change while accepting $1 and $5 notes. Be careful about keeping the vending machines filled with coins to return as change when customers insert more than the exact amount of the purchase price. There’s the benefit of carrying lesser coins to the bank for you.

Once you have bought reliable and effective vending equipment like Antares vending machines, there will not be much difficulty in convincing location owners for keeping your vending machines. Such multi payment vending machines will not only enhance your business profits but also keep the location owners happy.

Tips For Moving Your Vending Business

2007-11-19T07:52:00.000-08:00

Once your vending business gets well established and starts generating revenue, you will feel the need to move your vending machine business out of home and into a separate building. When you are planning to do this task, ensure that you have estimated the cost of doing the same accurately.

To avoid excessive costs of moving your vending business, you must keep various factors in mind. These mainly include the following:

#1: No matter what kind or scale of vending business you run, it’s imperative to analyze the requirements for future growth and plan your expansion process accordingly.

#2: You’ll need to diversify the account base to enable different types of businesses to be your clients. This is preferable to having a single account representing a big part of your total sales.

#3: Get ready to keep extra space for inventory as your business grows. To cater to a larger customer base, you will need to maintain higher level of stock of various products.

#4: You also need to decide about the size of the building you want to rent by taking into account the time for which you want to stay in the facility and required speed of growth. This will directly affect the kind and size of building as well as associated costs.

#5: To get good results, you must control your costs, effectively manage product inventory and fix adequate vend prices to get a suitable profit margin too.

It’s important to focus on business basics. For example, you can sell high quality products and earn more by keeping customers happy and satisfied. By concentrating on achieving higher sales per week per route can help you earn a profit margin of upto 50 percent. You need to have a sound time schedule and plan to fill and service the vending machines only when required.

If you are going for superior quality, reliable vending machines like Planet Antares vending machines, you can make higher profits through quality customer service. While choosing locations for moving your Antares vending business, check the pros and cons carefully.

Focusing on the cost alone is not enough. You may get a highly affordable location in a far away town but the additional costs may be much higher. This includes transportation, taxes, and setup expenses among other things. It may be a good idea to find a slightly expensive location in your area instead.

Shifting to a new location for expanding your vending business requires prudence and careful analysis of all the above factors. If you make a hasty decision, you may have to suffer high cost of operations or even losses due to such a wrong move.

Things You Need To Know To Become A Vending Machine Operator

2007-11-06T04:26:00.000-08:00

If you think that vending opportunity is the right business venture for you, take adequate steps to make it work for you. To ensure that you have a reasonable share in the $40 billion vending industry, you must research and understand the different elements of this business before making a decision to enter it. It is a unique way to make money with a self-selling product.

To begin with, the best vending machines will be the small candy, gumball or toy vending machines hat can be bought for very less amount and located easily. These are also simple to maintain and repair. If you are ready to make a larger investment, there is an option in good quality snack or soda vending machines like Planet Antares vending machines. Snack vending machines are available in a wide range of sizes, shapes and styles. While some require very little floor space, others can be hung on the wall. You can also buy manually operated vending machines or go for electronic vending machines.

Once you have decided about the type of vending machines to be purchased, select the products to be dispensed. Study the customer requirements in your area to determine the best product to be sold. Also, you must prefer best selling items so that your vending machines start making money right from the beginning.

It is best to get vending products from a supplier that offers it at wholesale rates. You can also find vending product suppliers online and compare them to find a good bargain. If your supplier allows you to buy merchandise at cheap prices, you can fix a higher profit margin on goods when selling them finally.

You should not get into a vendor franchise offering a single item. If you offer variety to your customers, they will prefer to use your vending machine again and again. To start with, offer a combination of conventionally popular products and the latest bestseller.

Other than this, there are other things required for setting up and running your vending business successfully. These include the following:

Business cards
You can buy low cost business cards to start your vending business with low investment marketing. There is no need to spend excessive money on your business advertising because your vending machines will do it themselves.

Postcards advertising
You can mail postcards to local businesses that you want to target as potential locations for your vending machines. This will help to convince them about the advantages of keeping your equipment in their premises.

Apart from this, you will have to enquire about the license and permit regulations applicable to your business. Also, keep an eye on the vending routes available for sale in your area to start a vending business.

Understanding Cost Of Vending Machines

2007-10-29T01:26:00.000-07:00

To buy a vending machine, you will have to consider various aspects. Firstly, you must understand your business goals and needs. According to this, you can decide the kind of machines, products and locations for vending equipment. When you start searching for vending machines, you can choose from a wide variety of machines and products.

It is imperative to find a reliable vending machine supplier who offers good quality vending machines as well as after sale services like refilling, repair and maintenance at a reasonable cost.
Planet Antares Inc provides high-end vending machines at competitive price and helps you in servicing and location of machines as well.

