Planet Antares Inc | Planet Antares | Planet Antares Vending

A blog to discuss vending solutions provided by Planet Antares Inc

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Vending Success Secrets from Planet Antares

The very thought of running a vending business is wise decision. Since its introduction, this business has been rewarding existing operators and at the same time encouraging new young and energetic entrepreneurs. In the last 30 years, this business has grown like wild fire least affected by hurdles faced during its journey. Although vending sounds to be an easy business, it takes lot of effort to become successful. Some of the success secrets are mentioned below:

• Quality: Modern customers are quality conscious. They are ready to spend more amounts but are unwilling to compromise on the product quality. Ensure that you stock your machine with best quality products.

• Customer service: Vending is a customer oriented business. You exist as long as you are able to satisfy your customer. Once your customer is upset with the kind of service he receives, he will never visit you and at the same time stop others from visiting you. Word of mouth plays a key role in this industry.

• Maintenance: Good looking machines can attract customers. Ensure your machine is clean, regularly serviced and is in proper working condition. In case of breakdown, try to resolve the issue at the earliest. One sec of time wasted leads to break in your revenue.

• Gifts and coupons: Use advertising strategies like special gifts and coupons. These not only draw customers towards you but also advertise the products you sell.

• Inventory: Ensure you machine has sufficient inventory stock in it. Make sure no customer returns empty handed after visiting your machine due to lack of stock.

• Latest products: Customers like to try out new products that have been introduced in the market. Try to introduce such products in your machine. If their demand fades, you can replace them with your previous products.

These if properly implemented can bring smiles on your customers face and happy customers leads to successful business. For more information on starting your own vending business, get in touch with Planet Antares staff and know everything you need to kick start your business.

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Factors Influencing Choice of Vending Machine

As more and more operators are taking up vending business, several models of vending machines are introduced into the market in various shapes, sizes and colors. Choosing one from them is quite challenging. The choice of vending machine is influenced by several factors like financial ability of operator, products he would like to dispense, target audience and the location in which he would like to install his machine.

• Financial ability: This is the main factor around which entire process of setting a vending business revolves. Operators always have two choices when it comes to purchase of a vending machine. They can either go for a new one or a used one. Lured by the cost of a used machine some operators make the mistake of purchasing it which in the long run turns out to be pretty costly.

• Products to be dispensed: The kind of product you would like to offer also influences the choice of your machine. In case you offer products targeting kids, say for instance toys; you can go for attractive vending machines with graphics or animations. These machines are highly successful in drawing kid’s attention towards them.

• Target customers: The choice of machine you purchase is also determined by the customers you target. The operation of machine should be very simple and easy whenever you target kids. Any complex operations would not raise interest in the minds of kids and they would not turn towards your machines.

• Location: Location is crucial for success of a vending business. Choice of location depends on variety of factors. Price of the product should also be based on the location of your machine. There is no point offering high priced products when you machine is located in middle class locality.

These simple factors if followed can make vending a huge success. For more instructions and advise on starting a new vending business contact Planet Antares staff.

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Thursday, March 4, 2010

Success In Vending Business – Planet Antares

Any business is started with the sole aim of making profits. Vending is no exception to this fact. What can bring success in vending business?

• First of all quality of your vending machine that is in use determines the success of your business to a large extent. Quality here is not just limited to efficiency and effectiveness of the machine but also includes attractive looks, ability to draw customer attention and most importantly ease of operation.

• The place in which you install your Planet Antares machine is of equal importance. Since vending is customer centric business, operators should be able to identify localities that have maximum number of target audience. Besides huge customer traffic, the location should also have high demand for the product you are dispensing.

• Competitive pricing: In case there is no fixed selling price, operators should conduct a thorough market research on price of product. The price you set for your product should be able to compete with your opponents and at the same time generate huge revenue to you.

• Working condition of vending machine is also very crucial. In case you place your vending machine in a store, you may pay some commission to the store owner for updating you on the working efficiency of your machine. A machine with frequent break downs will not be able to offer uninterrupted services to its customers.

• Operators need to keep in pace with changing market trends and offer new products that meet customer needs and requirements as and when they enter the market.

• Relationship building plays major role in vending business. Operators need to have good rapport with product manufacturer. This will help you keep updated with new products.

• Don’t forget that cleanliness of vending machine is very crucial as it plays a big role in attracting people and creating an instinct in them to purchase the product.

