In recent years, vending machines have become more and more popular in Vietnam and have received positive feedback from consumers, which bring many conveniences to everyone. Through the article below, we will help you
understand this modern vending machine as well as the essentials when starting a vending business.
Introduction
Retail business on vending machines are a common sight in developed countries and wildly expanding all around the world, no excepted, in Vietnam, this modern device has also progressively evolved and get used to more people.
First of all, to understand this smart machine, let's learn about the history of vending machines. At the beginning of the first century in Roman Egypt, an engineer and mathematician, Hero, invented the first vending machine with the
purpose of selling holy water to people in the area.
This machine accepted coins and then dispensed holy water which not only helped control but also limit the amount of water believers use when they come to the church, they can use the amount of water according to the amount of coins they have inserted into the machine.
According to believers point of view, holy water is used for spiritual cleansing and repelling evil. Therefore, this holy-water-selling machine at that time was very popular and common in the region.
- Honor Box: Selling powdered cigarettes and tobacco were being operated as early as the 17th century in England.
- Stamp vending machine: Operated in 1867 in the land of fog, England.
- Postcard dispensing machine: Invented in 1883 by Percival Everitt.
- Chocolate and beverage vending machines: Born in Germany.
After that, many countries and inventors followed Hero's first invention to create vending machines with many different functions. However, this model only could thrive and became a widespread feature when it came to the land of the sunrise, Japan.
You can easily find a vending machine in every corner of Japan nowadays. This is currently the most popular model for years.
Vending machines once again have returned to Vietnam from the first failure. Almost all machines have been high-upgraded and accept large denominations of currency, along payment from swipe cards or scan QR codes through
applications on your phone.
General benefits of vending machines
Regarding the development of advanced technology in Vietnam, vending machines have received a lot of positive feedback from consumers. Some of the most benefits of a vending machine include:
- Sell a wide range of products.
- Buy fast, no need to wait.
- Save time, easy to find anywhere.
- Simple using, suitable for all ages of consumers.
- Low startup costs, minimize space.
- Save the cost of hiring employees.
- Stable price, no bargain.
Smart vending machines vs traditional vending machines: where’s the difference?
Traditional vending machines have also progressively evolved into smart vending machines with more features which are quite suitable for use in the Vietnam retail industry. Here are some of the similarities and differences of traditional vending machines and smart vending machines.
The similarities of the two models
In general, these two models bring convenience to consumers. You can place/use it anywhere/anytime, and especially in places where retail grocery stores or convenience stores can't exist. Wikipedia defines: A vending machine is an automated machine that provides items such as snacks, beverages, cigarettes and lottery tickets,..etc to consumers after cash, a credit card, or a specially designed card is inserted into the machine.
Also much time will be saved when customers do not need to go too far to find a store and wait in line till their turn paying.
The Differences
Smart vending machines are upgraded with more functions which allow consumers to use different payment methods such as cash, specialist cards or scanning QR codes on electronic wallets.
The large digital touch display enables a more interactive user experience, and reduces operating costs. With the
intuitive touch vending machine, users only need to click on the screen through a few simple steps and then the available product is released.
On Traditional vending machines, you can only pay through coins and cash without changing money, that was the reason why the first-time vending machine in Vietnam failed. And Vietnamese people have no habit of using
coins like other countries.
The Benefits and Process for a profitable vending Business
Smart automated vending machines, also known as smart vending machines with many outstanding features such as: charging or buying mobile phone cards, paying via e-wallet, integrated AI technology, accessing system of
remote revenue,... to serve maximally the demands and needs of all customers for different locations. This is the reason why these models are being selected by many operators for investment and business.
Before you want to start a vending business in the retail industry, you may need to know the followings:
Find Machine Locations
As in retail, location is a critical contributor to success in the vending machine business. Ideally, you want your machines in places that have plenty of foot traffic, such as:
- Schools and universities: More than millions of students go to school daily, where there is a flurry of activity every single day. Installing vending machines here will not only contribute to ensuring the safety and hygiene of products for the young generation but also avoiding traffic jams by roadside vendors.