The different types of vending machines and their cost have been listed below:

Candy and Sacks
these are available to dispense candies, gumball, nutritional bars, twisties, mars bars, etc. the range of products may go upto 40 products and a single vending machine can store about 650 items at one time.

Beverages
soft drinks are very popular among all types of customers. Can vendors are the type that is commonly used and the capacity of such vending machines is 200-600 cans with 6-10 selections. The cost of machines varies from $4000-$8000.

Hot beverage vending machines use instant ingredients and provide coffee, tea, soup and chocolate. Usually, a cup size of 6-8 oz is used. You can also purchase a vending machine which dispenses freshly brewed beverages. Make sure that water is available in close proximity of your vending machine. The cost of these vending machines is $5000 or more.

Other Products
Cigarette vending machines are found in many locations vending popular brands of cigarettes. All these machines are controlled by electronic systems and cost about $5000 or more.

Other products include washing powder, tickets, lighters, condoms, phone card, etc. vending machines can have coin acceptacle or bill validator for payment through cash or notes. You can also go for new cashless vending machine technology that lets customers pay through credit card or debit card. The coin mechanism has been replaced by card readers and note changers in most vending machines.

When you select a vending machine, make sure that suits the needs of target customers,
products, locations and your budget. There is need to place your vending machines at appropriate locations to ensure higher sales and profits.

How To Beat The Competition In Vending Business

2007-10-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

For individuals seeking opportunities for self employment, vending business is a great way to do so. With rising number of small and large players in the vending industry, this market has become very competitive. If you plan to enter this industry, the best way to make a mark would be to offer quality service.

To create a niche for your vending machine business, you need to be creative and smart while formulating strategies. There are various steps that can ensure an effective and competitive vending business.

#1: Do-It-Yourself Locating
Instead of hiring a vending machine locator, locate the vending equipment on your own. It is a good idea to call or visit the premises owners where you want to install your vending machines. Assure the prospective location owner that you will provide continuous service as they don’t prefer frequent changes.

While locating your vending machines, it is important to convince the premises owner about the benefits of placing your vending machine in their office or store. It may enhance the ambience, provide quick-fix meals to employees or just offer products to customers.

#2: Personalization
To give a competitive edge, you need to offer personalized service to your customers as well as business owners where your machines are located. Big companies are not able to do that for types of customers but as a beginner, you can score well on that point. this also helps you in building strong personal relationships with business owners and employees.

#3: Stocking
Plan your time schedule to enable regular stocking of vending machines at different locations. Monitor the usage of products to determine the popular ones and replace the unpopular ones. Also, make sure that only fresh products are filled in the machines. There should be no wastage of resources on idle inventory. You can do such analysis yourself or get it done by a good vending machine supplier like Planet Antares Inc.

#4: Servicing
It is imperative to keep the vending machines in good working condition. A broken vending machine can cost you sales, profits as well as reputation among customers. Give contact numbers on the machine so that customers can call you in case of breakdown. Once you are aware of a problem, it must be fixed as soon as possible to keep the customers from going to a competitor.

#5: Variety
This implies that a customer will come back only when you offer him something new every time. Apart from new products, you can also use updated technological features like cashless payment system to attract more and more customers. Take care of their health concerns and offer healthier product options too.

In short, a vending machine operator that delivers on the promises made by it is the one which can survive the competition.

Vending Business Minutiae: Knowing The Ins And Outs

2007-10-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

Starting and running a vending machine business is not as complicated as it seems to be. If you know how to go about it, operating a vending business can be a very lucrative investment. To get a better insight into the fine print of vending business, you must analyze its various aspects carefully.

Before you select a vending machine, you need to know the product which has to be sold through it. These may vary from small items like toys or candy to large products like snacks, beverages, stationary or even digital products. find out which product sells best in which location and buy the vending machines accordingly. For example: snack and beverage vending machines are suitable for offices, hotels and airports while candy vending machines are suitable for primary schools, doctor clinics and children parks.

Location is a key component for the success of your vending machine business. Look for the best, most visited places where abundant people are there. Common vending locations include hotels, restaurants, offices, supermarkets, malls and airports. Explore potential locations for placing your vending machines and try to find untapped locations for installing your vending equipment.

Starting a vending business will require buying of vending machines. These may be new, used or rented from a reputable vending machine company like Planet Antares Inc. go for the best deal according to your business objectives and budget. Make sure that you get a guarantee on the chosen machines for refund in case of errors or problems in working order of the equipment.
Use the internet to benefit from special offers, discounts and great deals on both new and old machines. You can also learn about the vending business through online portals and forums.
Verify the working condition of the features of a vending machine. the coin acceptor, currency detector and product dispenser must function properly. Test the technical support staff of the vending machine supplier before you actually purchase the equipment.

