Learn how to find the best vending machine locations in . This comprehensive guide covers customer targeting, high-traffic spots, negotiation tips, and more.
Unique Anime are exported all over the world and different industries with quality first. Our belief is to provide our customers with more and better high value-added products. Let's create a better future together.
Choosing the right vending machine locations is the single most important decision you’ll make when building a successful vending business in . The location of your machines can mean the difference between making a steady stream of passive income — or struggling to cover your restocking costs.
Today’s vending market is more dynamic and competitive than ever. According to a recent industry report, the global vending machine market is projected to reach $51.91 billion by (Statista, ). But not every vending machine shares in that booming growth. Machines in high-traffic, high-convenience spots consistently outperform others — often generating 2–3x more revenue than those in less optimal locations.
That’s why mastering the art of finding profitable vending-machine locations is key to scaling your business. Whether you’re a new operator placing your first few machines, or an experienced owner looking to optimize your existing route, this guide will walk you through a proven, step-by-step approach.
We’ll cover how to:
Ready to discover where to put vending machines that can drive real profits? Let’s get started.
Before you start scouting vending machine locations, it’s crucial to understand who you want to serve. Your ideal customer profile should directly influence where you put vending machines and what types of products you stock.
Different locations attract different types of customers, and each group has unique needs and buying habits. For example:
If you don’t align your vending locations with your target customer, your machine is less likely to generate strong sales — no matter how high the foot traffic may be.
Ask yourself:
Customer Type
Example Location Types
Students
Schools, colleges, universities, dorms
Office workers
Office parks, corporate buildings
Travelers
Airports, train stations, bus terminals
Fitness enthusiasts
Gyms, sports centers, yoga studios
Apartment residents
Apartment complexes, residential communities
Once you know your audience, you’ll have a sharper eye for choosing the best vending machine locations to match their needs.
Now that you understand your ideal customer, it’s time to brainstorm a broad list of potential vending machine locations. The more ideas you generate at this stage, the more likely you are to uncover good places to put vending machines that your competitors may have overlooked.
Think creatively — don’t limit yourself to the obvious! Here are common and not-so-common places to put vending machines that often prove profitable:
Once you’ve got your long-list, it’s time to evaluate each potential location using a proven framework — which we’ll cover in the next section.
Not every location on your long-list will be a winner. The best vending machine locations typically strike a balance between high foot traffic and convenience of purchase.
To help you evaluate each location objectively, use a simple Traffic & Convenience Matrix. This will help you prioritize where to put vending machines for maximum profit.
You’ll look at each potential location through two lenses:
High traffic alone isn’t enough if customers are in a rush or can’t access your machine easily. Likewise, a super convenient machine in an empty hallway won’t generate sales.
Picture a busy office lobby — high foot traffic, lots of people with a few minutes to spare between meetings, coffee breaks, or at lunch. This is the kind of location that consistently outperforms places that need vending machines but don’t naturally attract buyers.
By contrast, a vending machine tucked away in a service corridor — even in a busy mall — often sees disappointing sales due to poor convenience.
Once you’ve identified the best vending machine locations, it’s time to secure the spot — and that means approaching the property owner or manager with a compelling pitch.
Many operators find this step intimidating, but with the right approach, you can build positive relationships that lead to long-term, mutually beneficial vending placements.
Pro Tip: Consider offering a small commission to the business owner based on sales. This can make them more eager to host your machine — and helps ensure a collaborative relationship moving forward.
By building trust and showing that you’re a reliable operator, you’ll make it easier to land good places to put vending machines — and keep them long-term.
Placing vending machines isn’t just about finding great spots — you also need to ensure you’re operating legally and compliantly. The exact requirements vary by state, city, and sometimes even by property type, but here’s a general checklist to guide you.
✅ Business License
You must have a valid business license in the state(s) where you operate.
✅ Seller’s Permit / Sales Tax Permit
Most states require vending operators to collect and remit sales tax. A seller’s permit is usually required to do this legally.