Why vending machines are good to have in schools!
- Hospital and clinic: gathering many people of patients, visitors and medical staff at the hospital which can be an excellent source of revenue for vending business as hundreds of people pass by every day.
Smart vending machines at clinics and hospitals
- Fitness or gym centers: More and more people are aware of the importance of health training. Placing healthy-products vending machines can help people refuel after working up a sweat and also enhance the image of the business.
The reasons why vending machines should be installed at Fitness Centers?
- Building or office apartments: Where many people constantly come and go 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People living here are also the ones who like convenience and modernity, a vending machine definitely brings so many new experiences to the community/residents.
New lifestyle, provided by vending machines in apartment buildings and office buildings
- Shopping centers and malls: an ideal location for vending machines since hundreds of customers coming in and out of the store all day.
- Factory/ Manufacturing Facilities: there are hundreds of people on site every day, most workers would like to grab a cold beverage or quick snack throughout the workday in order to keep them going.
How Much It Typically Costs To Start A Vending Machine Business
Cost of investing a Vending Machine depends on many different influencing factors:
- Purchase or Lease Equipment:
Regardless of which method you choose to get into the retail industry, it depends on your capital and business goal. You can choose to rent or buy a brand new vending machine.
- Vending Machine Cost: between 60 and 150 million VND for a machine, the price will depend on the origin, features and the type of products you are selling in the machine.
- The costs of leasing a vending machine can range from 3 to 10 million VND per machine.
For example: You are looking to lease a vending machine that costs 60 million VND. So the leasing cost you need to spend for that machine model is around 3 to 5 million VND.
- Maintenance and repairing costs:
Choosing a reputable vending machine company will help you minimize the cost of repairing and operating the machine. It will be a smart choice for your budget if you are just a small retailer. They offer extensive support services and can typically provide you with some initial data to start out with. If you want to run bulk machines at the same time, you can also have your own maintenance team which helps you save the cost and time of repairing.
- Cost of renting location placements:
The vending machine has a compact design and is almost the same as a fridge. Therefore, the cost of renting a vending location placement is much cheaper than renting a space to open a traditional kiot.
How to profit from the vending machine business? (Part 1)
How to profit from the vending machine business? (Part 2)
Choose a reliable supplier
Nowaday, there are many suppliers of different vending machines that give retail investors more options. In particular, Dropfoods is currently the leading company specializing in providing smart vending machines with many offers and support services.
- Professional, enthusiastic, and high qualified staff.
- Providing top-notch service, many attractive offers/promotions for partners.
- Genuine products, good quality and variety items.
- Smart vending machines have many outstanding features that can be used through the phone application.
- A business partner of many reputable businesses.
- Aim to strive to become the best vending system in Southeast Asia.
Highlights only at Dropfoods:
The future for Vietnamese retail industry
Industrial revolution 4.0 strongly impacts on almost all areas and retail industry is no exception. The Vietnamese retail market also quickly catches up and applies advanced technologies in global management, operation and marketing.
Soon machines will replace people in all communications, consulting and sales. Smart vending machines are gradually developing at a more advanced level to meet the retail industry requirements in this strong transformation.
In the near future, a vending machine with artificial intelligence (AI) can do a lot of things like identifying a familiar customer, recommending the type of product that person usually uses or prefers based on user history and giving them an enjoyable experience.
For retailers, the application of smart vending machines to the retail system will be a key and effective strategy to solve human, time and cost issues. A non-sellers operating sales system, collecting user-based automated user data to market them according to exact needs, and aggregating sales reports as well as managing goods and recommending market products in demand are fully automated.
Above is the information to help you better understand the vending industry that is landing and dominating the retail market in Vietnam today and future. As a reputable vending machine supplier, Dropfoods has also been perfecting and improving its products and services every day to prepare for this transformation. High-tech smart vending machines are the key to the future of retail.