These simple facts if borne in mind can make your business a huge success.

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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Vending Best Business Option

Are you looking for consistent income? Would you like to run a business without giving up your regular employment? Wondering if there is any such business that can both generate guaranteed income and at the same time give flexibility in its operation? Vending is perfect for you.

Vending has been a very promising business venture that has remained least affected by fluctuating markets and severe recession. Vending can be taken up either on a full time basis or even part time. This business is highly flexible and allows you to spend sufficient time with your family and at the same time makes all your self sufficient.

Choosing the right kind of vending machine is crucial for the success of this business. There are various models of vending machines available in the market. Before choosing one, an operator has to look for the following features in them:

• Reliable: Always prefer standard company/branded machines like those from Planet Antares. These have long life and are less susceptible to break downs.

• Easy to service: If servicing becomes a complicated issue then your maintenance costs will increase. This will reduce your profit margins.

• Easy to locate: Always prefer a machine that is easy to locate and relocate. Too complicated machine is tough to set up.

• Tailor made to meet customer needs: Choose machines that are designed specifically to provide customers with the kind of products they are looking for.

• Outstanding returns: The main motivation for setting up a business is to earn huge profits. A perfect machine, selling a perfect product and placed in a perfect location will ensure guaranteed returns.

• Vending business offers a lot of flexibility to its owners along with financial independence.

Off late candy vending machines, gumballs, snack and soda machines, coffee machines, personal products, phone card dispensers, amusement entertainment machines, car washes machines, ATM machines, and Healthy vending have become very popular both among customers and operators.

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

How to Start a New Vending Business?

More often we are only reminded of quick snack and cool drinks whenever we talk of Vending Machines. These machines have undergone a lot of change and modern vending machines are available in various models capable of dispensing anything right from cigarettes to hot coffee. These machines come in various designs, colors, sizes and shapes. You can choose anything right from simple and small machines capable of dispensing products and even be set on tables to giants which can be hung on the wall or set on the floor.

There are few things which you need to bear in mind before starting a vending business. They are:

• Decide if you want target a specific niche or diversify. In case you are planning to start with small vending machines, you would be able to dispense a variety of items such as bubble gum, candy or even small plastic toys. On the other hand if you are going for some huge giant machines, you can offer beverages or snacks.

• Plan your activities before hand. Accordingly install your machines in various places.

• Is it very important that you choose the right location for your machine? Since locations can either make or break your business. Visibility and accessibility are two important aspects which you need to consider while installing your machines.

• You can also lease machines from companies that offer support i.e. you can approach any vending placement company. These companies not only help you in choosing right vending location but also educate you on the ongoing process. Choose robust machines from trusted manufacturers like Planet Antares.

• Most important of all is your financial ability. Since all your investment and development plans are dependent on how much you can afford.

These simple rules can help you in making your business a great success.

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Healthy Vending-Need of the Hour

Increasing obesity rate is causing concerns among people of all ages. Drastic change in eating habits followed by sedentary lifestyles is making us more prone to obesity. It may be quite shocking to know that over 123 million of us are on the threshold of obesity or overweight. To make things worse it has been observed that Children are the worst sufferers. Approximately 22 million children under the age of 5 are found to be obese. This data alone is sufficient for us to understand how serious this problem is.

How can we protect ourselves from this evil? Inculcating healthy eating habits is one of the ideal ways of curbing obesity not only among children but among people of all age groups. Schools have always been most preferred location for vending operators over past few years. But the fear of increasing obesity among children has forced Government and school authorities to make strict dietary changes. Schools are encouraging installation of healthy vending machines in their campus.

Healthy vending from Planet Antares is a healthy snack initiative which is aimed not only at children but at people of all ages. This is one of the recent and most lucrative business opportunities. These machines are offering over 150 delicious healthy products capable of meeting the tastes and preferences of customers and also as per the nutritional standards and guidelines.

With the introduction of healthy vending machines, people can now enjoy natural and organic versions of low fat bars, cereal bars, baked chips, snacks, crackers, yogurt, water, 100% natural juices, iced tea, fresh fruits, nuts, vegetable supplements and vitamins to name a few.

Though not everyone has yet come to terms with their unhealthy eating habits, the number of people who are willing to make changes in what they eat is definitely on the increase. We only hope that more and more people understand the importance of eating healthier foods at home and make sure their children have healthy snacks at school. This can help us getting rid of several diseases and most importantly lead a healthier and happier life.