Generally, metal machines are more durable than plastic ones. It is also easier to repair them and prevent wear and ear due to stronger parts. Place good quality machines in accessible, high traffic areas where the target customers can purchase the dispensed product.

Like any other business, it is important to plan the profits that you want to earn from your vending machine business. Estimate all the expenses regarding cost of machines, products, transportation, location and vending commission to get a reasonably accurate figure.

Another option is to go for an already established vending route. This can save a lot of time, money and energy for you but make sure that you visit the vending locations and check the equipment before buying the route.

By careful evaluation and implementation of all these factors, you can setup and run a successful vending machine business.

Milk Is The New Soda For Vending Machines

2007-10-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

Recent times have seen the emergence of a new option for soda vending machines – milk. With more and more people opting for healthier food items, the soda vending industry has come up with new products like juices and milk to face this challenge. It has definitely been a successful move with respect to the rise in consumer demand and new regulations for healthy vending products in schools.

Initially, Milk vending machines started as part of the food vending industry. Later, it has moved on to become a part of the soda vending industry. Many vending machines now include different beverages along with milk. As a vending machine operator, you will benefit substantially by adding milk to the range of soda types offered by your vending machines.

The majority of locations prefer milk vending machines over traditional vending products. In response to this rise in demand, almost 40% of the total vending machine operators in the United States offer milk items. Not only schools and colleges, but also factories, convenience stores and industry locations form a significant portion of the milk vending market.

You need to create a balanced product mix of the conventional soda items and the milk items. While some operators are able to switch to milk vending completely, most vending machine operators can maximize profits by effective combination of traditional beverages and milk. With time, new milk products have been designed for soda vending machines. You can choose from a variety of milk flavors and packaging to stock your vending machines. Even good vending machine suppliers like Planet Antares Inc are taking note of this trend by offering new milk products along with the existing range of branded products, to the vending machine operators at reasonable prices.

There has been an increase of 900 million units in the sale of milk units in the past year. As more and more people enter this relatively new market, you can reap the benefits from milk vending too. The potential for growth is great and can be explored at various levels. In secondary schools, milk vending machines have not been used much until now. Thus, it is an untapped location that can be explored by the new entrants.

Unlike popular belief, healthier food and soda options are not a bane. Rather, it’s a boon to the vending industry that allows scope for growth in new areas and gives an opportunity to generate even higher revenue. If you plan and implement your vending business carefully, milk vending items can be a fruitful investment in the long run. After all, the sure shot way to success is to embrace the changes in customer demand and mould your business accordingly.

Improving the Image of your Vending Business

2007-10-08T08:25:00.000-07:00

When acquiring new Planet Antares vending machine location, you should constantly optimize the products and pricing of your vending business. However there are vending operators out there that neglect to update their vending machine business image. Updating your image would help you secure more locations, since doing that will allow you to possess some quality which can set you apart from competitors.

One way of updating the image of your Planet Antares vending business would be by hiring professional marketing help. This takes time and money but would be very beneficial. Giving your vending business a facelift will help you win bids for new locations and of course getting more referrals. The three main goals that you should set for your Planet Antares vending business are as follows:

1. Improve and update the logo, website and brand identity of your vending business. This will make you more competitive.
2. Raise the awareness of the capabilities of your vending business.
3. Increase the locations of your vending business and the networking potential.

An easy step that you can take to improve the image of your vending business would be to create new printed materials. Printed materials are usually the first impression given to potential vending machine clients, so this means that your Planet Antares vending machine brochures and portfolio should represent your vending business fittingly. New vending machine materials should include new graphics and updated soda machine content. Try to also create a new logo for your vending business. These kinds of changes would give any vending business a more professional appearance and it will make you or your representatives more confident when going out to secure locations.

Another great way of revamping your vending business would be by creating a new business website or updating your old website. When you are doing this, you can use search engine advertising to attract potential locations.

All in all, even though you can make the changes on your own, hiring a marketing professional to make these changes would be the wise thing to do. An outside person can offer a fresh and objective point of view which would be exactly what you would need to improve the image of your vending business.

Latest Trends In Planet Antares Vending Machines

2007-09-20T05:55:00.000-07:00

Candy vending machines are one of the most popular vending business segments. A lot of people have used the Planet Antares vending business opportunity to start and maintain a successful vending operator business. You can choose from a variety of vending machines in different sizes, colors and styles. Select high-quality, branded products to fill your machine and get effective after-sale services like refilling, repair and maintenance too.

In recent times, the candy prices have been rising and vending operators may have to raise product prices to keep earning profits. Another change has been in the type of products being dispensed. With rising customer awareness, there has been an emphasis on healthier products. These present an opportunity to serve more customers as well as fulfill social expectations.

