Vending has a long history to tell. It all started when the Greek mathematician, Hero, invented a machine that vended holy water for Egyptian temples in 215BC. The first commercial coin-operated vending machines were introduced during the 1880s in London, England, which was a machine that dispensed post cards. Vending has a long history. It has been around for over 2000 years! It all started when the Greek mathematician, Hero, invented a machine that vended holy water for Egyptian temples in 215BC. The first commercial coin-operated vending machine dispensed post cards and was introduced during the 1880s in London, England. Today, vending machines are found nearly everywhere including shopping centres, businesses, schools, rest rooms, and even gyms and fitness centres. The variety of goods that can be purchased from vending machines is almost endless. They sell bottled drinks, snack bars, lollies, DVD’s, and even school supplies. Many entrepreneurs consider vending machines a good way to earn lucrative profits. Although the most common kind is the soft drink or snack vending machine, there are numerous other vending machine types, all of which provide handy or desirable items to the buying public. You may not realise it, but a profitable vending machine can be situated in a gym or fitness centre. Gym vending machines offer gym members a great alternative method of purchasing fast and convenient nutritious goods in a totally automateddispenser system 24/7. So if you’re a gym or fitness centre owner or thinking of purchasing a gym that has a lot of patrons, then this can be an opportune moment to ramp up your profits. Gyms and fitness centres are popular places frequented by many different kinds of customers that all have the same common goal –to get fit and healthy. By providing quality fitness and nutrition based products in a vending machine, not only will it help them in their overall fitness goal, but it will boost your business profits. How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 3 Demand for healthy vending continues to upsurge, especially in establishments where health and wellness is promoted like gyms and fitness centres, health clubs, dance studios, gymnastics clubs, and sports facilities. It’s imperative that they send a consistent message not only about exercise, but also about all aspects of healthy living, particularly diet. “You can be a big participant in the quest for promoting health and fitness” As a gym or fitness centre owner, you’re already heavily invested in the health and well-being of your customers. And now, a lot of gyms and fitness centres are open 24 hours a day. Just think of what an advantage it can be if you can provide them with nutritious and healthy products as an essential part of their routine. How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 5 Your customers are already focused on improving their health, and a vending machine that provides a variety of taste-tested healthy nutritious choices will ensure that before, during and after exercise, they are also eating and drinking foods that will benefit their bodies. The tastier and healthier these products are, the more they will come back and even refer their friends! Many gyms and fitness centre owners sell food and drinks to generate extra retail sales. This is usually done over the counter or in a dedicated shop in the centre. This is a great way to send the healthy food message and to make money, but there are high costs involved in providing snacks and drinks in this way. You usually have to have extra staff, or your existing staff have to serve the customers taking them away from why they are really there, to assist members and to promote your fitness centre to new members. There’s also the added costs of stocking the shelves, displaying the items, refrigeration, regular inventory and stock control, and not to mention security issues with cash. How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 6 Gym vending machines can prevent these headaches and stock loss costs and provide a hassle-free vending service, which not only offers good commissions and a wide array of gymfocused products 24/7, but will also keep your customers happy which is always a good thing as it keeps them coming back. Another great thing about gym vending machines is that they require less energy to run than a dedicated shop that besides from the staffing costs also has extras like lighting and refrigeration. So you will save more money on your electricity bill to boot! It’s simple: When your gym members and customers become healthier and learn better nutrition by purchasing products from your gym vending machine, you not only save time and effort, you have lower power bills and extra profits! How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 7 There are many types of vending machines available from various manufacturers and suppliers. They come in different sizes, shapes, colours, and cater for different budgets. Some types of vending machines need electricity to operate, and some use mechanical motion to vend the products. Different machines suit different purposes and locations and even for targeting different customers. Here are some vending machines most commonly seen: Snack Vending Machine The usual vending machine is one offering chocolates and lollies, soft-drinks, and other snack foods. These machines are available in most locations including office buildings, schools, train and bus stations, shopping centres and entertainment precincts like movie theatres and bowling alleys. Coffee Vending Machine These vending machines offer a coffee menu that allows customers to select specific types of coffee, hot-chocolate drinks, or tea and provides the cup, coffee, milk and sweetener, if selected. You can find these in offices, universities, hospitals, and 24/7 convenience stores and service stations. How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 9 Toiletries Vending Machine