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Friday, January 8, 2010

Advantage of Mechanical Vending In Vending Industry

The choice of vending machines could make or break your business. Entrepreneurs should carefully investigate vending opportunities before entering into equipment purchasing or financing agreement. Do not get carried away by their false promises and commitments and make sure you only purchase new machines of reputed and established brands.

Federal trade commission published informational literature with few tips on how to minimise risk in a vending business. Several online websites are also established that motivate individuals to start their own vending business without any financial risks. Since vending involves only places, stocks and service equipment without levying any charges on the location owner or referring party, the costs associated with starting this business will vanish.

There are several kinds of vending machines available in the market. Of all these kinds, purchase of a mechanical vending machine from Planet Antares is undoubtedly a wise decision in itself. These machines are known for their reasonable prices. When it comes to dispensing products using these machines, they cost less and can be maintained easily.

The unique feature of mechanized vending machine is that each section in this machine has a separate coin mechanism. So even if there is an unforeseen jam of coins in one section of the machine, you can still operate the other sections without any problem. This is made possible by turning the coin mechanism handle.

Compatibility and user friendly nature of mechanized vending machines make them very popular among vending operators. These machines are also preferred because of the numerous benefits they offer to customers as well as vending operators. It is beneficial to customers as these machines do not take much time for dispensing products. And convenience is what customers look for in vending machines.

So if you are a prospective vending operator with limited funds, try to start vending business by purchasing mechanized vending machines from Planet Antares.

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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Tips on How to Start Vending Business

Before taking up any business, a thorough market research is mandatory. The best place for finding information about vending or vending industry is internet. A wealth of information about this business, vending route, products to be offered and kinds of machines available can be obtained by browsing the web.

Vending is a relatively easy business to take up as all it needs is to make substantial investment. Many people have taken up this business by purchasing an established vending route. This is also a great way of starting the business as it would not involve much work either for setting up or running this business. All that is required would be to pick up from where the previous operator has left. You are least bothered about identifying locations or suppliers for your machines.

Another source for gathering information about various vending machines offered for sale is distributors. They can tell you about vending routes where machines are already strategically placed. Hence it would not be tough to find success with such a business especially if the previous operator has being doing it efficiently.

In spite of drastic advancement in technology, it is not possible to predict the amount of returns you can generate from an existing vending machine. The success or failure of a vending business will depend on the location of vending equipment and the products sold in it. However, starting a vending business from scratch is more beneficial than purchasing an existing vending route.

Every vending operator before taking up a vending business should abide by the rule and regulations laid down by the state in which you operate. You also need to obtain a license and maintain proper records of all financial transactions for tax purpose. If you have hired a vending location, you would also need to pay some commission to the owner out of total profits generated by you.

You also need to have clarity about the products you would like to sell in your vending machine. There is no point in investing money on a machine that will not generate any profits. If you are a novice in this industry then start with a product that can sell well in all kinds of locations. This can reduce the risk involved in the business.

Make sure you keep these things in mind before starting any vending business. For more information on starting a vending business, you can get in touch with Planet Antares staff and get complete guidance from the experts.

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Friday, November 13, 2009

Direct purchase from Vending Machine Company

If you are looking to buy a vending machine, you should directly approach the vending machine company. You should be looking for the top most company to start your business with. To be doubly sure about your decision you should research about the vending industry as a whole which will give idea which is the best company to go with.

Association with companies like Planet Antares can benefit you a lot in vending business as you would get the following

1. Best vending machines which are trusted by all for their flawless operations
2. Latest technology vending machines
3. Guidance for expert staff
4. Reasonable pricing of vending machines
5. Help in choosing the right machine and the location
6. Detailed information about market trend and sales strategies

A trustworthy company is the one that keeps transparency in operations. It will share the required data with the prospective customer about past success, profit ratio, network and future plans so that the customer is never in dark while making a decision to move into this business. Planet Antares has built trust and positive image in the vending industry and this is the reason why it has survived for three decades and is still going very strong.

Planet Antares provides a profitable opportunity to all those who ever had a dream of running a flourishing business. It is a distinctive way to gain financial independence, and an opportunity to control your time, money and future. Vending doesn’t demand high initial outlay making it a viable business option for many.

