Location, Location, Location: The Key to Vending Success
The best machine is useless in an empty dead end. We show you how to find, assess and secure lucrative sites. The location decides between top and flop.
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What makes a good location?
These five criteria decide your revenue
Dwell time
Do people wait there? (bus stop, public office, laundrette). Boredom drives consumption.
Competition
Are there kiosks or supermarkets right nearby? If so, are they open 24/7? If not: an opportunity!
Audience
Does your product match the location? (protein bars outside the gym, toys outside the school, charging cables at the station).
Visibility
Can people see the machine? Avoid hidden corners (uneasy spaces).
Accessibility
Step-free? Parking for short stops?
Frequency types compared
Office (30+ staff): predictable regular customers. Gym: high margin on protein bars and drinks. Hospital: night shifts and visitors around the clock. School/university: peaks during breaks.
Which locations deliver which frequency?
How to secure and assess locations
How do I secure the location?
Approach the owners. Prepare a short pitch: "I offer your staff or customers 24/7 service, take care of everything, pay the power and give you a share." The argument: you upgrade the location without the owner having any work.
Rent or revenue share?
Fixed rent: good for you when revenue is high. A risk when it is low. Commission: (e.g. 10 to 20% of revenue). Fair for both. The owner has an interest in high revenue.
Gym: high margin, loyal audience
An operator places drinks and protein-bar machines in five gyms. The audience buys regularly, and the margin on fitness products is 60 to 70%. The gyms benefit because they run no shop of their own. Telemetry shows per gym which product sells.
How do you find the best location for your machine?
Location assessment: the key metrics
Measure your location's success by these figures: transactions per day (target: 30 to 100), average basket (target: 2 to 5 EUR), gross margin (target: 40 to 60%), failure rate (under 5% of operating time). After 4 to 6 weeks you have a clear picture. If performance is below expectations, test a different range before you give up the location.
Negotiating with site providers
The three most common models: 1. Fixed standing rent (50 to 200 EUR/month), predictable costs for you. 2. Revenue share (10 to 20% of net revenue), lower risk but shared profit. 3. Free setup in exchange for the supply service, common in offices and hotels. Tip: offer the site provider a clear benefit, e.g. the advertising space on the digital signage display.
Frequent questions location
By three figures: frequency, dwell time and the audience's purchasing power. From around 500 pedestrians per day, a closer look is worthwhile. More important than pure passing trade is often recurring custom: an office with 80 staff brings predictable daily revenue, because the same people come by every day. Location brokers offer "ready-made" spots, so check their figures critically and ask for real frequency data. After setup you see via telemetry in real time how a spot performs, and after four to six weeks you can decide on a sound basis whether to stay or move.
With our machines, yes. If a spot does not work, you load it up and place it elsewhere.
There is no territorial protection (unless agreed by contract).
The range determines the location, not the other way round. Protein bars and drinks sell in the gym (margin 60 to 70%). Snacks, coffee and drinks work in the office from 30 staff and in the hospital, where night shifts create demand around the clock. Schools and universities bring peaks during breaks. Charging cables and travel accessories fit at the station and airport. Hotels carry premium prices in the lobby and on the floors. Rule of thumb: does your product match the person passing by, and do they have a moment to buy? Then the location carries. We advise you based on experience; the on-site acquisition you do as the operator.
Offices (stable demand), stations (high frequency), hotels (premium prices) and gyms (high margin on fitness products).
On private ground usually not. In public space you need a special-use permit from the municipality.
We advise you based on experience. The location negotiation and rental is down to you as the operator.
Still have questions?
Get in touch with us directly. We’ll get back to you quickly and honestly.
Find the right location
Use our template for owner outreach and location assessment.