✅ Vending Machine Permit
Some local municipalities require a specific vending machine permit per machine or per location.
✅ Health Department Regulations
If you sell food or beverages, local health regulations may apply — particularly for items requiring temperature control.
✅ Insurance
Liability insurance is highly recommended. Many property owners will require proof of insurance before allowing machine placement.
✅ Written Contract
Always have a signed agreement with the property owner or manager clearly outlining:
By ensuring all your legal boxes are checked, you’ll protect your business and give property owners confidence that you’re a professional partner — which can open the door to more locations for vending machines.
Let’s look at how one fictional vending operator secured a profitable vending machine location using the strategies from this guide.
Sarah owns a small vending business and wanted to expand into the best places for vending machines in her city. After researching her ideal customer — busy office workers — she built a long-list of local office parks and corporate campuses.
During a neighborhood drive, Sarah spotted a large coworking space in a bustling downtown district. The building had multiple floors, limited food options nearby, and a high volume of foot traffic — a prime candidate according to her Traffic & Convenience Matrix.
Sarah reached out to the coworking space’s property manager via . In her pitch, she highlighted:
She also offered a 3-month trial period to minimize risk for the property owner.
The property manager appreciated Sarah’s professionalism and agreed to the trial. Sarah quickly installed a sleek, modern vending machine in the building’s high-traffic lobby area.
Within two months, sales exceeded expectations:
The property manager was thrilled with the added amenity — and signed a 12-month renewal contract with Sarah at the end of the trial period.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of gift store claw machine. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
Sarah’s story shows that with a smart, customer-focused approach, it’s possible to land the best vending machine locations that significantly boost your revenue.
By now, you’ve learned how to approach the process of finding profitable vending machine locations strategically — from understanding your customers to negotiating with property owners.
Before you start placing machines, here’s a quick final checklist to help you stay on track:
✅ Define your ideal customer demographics
✅ Build a long-list of location types
✅ Evaluate options using the Traffic & Convenience Matrix
✅ Research property owners/managers and identify decision-makers
✅ Prepare and deliver a compelling pitch
✅ Negotiate terms and formalize in a written agreement
✅ Complete all legal requirements (permits, insurance, taxes)
✅ Install and stock your machine in the chosen location
✅ Monitor sales and optimize product offerings regularly
Here’s what to do after finishing this guide:
A: Start with a friendly, professional pitch. Explain who you are, the value your vending machine can offer their customers or employees, and propose a simple revenue share or rent agreement. Always focus on how it benefits them.
A: You can place vending machines on private property with the owner’s permission and proper legal agreements. Public property often requires additional permits or approvals, so check with your local city or county first.
A: High-traffic, high-convenience locations such as office lobbies, airports, gyms, apartment complexes, and schools (where allowed) are consistently among the best places for vending machines.
A: Start by approaching smaller businesses or residential properties like apartment complexes. They’re often more open to adding a vending machine and easier to contact than large corporations.
A: Use a Traffic & Convenience Matrix and observe the location’s foot traffic over several days/times. Locations with steady, predictable traffic and easy access to the machine tend to perform well.
A: Yes. Liability insurance is strongly recommended and often required by property owners. It protects both you and the property owner from potential claims or damages.
A: You typically need a business license, seller’s permit (to collect sales tax), and in some cases, a local vending machine permit. If selling perishable food, health department regulations may also apply.
A: Look for buildings where people spend time but have limited access to food or drinks — office parks, gyms, coworking spaces, and residential complexes are all great candidates. Talking to property managers and observing underserved locations is key.
Finding profitable vending machine locations isn’t about luck — it’s about strategy. By understanding your ideal customers, exploring a wide range of location types, and using tools like the Traffic & Convenience Matrix, you can consistently identify the best places to put a vending machine and grow your vending business with confidence.
Remember: success in vending starts with choosing the right locations. A well-placed machine can generate 2–3x more revenue than a poorly placed one — and the effort you put in upfront will pay off for years to come.
Now it’s your turn. Start building your list, scouting locations, and reaching out to property owners today. The effort you invest in finding the right spots will pay off in the form of higher sales and more sustainable growth.