The committed and knowledgeable team of Planet Antares helps the operators to get familiar with the vending business. Planet Antares has effectively lived up to its established reputation in the vending industry. The enthusiastic team of Planet Antares ensures complete customer satisfaction in each and every aspect and helps you achieve success in your vending business.

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Monday, November 2, 2009

Advantages Of Glass Front Vending Machines

Vending machines originated in first century BC. In those days, these machines were used to vend holy water in Egyptian temples. Once when people started realising the advantages of these machines, they gradually gained prominence towards the end of 1800. Since then, there has been no looking back for vending business. This industry has come a long way from selling post cards and books to almost every product today.

Vending business is a proven way to make money without requiring you to put long tedious hours unlike other businesses. This is in fact the only business that gives you flexibility and freedom to pursue other opportunities. Your choice of machine is the key for your success. Several models of vending machines are available in the market. Drop shelf machines were initially used by operators for selling single products. Electronic drop shelf machines came next and later came glass front vending machines. Of course each of these has its own benefits.

Glass front vending machines, the latest entrants in vending industry are far more beneficial when compared to closed ones. Let us look at some of these benefits:

• Increase sales: It is believed that glass front vending machines are capable of generating more sales when compared to closed ones. One of the reasons being, customers can actually have a glance of the products which they are about to purchase. These machines have proved to be a great success in busy locations.

• Features: Glass front vending machines from Planet Antares come with several attractive features like LED illuminators, pull forward trays, easy dispensing trays and refrigeration units.

• Shelf space: More products can be marketed in this small shelf space when compared to other drop shelf units.

• Customer association: Customer participation and involvement is more in a glass front vending machine in comparison with closed ones.

• Choice: Customers have a wider choice because this machine can accommodate more products in it.

• Branded items: Glass front vending machines are ideal for vending branded products.

Apart from the benefits they offer to the customer, the operator also gets benefited. 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.

So, all those who are planning to start your own vending business or expand by installing new machines, buy a glass front vending machine now.

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Vending machines overview

Convenience has become synonymous with vending machines. Initially, a vending machine was made to dispense a required product and quantity on inserting a coin in it. The hesitant nature of consumers against purchasing a product from coin operated machines is no more valid in the current market situations. Today vending machines are all over the US and are a reliable source of income for many. Anyone who is fascinated by this business can become a vending business owner without investing too much money, and reap the benefits of owning a vending machine.

The first commercially feasible vending machine was invented by Percival Everitt in 1883. It was a post card vending machine that Everitt installed in London. Regardless of its inconvenient size and weight, it became quite popular and more than one hundred boxes were installed in London. In 1888, Thomas Adams was the only American who produced gum vending machines. Upon observing his success, other companies and individual inventors came into play. Countless new vending machines were produced. As more and more machines were installed, a competitive environment took place in the vending industry.

At present, we have vending machines of various sizes and shapes that vend many products. No matter what the location or size is, vending machines like those of Planet Antares fit all. The most popular are snack and beverage vending machine. Food being a human necessity, sells more. Availability of all popular products and brands in a vending machine make it a preferred choice for the consumers.

The success of vending business depends upon effective functioning of machines. A vending business owner should be very well aware of few essential features of vending machines:
• Vending machines can be mechanical or electrical
• Pick a vending machine according to the size that suits your location
• Stock branded and top nationally known products only
• Your vending machine should be attractive and yet robust.
• Clean and maintain your vending machine regularly

Planet Antares is one of the top names in the vending industry. They boast of state of the art and sturdy equipment. Select from compact food and beverage and healthy vending machines to serve your market requirements.

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Monday, October 12, 2009

Role of Customer Service In Vending Industry

This is a customer dominated market. Customer is the decision maker and he influences the success of any business. Customer service is also one of the key ingredients of marketing mix for any products or services. Today, most of the customers are not only interested in the kind of products they are being offered but are also cautious about the service levels provided. High quality customer service helps in building up a loyal customer base for the company.

While most enterprises give priority to sales, only a few sensible companies focus on providing the best customer service. This is one factor that keeps you unique in this competitive market. Vending, like any other business has greater scope for huge profits through customer service. A smart operator makes use of every single opportunity to serve his target audience in the best possible way.

Unfortunately, as we all know, it is easier said than done. There are several vending companies that boast to provide the best service in the industry. But what is that which can help you serve your customers better?

