SS M A L P
MALL OL
OP
ADVICE AND KNOW-HOW TAILORED TO THE 1 TO 4 ROUTE OPERATION
How to
merchandise a
vending machine
By Dominic Finelli, Contributing Editor
Having a good looking machine with products
customers want is within a vendors' grasp
with control in the stockroom, item variety
and visually appealing product placement.
A
ll vending companies,
large or small, are in
business to try and
sell as many products as possible at
every location. How a company goes
about doing this varies greatly. Many
use a set planogram, others allow their
drivers to pick whatever they want
from the stockroom and a growing
number are using their technology
to monitor every spiral, check sales
and quickly change out non-sellers.
However, even if an operator isn't set
up to instantly monitor sales, isn't
using a hand-held and doesn't have a
planogram, maximizing sales is still
possible. To do it, operators need to
get the product they want out to their
customers by beginning the merchandising process in the stockroom.
Dictate what goes in the machines
We all agree that merchandising is an
essential part of buying and selling
products, and operators can do it by
controlling what they buy and what
they allow drivers to take out of the
stockroom. Operators should start by
setting aside an area in the stockroom
where they place the products they
want to go into the machines, and
then make the drivers only take those
products. Operators have an idea of
how many spirals in the machines
are dedicated to each price point, so
place the same amount of products, by
price point, in this area. For example,
if the machines have 10 spirals for
candy products, then place 10 different kinds of candy in this area and no
more. This way operators pick which
items are to be put into the machines,
and when an item is depleted, they
pick the replacement, providing a
good variety as well as a good average
cost per price point. Now the driver
can't just pick what he or she likes or
what is the easiest to load.
Visual appeal
Keep the customer's
eye interested by
spreading out colors.
New products
Try new products
in the vending
machine, but trust
your instincts.
Price point
About 60 percent
of items should be
top selling items;
40 percent then
can be "rotational
items" to create
variety.
CONTINUED
iStockphoto
14
Automatic Merchandiser
VendingMarketWatch.com
April 2013
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