Texas Paramedic newbie

[Coolclay84]

I'm new to the vending machine business. I work full-time a paramedic in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. My job allows me alot of free time so I'm looking to get into vending as a part-time business and hopefully grow from there. Any advice for the newbie? Bulk vending vs. Coke/Snack machine?

-Travis

[lakevending]

It depends on what you're looking to put into the business, and what kind of skills and money that you have. And there is more vending then just bulk vs. full line also. There's also honor boxes, breathalyzer vending machines, cranes, personal products, and the list goes on. Bulk machines cost less, both in machine cost and in product cost, then soda/snack and are a lot easier to move around. However, given average locations, you will make a lot more per machine on drink vs. bulk. Also, how are your technical skills? drink/snack machines need much more interesting and varied repairs at times due to the number of parts that go into one.

So.... basically you need to look at what you have to invest and the technical skills that you have or are sure you can learn, and make a decision from there. Personally, I have decided on honor snack boxes, and am switching out boxes for bulk candy/toy on locations that don't perform well enough to keep a box there. This is partly due to time constraints with my current job, and lack of enough funding right now to really get into full line vending. But I hope to have a piece of that pie too within the next year. You can start wherever you feel is best for you now, but you don't have to limit yourself to one or the other. Just 2 cents from a fellow newcomer.

[mission vending]

Welcome fellow Texan. IMO full line is the only way to go. Though i'm sure that some will consider me to be somewhat biased. Lol