• Quality of the vending machine: It is important that your vending machine functions properly without any break downs. Make sure that a customer who visits your machine will not return empty handed.

• High quality products: Ensure that you sell the best products using your machine. Remove outdated or expired products from your machine from time to time. Once customer is confident that he can get the best quality product from your machine, he is sure to visit you again.

• Try using latest technology that helps you in tracking the sales of your product and prevent pilferage.

Customer service also includes prompt refilling of your machine, servicing it, its repairs and management. Make sure that your machine is in the top condition at all times. Customers who purchase products from your machine will judge the quality of your service based on the performance efficiency of the vending machine. Hence, give due importance to its functioning, maintenance and security. Buy machines with trusted brands like Planet Antares who have been in the business for over 3 decades.

All this, if followed carefully, is sure to give you the kind of success and reputation you have been looking for.

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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Vending Business - Ever Growing Industry

Vending machine business is an ever growing industry. It may be little surprising to know that every 15 minutes, over 3.5 million coins are being inserted in vending machines that are located across the globe. It is estimated that by next year, the total annual sales of this industry would increase approximately by 55 billion dollars.

What makes this business so lucrative?

• All cash: Vending business is an all cash business and you would start getting returns on your investment from the very first day i.e. as soon as your machine gets located. This means that there are no chances of any bad debts. Since cash is handled by the machine, the work done by the operator is minimal. You only have to collect and count your cash.
• High success: 95% of vending businesses are successful. As there are no additional overhead costs like advertising, rents and salaries to employees, you can retain maximum profits. To ensure that the machine works well, you only have to stock it and maintain it well.
• High returns: The profit margins from vending machines are usually very high. This is even better in case of snacks, beverages and bulk vending machines. Within a shorter span of time you can earn back the amount you have invested in buying a vending machine. Once you have achieved break even, you can enjoy all your profits.
• Can be a full time or part time: An operator can take up vending business on a full time or part time basis. Generally most people start as a part time basis so that they can continue with their regular jobs. Once you realise that the income earned from vending business is exceeding your regular monthly income, you can completely switch to vending business.
• Perfect control: Vending machine business helps you have a complete control over your business. You have no time restrictions and no one to boss over you.

Technology advancement and changing trends are only helping this business is reaching the highest pinnacle in the business world. If you are a new entrepreneur who is wondering which business to take up, then we would definitely suggest vending machine business. So, its time to shun all your doubts and set up your own vending business.

For complete guidance on how to set up vending business, we recommend you to contact Planet Antares. Planet Antares professionals not only guide you on how to set up vending business from scratch but also recommend vending machines ideally suited for your locations.

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Friday, August 28, 2009

Planet Antares

With over three decades of experience in the vending industry Planet Antares has helped thousands of people to start the vending business and achieve their goal of financial independence. They are the leaders in vending business and their growth is all because of diligent work force and trust of customers. The success of Planet Antares is all because of the following.

Customer Satisfaction: Planet Antares has realized that to get a competitive edge in the vending industry it is important to have satisfied customers for whom they have qualified and diligent staff that ensures proper guidance to prospective business owners. All the vending machines are developed keeping customers ease of use in mind

Leadership: As the vending industry continues to grow, Planet Antares aims to achieve market leadership by improving their vending ideology and technology. Planet Antares has always specialized in meeting customer demands by providing quality services and offering profitable business plans.

Opportunity: Planet Antares is a brand name in the vending business and the business owners attached with Planet Antares have the opportunity to carry this brand name. Also Planet Antares provides an opportunity t work full time or part time in this business which is unique in nature.

Planet Antares machines are stylish and come with unique features with latest technology which has helped in gaining distinction in the vending market. There is a vast network of distributors and vendors which add to the Planet Antares advantage. Being the market leader, planet Antares boasts of pioneering team of marketing and technical leaders who provide guidance to new entrants at every step so as to make their vending journey comfortable.

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Thursday, August 6, 2009

Planet Antares snack and beverage vending machine

Don’t know which vending machine to choose? You are bound to be confused in the beginning of your vending business since there is a wide variety to choose from. I would suggest you to start with food and beverage vending machine. Food is a basic requirement of human being and is not affected by economic situations. With Planet Antares snack and beverage vending machine, you can be sure of running a successful vending business.