‘Modern consumers demand convenience’, this is the constant truth within the evolving retail environment. Thus businesses are opting tobuy vending machines that aid cashless payments and provide instant gratification to their consumers.
So much so that the global vending machine market showcases an opportunity of $6.97 billion in revenue from to . What is even more astonishing, is that with 43% of global revenue, the food and beverage industry is not the only one to have a strong hold over vending machines.
Multiple businesses including cosmetics, fashion, mobile phones, gold, medicines, etc are investing heavily in vending machines.
But acquiring the right vending machine can be a daunting task. With so many types and brands of vending machines available, it's important to weigh your options carefully to find the best option for your business needs.
Here is a comprehensive guide to help you choose the right vending machine.
Before you start looking for a vending machine, it's important to evaluate and assess your specific needs. Consider factors such as size, capacity, features, type, location, the technology used, etc.
Evaluating your requirements can help narrow down your selection to the ideal machine for your business. This must include:
Type of vending machine
Machine size and space availability
Location. Location. Location.
Ease of use and management
Technology used and features provided
Let’s discuss them in detail.
Every product has its own unique requirements to maintain its ideal condition. Hence each product demands different features from asmart vending machine.
For instance, a cashless coffee vending machine for office spaces would require a heater, while an ice cream vending machine would require a refrigerator. Likewise, for more delicate products like milk packages, you might want an elevator vending machine and not a spiral one.
Apart from these types, there are also vending machines for snacks, drinks and even combo products. All these little considerations can impact which vending machine you purchase.
Vendekin’s Expert Tip: Choose the product mix first. Identifying the products for your target audience in a particular location, will help you find the best vending machine for your business.
Another interesting consideration should be the machine size, after all this small point can make a big impact on your business.
If you have the right location selected and have fast-selling products like snacks and beverages, you would want your machine to be big enough to store a decent amount of the product to avoid frequent refilling of the inventory.
The second factor that will guide you in selecting the right machine size is the space available to you. Office spaces can only hold a mini coffee vending machine while much larger automatic vending machines can be placed in public spaces like parks, metro stations and malls.
It is important to consider the location of where the machine will be placed. As it helps to look for a machine that can handle the traffic patterns and conditions of the area.
Additionally, consider factors such as clearance space needed, access to power outlets and any additional security measures you may need to take for the vending machine unit.
Vendekin’s expert team can help your business identify more profitable locations on the basis of the analytical data collected by their smart cloud-based vending machine software vNetra.
Taking these into consideration when selecting a smart vending machine can help ensure a successful purchase!
Before you buy a vending machine, test its usability for you and future consumers.
An automatic vending machine is all about convenience and an enhanced shopping experience for end-consumers. At the same time, as a business, you want to be sure of the various nitty-gritty of the vending machines.
With Vendekin-powered vending machines, the shopping experience is cut down to 3 steps: scan >> select >> pay. All this digitally! Moreover, the machines connect with smartphones via Bluetooth making it possible to experience seamless transactions even in cases of low internet connectivity.
And with Vendekin’s onboarding process, vending machine operators are fully trained to interact with the complexities of a smart vending machine.
Vendekin’s Expert Tip: Evaluate what services or maintenance the vending machine manufacturer provides. Will they manage and restock products? Who will handle technical issues or repairs? How often should it be serviced? And so on…
Understanding the range of payment technologies, features, services and options offered by different vending machines is important to ensure that you invest in the best machine for your business.
Consider which payment methods would apply to your customers, such as cashless payments. Also, think about additional features like flexible pricing options and product promotions.
By selecting the right technology and features, you'll be able to maximise the financial performance of your machine in the long run. With Vendekin’s smart vending machine software you can easily remotely manage your vending machines and use the analytical data for enhancing your business strategies.
These are the few considerations you must take into account before you opt to buy a vending machine.
With Vendekin’s smart vending machine software, you always have access to the data of all your automatic vending machines. How does this impact your business?