New Product Ideas for Vending Machines
If you're considering getting into the vending machine business or have been running a vending company for years, filling the machines with creative and eye-catching items can attract customers and increase your sales significantly. Your vending machines will be recognized by their contents, and if you're providing products that are exclusive or of high quality, you can build a reliable customer base.
If your vending machines are set up next to a lounge, nightclub or restaurant, fill the machines with sample-sized cosmetics and hair products so women can look their best during a girls night out, bachelorette party or date night. For instance, small bottles of hairspray or pomade help to keep hair in place after a long night of dancing. Oil-blotting cloths and lip glosses keep makeup refreshed throughout the night. Partnering with designer makeup brands or brands that are high quality yet affordable will attract customers to your vending machines. Paint the machine in a shade of blue or purple, as purple tends to attract women and blue denotes trustworthiness, according to the Empower Yourself With Color Psychology website.
Many people associate vending machines with sodas and sugar-filled treats, but your company can provide healthy options. Pure vegetable and fruit juices will make your vending machine stand out. Include all-natural snacks in the vending machine as well, such as dried fruit with no added sugar, edamame or organic trail mix. Adding green accents to the vending machine gives the impression that the machine's contents are beneficial, since green is a symbol of health and renewal, according to the Empower Yourself With Color Psychology website.
A vending machine filled with items needed for caring for a baby could appeal to parents shopping in large department stores or shopping centers. The machine might also prove helpful to parents in airports. Include cloth and disposable diapers as well as teething rings, pacifiers and mini bottles of diaper rash cream or baby powder in the machine. Parents who have run out of these diaper bag staples or forgotten them at home might consider your vending machine a lifesaver. Decorate the machines in pastel colors. Soft hues such as pink, lavender and gray indicate gentleness, grace and stability, according to the Incredible Art website, and will make your vending machine noticeable.
Alcohol vending machines will come in handy in front of liquor stores or in hotel lobbies. If a customer wants to make a cocktail after the liquor store or hotel bar has closed, these machines are a convenient option. Provide small bottles of vodka, whiskey and rum, as well as mixers such as fruit-flavored liqueurs and fruit juices. You can also provide shot glasses in a number of colors or initialed shot glasses to personalize your beverages. To ensure no underage patrons can use the machine, include a camera that photographs and scans photo ID cards, as well as a feature that prompts patrons to input their birth date into the keypad for age verification before any vending machine items are released.