A right approach towards the snack and beverage vending will help you to achieve market leadership. We have short listed few essentials to make your vending business successful with food and beverage vending machine.
1. Choose a location after much consideration and thorough research
2. Most suitable locations for snack and beverage vending machine are restaurants, hotels, offices, and lunch rooms in teacher lounges, airports, railway stations and many more.
3. Explore new locations
4. Find out the brand choices of the target customers
5. Stock the machines with top branded products
6. Keep in mind seasonal choices as well
7. Follow the healthy trend and offer nutritious and low fat snacks options
8. Buy technologically advanced vending machines from Planet Antares
9. Appropriate temperature should be ensured to keep the food fresh
10. A proper cleaning of the machine as well as the surroundings
11. Reasonable prices of the products
12. Adopt category management

Americans are fond of snacking and your quality snack and beverage vending machine will be a hit amongst them. Planet Antares innovative vending machines are easy and friendly to use. Once you have bought the exclusive equipment, make sure to keep it filled with the quality products and make huge profits. Gradually, expand your vending business by installing different Planet Antares vending machines.

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Thursday, May 28, 2009

New Technology In Planet Antares Vending Machines

Planet Antares vending machines have incorporated the latest technology. This allows the vending machines to operate more efficiently. Of course, this has made the vending business more efficient and more profitable as well. Apart from machine features, technology is also used in the operation of vending business. With the rise of competition from other operators, you will have to look for new ways of staying ahead of them.

As a vending business owner, you have a limited space to merchandise your products. Within that space, you will need to maximize sales. In spite of the profitability of vending business, vending operators face difficulty in achieving maximum profitability from time to time. Some of technological innovations can be adapted by you to improve the profitability of your vending business.

The vending operations of many vending business owners have undergone changes with the use of technology. The sales from vending operations have increased after implementation of technology. The operators are also able to keep track of the sales that were made from the vending machine.

Category management has helped vending operators to select the right products for vending machines and restock vending machines in time. All forms of technological advancements are available for improving your Planet Antares vending business. To determine the most appropriate form of technology for your business, you must consider the size of your vending business.

By using technology in your Planet Antares vending business, you will be able to sell more and spend less in your vending operations. The vending machines are already equipped with the latest technology, so all you need to do is implement other forms of technology in your vending operations. This can help you save up to two hours per day per route by employing technology. Moreover, you will have higher percentage of sales increases from the same machines through a better understanding of location preferences. Through cash audit functionality, shrinkage will be virtually eliminated. To implement technology, you just need to have enough funds to finance the innovation.

Technology will ensure smoother operation and efficiency in productivity. It is important to be aware of all the latest technologies coming in the vending marketplace if you want to survive and thrive in the vending industry.

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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Planet Antares Vending Machines Planogram

Category management is a structure that enables you to take benefit of market research in selecting products for your Planet Antares vending machines. In designing a planogram, three steps are involved:

a. selecting product categories
b. allotting appropriate space to each category
c. Finalising products for each category

Categories can be further be grouped into smaller categories.. It is easier to make a planogram if there are lesser number of categories. If the categories are more, more will be the variety.
Next, you must allocate space in the Planet Antares vending machine. Each category should get as least one facing. The number of facings is based on the category sales and how the products will physically fit the shelf.

The third step of finalizing the product is the toughest. You will have to consider:

• Core products which sell consistently in all machines. They can represent 20% of the products in your Planet Antares vending machine.
• Rotate products that go in every machine during the menu cycle, but change in between menu cycles. This includes the majority of the products.
• Choose products that can be provided for a specific location to meet specific requests. These should contain no more than 20% of the facings.

Separate planograms can be recognized by operators for different types of accounts such as white collar, blue collar, educational, etc. For example, cracker sandwiches fare better in caged sites; pretzels do better in offices than factories.

The planogram helps you to be in charge of what products are placed in the Planet Antares vending machines. Without this tool, drivers are free to keep products based on personal preferences, or use whatever products are available in order to save time.

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Thursday, January 8, 2009

Planet Antares Inc Outlines Beverage Vending Trends

Recent years saw a fall in the sales of vending machines selling cold drinks. This is not the case anymore. 

In contrast, there has been a rise in the sales of cold drinks. Bottled cold drinks have made the largest gain in past few years since bottled drinks appeared on the vending machine market in the late 1990s.