Vending machines offering toiletry and medical supplies are usually situated in public comfort rooms at airports, bars, restaurants and clubs. These vending machines provide essentials such as sanitary supplies, facial towels, dental floss, toothbrushes and paste, headache tablets and even condoms. Change Vending Machine These machines are often forgotten about, but they are a useful machine when you need to break a note into coins or smaller denominations. These vending machines also take credit cards in exchange and are a great machine for specific environments where you need change for another vending machine! They are popular in casinos, parking stations, self-car washes and even launderettes. Office Supplies Vending Machine This type of vending machine is useful in academic settings and libraries, airports, and career centres. It provides pencils, pencil sharpeners, pens, paper, USB flash drives, and even mailing products like envelopes and stamps. How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 10 Customized Vending Machine This machine provides a number of different products such as CDs, DVDs, tickets, console and computer games, disposable cameras, and even bulk refillable spring or filtered water. They are great for supermarkets, shopping centres and retail stores. Vending machines come in such variety and the possibilities a practically endless! When talking about vending machines for business, selecting the right type is as important as choosing the location. You wouldn’t put chocolate and soft drink vending machine in a gym or fitness centre, would you? How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 11 Is There a Downside to Running a Vending Machine Business? How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 12 Many people are seeking the convenience of selfemployment these days, and there is no better way than with a vending machine business. But there are a few things to watch out for to ensure you get the most out of your vending machine business. Having your own business sounds very attractive and owning a vending machine business offers some distinct opportunities for success. Vending machines are not magical money-making machines. They are a passive business, which operates up to 24 hours a day even when you are not looking after them. But, it’s not completely free from responsibilities. There are some things to keep in mind: • As a passive business, your capital and profits are rolled over constantly to keep your business going. You can’t use the daily cash revenues from your vending machine to provide emergency funding to keep your business alive. You’ll end up having no reserves to restock your machine. •There have been instances of theft from these machines. Although not common, the machines can be hacked and product and even cash can be stolen. How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 13 • Vandalism and destruction is another problem that you may face. It can mean loss of stock, but also put your machine out of action while it’s either repaired or replaced. • If you’re not the gym or fitness centre owner, then you may have to pay commission and/or rent to place your machine. While this should not necessarily discourage or prevent you from running a vending machine business, you must ensure you factor these costs into any potential profit to determine its viability. These few things just identify that to ensure success, the vending machine business needs preparation prior to launch to ensure suitability and profit. How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 14 There are so many reasons why you should get a vending machine business. It’s one of those few legal businesses that needs very little time and effort from the business owner to run, yet allows you to rake in great profits. It’s also a great benefit to your customer as they don’t need to queue for a long time to purchase their items, they simply deposit their money in the machine and then select the item of their choice. Simple! Immediate cash flow Your cash flow starts as soon as your equipment is placed. Most new businesses fail in a large part due to lack of cash flow in the beginning. One of the many benefits of vending machines is your cash flow can start at day 1! Multiple Streams of Cash Flow Most people who are financially independent are those who have more than just one source of income. A vending machine business allows you to establish more than one machine at many different profitable sites, often selling different types of products which provides a good potential for multiple streams of cash flow. How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 16 Working 24/7 It’s like having a sales team working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - with no coffee breaks, no sick leave, and no days off! Reducing your overheads by not having to hire staff only increases the profit margin for you, and who doesn’t want that? Part Time or Full Time In the vending business, you can operate as little or as much as you like. You’ll not only be working for yourself, you won’t have a boss to answer to, there are no set hours, no advertising costs, no complicated paperwork, and most of all, no limit to income. Being a Salesman is not a Pre-requisite Several of the most successful individuals in the field of vending today were those who didn't feel they were talented as salespeople. What you need is a good plan and location for the vending business, and some professional help from the experts in vending machines to get your business to become more profitable. Mobility One of the brilliant things about a vending machine is that is can always be moved to another area to target another market and increase your profit. How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 17 It is pretty unusual for a vending machine business to lose money, but there are a few aspects that will decide as to how much profit your machine will generate