Another innovative and creative option for those who want to be in the vending machine business is the use of water vending machines. Speaking simply, there are many locations where a water vending machine would be in demand -- basically anywhere where people need water but where it is not widely available.
Where are some locations where water vending machines might do well? Certainly shopping malls, supermarkets, and many types of retail outlets are always good possibilities. Other places where water vending machines can be successfully used are hotel and motel lobbies, golf courses, theme parks, coin-operated Laundromats, and automobile dealerships.
Several issues must be considered before purchasing a water vending machine. One of those is the type of payment system which will be used. Typical thinking says that water vending machines must always be coin-operated, but there are other options that are sometimes available (depending on the manufacturer/model): Dollar bill handlers, machines that accept tokens and those that are programmed to accept a specially-printed coupon are options.
Another issue that you will need to consider is the type of water filtration method that is used (carbon filters, reverse osmosis, UV). Some water vending machines rely on one type of water purification method, while other models may use a combination of methods. Since these types of water vending machines do not deliver bottled water, but rather dispense water directly to the customer from some other source, you must make sure that the water source that is used is safe (drinkable) and is free from odors and discoloration.
What kind of features would a good-quality water vending machine have? First of all, it should have a superior water filtration system, which delivers a high quality water product even if it is hooked up to the public water supply system. A water vending machine which is capable of dispensing large amounts of water (gallons or multiple gallons) will allow you to charge more per transaction, thereby increasing the profitability of your machine.
Of course your water vending machine will need an accurate mechanism for measuring out the water that is dispensed -- you don't want your customers complaining that they only received three quarters of a gallon of water when they paid for a full gallon! You will also need to make sure that your water vending machines have a secure coin/bill collection box -- the best ones allow the collection box to be removed and replaced with an empty unit, thereby expediting money collections (this is something you may wish to do yourself, while leaving the cleaning and maintenance of the machines to other employees).
Finally, for security reasons, your water vending machine should be durable enough to resist vandalism and break-ins. Smaller and lighter machines should also have the capability of being chained to other objects, to minimize the chance of your water vending machine being stolen.
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Allyson
Posted 164 days ago
This article has given me a lot to think about. I have been thinking about buying some water vending machines in order to make some extra money.
