changing snack selections

[dogcow]

hey curious to get others strategies on changing snack selections. do you change selections regularly ? what triggers a change in product selection aside from slow sellers? do you move the products around in the machine ?  do you find changing selections regularly improves sales ?

[JEREMYTINA]

I only have 2 snack machines, and one is a combo.  The larger unit is a USI3015, and if something moves slow there, I move it to my other machine.  The combo machine location has a bunch of vending addicts, they'll eat anything.  I do try out new stuff if it catches my eye though, and I am always looking for ways to increase my profit per vend.

[alboy88]

hey guys,  ill try stuff for a couple weeks if it doesnt move then it goes i always try different things though just to shake things up

[mission vending]

No particular strategy other than the most popular stuff at the top and less popular in the middle where its more likely to be seen and has a better chance at impulse buy. After that if I see expiration date approaching it comes out and something else goes in.

[dogcow]

the most popular stuff at the top and less popular in the middle where its more likely to be seen and has a better chance at impulse buy.

thats what i was curious about. do you ever move stuff around in the row?

ive tried that and found it upticks some items in sales a little i think people tend to look past items sometimes and shuffling the order makes it harder to do that

[RJT]

People by nature are complainers. Even when you are trying new things they will complain that the “same old things” are in the machine. I try and freshen up my machines at each service. I will add something’s that were not in it last week. I also will move things around in the machine from week to week so it looks different. This is an old retail trick, if you look at a store they are constantly moving things around to make it look new and fresh.

You can do half rows of two different products so as one sells out a new item appears. I try and put the larger products in the front so they cant see the items behind it.

The main thing is to ask for request and keep in contact with the people in your account and see what they want. People get burned out on products over time. While Cool Ranch Doritos are hot for a couple weeks then all of the sudden you cant give them away.

Over all I just try different items and change it up as often and time allows.

[snack dude]

Then there is the location where you sell one bag of Cool Ranch Doritos a week and as soon as you take them out someone says "where are my Cool Ranch Doritos I love those things"

[RJT]

Then there is the location where you sell one bag of Cool Ranch Doritos a week and as soon as you take them out someone says "where are my Cool Ranch Doritos I love those things"

I think you have this vending thing figured out pretty good.  LOL

[dannie]

It amazes me I have snack machines at two different nursing homes. One of them I cant keep enough honey buns in there, and the other one only a couple sells.

[nrpick44]

Its funny reading this because I thought i was the only one who thought this way. Every time I put something different in my snack machines it blows out. Next week it sells about half and then the week after it may sell a hand full.

My question for the "big guys" is, how do you keep a record of when and what you put where in the machine? After 6 months of vending that's still the biggest question for me. Whats the best way that yall have found other than just by memory? Thanks!

[JEREMYTINA]

I use vend-trak.  I can track exactly how much product sells week to week, and move slow sellers out.  If it's something that doesn't do well in any machine, I mark it down to cost and that usually sells it, and then I take it off my active list of products.

[nrpick44]

Do you just write it down while at the location then input all the data later on you PC?

[JEREMYTINA]

Ven-trak allows me to print off a route service sheet.  I can write down notes and usage when I service right on the sheet, and then input it later into the system.  I could take my laptop in, but that would be to probematic.  I plan to buy a smart phone in a couple months and I can input my my data to the site directly on location.  You can also enter notes, chnage product selections on the fly, and immediately upload the data real time, and the location if on commission, can log in and see the pull date, time, and commission they earned that service.  They can also email product requests, anf service issues right through the site.

[nrpick44]

ive got to take a look at this...thx for the info