for you. These include the location or site of the machine, the target customers, the type of products that are stocked in your machine and the service providers where you purchase or rent your vending machine from. These are all things to consider when you decide to start your own vending machine business. How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 18 Gym and fitness centre clients are health conscious. So it’s vital to the success of your vending machine business to provide them with products to enhance their fitness and performance. Vending junk and high-calorie foods in your vending machines is not in sync with the gym’s purpose of promoting fitness and good health. Vending machines can be personalised to your particular business. Your service provider can build you a set-up from one that is very simple to one that is very complex. You can try starting with a smaller variety of products to test your market. A combo vending machine that offers your customers healthy snack bars and workout drinks (powder or bottled in one machine would be a good place to start. As your business grows, your machines can be more customised by offering a machine for each kind of product or brand or with the addition of extra products such as vitamins and performance enhancing products. It’s a good idea to have a gym vending machine that’s dual temperature. That way you can provide your customers with icy cold energy drinks as well as room-temperature nutritious snacks. Don’t forget that your machine needs to not only provide great products but needs to be eye-catching too. You need to entice your customers to come and have a look in order to buy, so make sure you stock your machine with great products with attractive and easy to read labelling. How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 20 This may seem like a no-brainer, but take care when choosing your provider. Make sure you choose one that has a nutrition team that works with you or your staff to ensure you get the products and machine that’s right for you and your location. That way you’ll get the best possible start to kick-off your wellness and vending machine business. At Worldwide Vending we specialise in vending machines. We know the best machine for your business and can recommend the right products for your gym and fitness centre. We service and stock the machines and customize the contents based on your clients’ preferences to keep your clients happy and increase your profits. We train you to! You won’t be left in the dark and we have fully trained technicians on site and are only a phone call away for any questions you may have later on. Give Worldwide Vending a call on 1300386-609 today. Vending is easy; anyone can start a vending business. Start with as little as one vending machine and you never know where it may take you! How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 21 How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 22 Yes, vending machines offer opportunities to make a great profit with low maintenance. But the real success of your vending business is all about location. You can put your vending machine in practically any businesses or shop you like but the combination of location and products are what will make you those great profits. So before you purchase a vending machine from Worldwide Vending or any other provider, it’s important to ensure you have found the right location for your business. To earn more profit in the vending machine business, you need to install the machines in places with high foot traffic and in common areas where customers stop. The more people who pass by frequently, the more potential customers you will have. Place your machine in the entrance/exit area where most people come and go. Locate your machine in areas where customers eat and drink like rest areas and waiting lounges. How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 23 Most vending machine customers are impulse buyers. They may be thirsty and when they buy a drink, they may decide to grab a protein bar at the same time. They could be bored and your machine may be just the incentive they need to spend their money. Place a vending machine near the cash register at the front desk, they already have money, so it may entice them to spend some in the machine. Always remember that the items stocked in your vending machine should be in-line with your core business and your target market segment. “The bottom line of any successful business is the right product and correctly targeted customers. ” How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 24 What Are The Top 10 Selling Products For A Gym How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 25 When it comes to stocking your gym vending machine there is a great variety of interesting and functional products available to sell. Healthy vending products in your machine serve as great source of energy and protein for your customers and by choosing the right products, you will ensure they buy from you again and again. Check out the top 10 nutritional products for a gym: •Oxyelite Powder (Pre-Workout) •Beta•NOX Liquid Ultimate (Pre-Workout Drink) •Nox Pump Sachet (Pre-Workout) •Xtend (Single serve Intra workout Drink) •X50 Green Tea (Intra Workout Drink) •Muscle Milk Bottle (Post Workout Drink) •Lean Body Bottle (Post Workout Drink) •Lean Body Bar (Post workout Snack) •Titan Cookie (Post work out Snack) •Titan Bar (Post work out Snack) How Gyms and Fitness Centres Can Increase Profit through the Sale of Sports Nutrition Using Specialised Gym Vending Machines // 26 At Worldwide Vending we also have an advice centre that will help you with purchasing a vending machine. Everything from contact details, Buying Guides, vending machine product sheets and articles, and if you still have any unanswered questions, please feel to call our enthusiastic and friendly team on 1300 386 609. 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