The refrigerated vending and frozen foods vending machines are becoming more popular. Planet Antares Inc provides a large variety of such vending machines and products at competitive prices. With rise in technological innovations and machine upgradation, these vending machines are becoming acceptable at locations which didn’t accept them previously. New technology enables longer shelf-life for frozen foods and hence, makes vending machines easier and profitable to operate.

Single-zone refrigeration vending machines are also gaining acceptance. This enables people to satisfy all their thirst and hunger from a single machine, instead of using different vending machines for different products.

It is also possible to track sales records and analyze sales pattern. This makes it easier to recognize the best selling products and replace the low- selling products with popular ones. This saves a lot of time, energy and money for the vending operators. Products can be ordered according to sales rates and the trial and error method of analyzing sales can be avoided.

With such benefits, vending machine business becomes not only more efficient and reliable but also very affordable. Many unnecessary expenses can be cut down with technologically advanced vending machines and consumer preferences can be satisfied at the same time.

All that is required is that the vending operators should be a little more creative and use strategies such as switching to large-sized candies and other products to get larger profit margins. There is still a lot of potential for substantial rewards in the vending business and it will only increase with new trends and innovations.

Go Online To Learn All about Vending Machine Business

2007-08-30T22:33:00.000-07:00

Even though vending machine business is publicized as the greatest, easiest opportunity to make money, it may actually be difficult for you to actually establish one.

There are so many machines, products and vending machine suppliers in the market that you may feel overwhelmed at first. While it is important to carry out some research before choosing the right kind of machine for your business, it’s even more important to do it the right way.

There is a wide range of vending machines available for purchasing, like:

· Snack and soda vending machines
· Toys vending machines
· Candy vending machines
· Bulk vending machines
· Newspaper vending machines
· Frozen food vending machines

You can find extensive information about all these and more machines from the Internet. There are many advice and discussion forums, vending related resources and online vending machine supplier websites. Many reputable companies like Planet Antares provide detailed information about their products on their websites.

The best thing about going online is that you can compare numerous machine suppliers, machines, products and their prices before settling for the best deal. So much data is hardly available if you try to search for information in the traditional way.

With the growing popularity of the internet, you can find a lot of technical upgradation of websites, tools and software.

Now you can read e-books to learn all about:

· Vending machines
· Vending products
· Legal issues related to vending
· Repair and maintenance tips
· Vending machine insurance
· Vending locator services, and more.

Moreover, there is software which helps the vending entrepreneurs in business management. Right from day one, you can plan your business properly, track your inventory and product performance and learn new strategies for location and maintenance of your machines.
This can improve your business image, beat the competition and increase your profits. Just log on to a good search engine and find a vast array of information at the click of a mouse. Make sure that you make online purchases of vending machines from genuine vending suppliers only. Planet Antares provides detailed information about its business, customers, machines and services at its website so that you can find the best vending machines at competitive prices. This can be verified by visiting their site, checking their contact information and past customer’s experiences.

Remember that you know your business best but the internet can surely provide effective guidance and direction to your efforts for establishing a successful vending machine business.

Vending Ideas For Starters: Small and Successful

2007-08-30T04:39:00.000-07:00

While most people are looking for business shortcuts to make money, they are ignoring or are surprisingly unaware of one of the best opportunities to actually do that. Are you wondering what it is? Vending machines.

If you think it is way too expensive for your income or budget, think again.

Firstly, all vending machines are not expensive and large in size. Even though you see such machines everywhere, there are other machines which aren’t as big or costly. Small vending machines are also quite popular these days. Often found at discount stores, these are used mostly by children and their parents for candy, toys and trinkets. Irrespective of their size, such vending machines generate good amount of cash and customers.

Secondly, small machines are a great way of starting a vending business due to the flexibility they offer. This enables you to place them easily in diverse locations like flea markets, beauty parlors, convenience stores, discount shops, department stores, doctor offices and pharmacies.

Thirdly, you can easily place your vending machines in appropriate locations by offering a commission on sales to the business owner. You can even specialize by keeping a range of specific products like hygiene-related, beverage, etc.

Basically, it is in your hands to keep as many machines and try as many products as your budget allows and customers demand. Your business can grow at a slow or fast pace according to your preference. Planet Antares Small vending machines are available for about $50-$100. You can easily earn back the invested amount within a few weeks if your vending machine has been strategically placed.

You may begin a vending business for some additional income or a full-time profit yielding venture. Once you have selected the right type of vending machine and placed it at a god location, you can start enjoying a steady stream of all-cash income almost instantly.

To get more information about vending basics and different vending machines, search on the Internet and us online forums. Analyze your resources, needs and ability to run a particular level of vending business. There are various reliable vending machine suppliers like Planet Antares which provide a vast range of machines at reasonable prices.