Meanwhile, vending machine cold drink cans such as those in Planet Antares vending machines continue to generate profits. In spite of this, consumers still prefer bottled cold drinks from vending machines. Being more fashionable, these are the preferred choice of majority of the customers. 

If you observe carefully, the percentage of can versus bottles sold indicates the vending machine company size with smaller vending operators are selling fewer bottles than cans. 

Planet Antares Inc offers vending machines selling cold drinks in cans and juices in bottles. The cold cup beverage vending continues to decline in spite of its potential for profitability. The potential for beverage vending machine sales has increased sharply as more and more vending machines get placed at different locations. 

The introduction of glass front cold drink vending machines has made it possible for you to make higher profits and sales. However, the proportion of closed front vending machines remains higher than glass front vending machines. 

A Planet Antares vending machine has the advantage that you get to experience higher cold drink vending machine sales as they can showcase a larger selection of beverages than closed front vending machines.

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Friday, December 19, 2008

Ensuring Vending Truck Drivers Comfort

With changes in vending products size and packaging, more space is required for product upsizing, especially the 16 and 20 ounce cold drink bottles. Both the vehicle drivers and the vehicle are experiencing greater and heavier loads on them.

This has made it essential for suspension systems to be stronger. There has to be more room in the body and the bottles have to be arranged in a way that minimizes the bending and lifting needed in the process.

Planet Antares vending operators need to consider vehicle capabilities, ease of use and driver comfort features. The traditional step in van still remains the preferred choice among vending operators. However, the advantage step vans offer ease of loading and has become crucial with the growth of bottles. It also allows the driver to access the merchandise without leaving the vehicle.

Many Planet Antares vending operators are discovering that there are other options to consider in trying to reduce the driver’s work load and simultaneously achieve greater cost efficiencies. Bigger chassis, while a higher capital outlay, can offer greater driver comfort, better maneuverability and higher cost efficiency over the long term.

It is also necessary to consider the individual needs of your vending business while deciding upon the trucks and the requirements for enhancing driver comfort. Operators with dedicated food trucks are more likely to want built in temperature controls.

Due to the rise in truck loads, Planet Antares vending operators will have to pay attention to driver comfort, be it outside or inside the vehicle. The top priority is the ease of loading the vehicle while buying a new route vehicle.

It is best for you to buy a dedicated beverage truck so that only beverages can be transported through it. Separate vehicle can be purchased for transport of snacks. This way, you can load the vending trucks easily and enhance driver morale and focus of his attention on the tasks at hand.

A lot of vending operators make the mistakes of underestimating the weight of the vehicle while purchasing it. As a Planet Antares vending operator, you will need to assess the real weight of a typical truck before deciding what size chassis to buy. Also, consider the capacity of drinks to be carried on the trucks.

Selecting the chassis for your vending business involves consideration of factors like proximity of service centers, fuel economies, warranties, low frame height, turning radius and driver comfort.

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Thursday, December 11, 2008

Hot And New Technology In Vending Machines

In the recent times, vending machines have incorporated latest technology. This allows the vending machines to operate more efficiently. On the other hand, this has made the vending business more efficient and more profitable as well.

Apart from machine features, technology is also used in the operation of vending business. With increasing competition from other operators, you will have to look for new ways of staying ahead of them.

Vending business owners have a limited space to merchandise their products. Within that space, you will need to maximize sales. In spite of the profitability of vending business, several difficulties may arise in achieving maximum profitability from time to time. Some of technological innovations can be adapted by you to improve the profitability of your vending business.

If you think about it, the vending operations have undergone significant changes with the use of technology. The sales from vending operations have increased after implementation of technology. Vending operators are also able to keep track of the sales that were made from the vending machine.

Category management has helped vending operators to select the right products for vending machines and restock vending machines in time. Improvement of your Planet Antares vending business is possible with all forms of technological advancements. To determine the most appropriate form of technology for your business, you must consider the size of your vending business.

By using technology in your Planet Antares vending business, you can sell more and spend less in your vending operations. Once they are technically equipped, all you need to do is implement other forms of technology in your vending operations. This can help you save up to two hours per day per route by employing technology.

Additionally, you will have higher percentage of sales increases from the same machines through a better understanding of location preferences. To implement technology, you just need to have enough funds to finance the innovation.

Other than this, technology will ensure smoother operations and efficiency in productivity. You must remain aware of all the latest technologies coming in the vending marketplace if you want to survive and thrive in the vending industry.

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