Vending machines on university campuses have recently become very common. Most universities have vending machines for snacks, sodas, and healthy food options. This is most convenient when people have expansive campuses that students have to walk around in a lot. In situations like these, having a soda vending machine can be a blessing for someone who can’t find a canteen or store nearby.
If you select the right items and make sure you choose accessible locations on campus, you are sure to get a substantial amount of business as well. Here are some reasons why you should also invest in a vending machine for the university campuses around you.
They’re More Convenient
If you’re careful about where you place your vending machines throughout the campus, you’ll be able to generate a lot of business. When a campus is large and requires a significant amount of walking around, students are more likely to stop by a snack vending machine for a boost of energy.
Incorporating multiple food and drink options in your vending machines is a great way of ensuring that students will approach it. Not everyone has time to walk to the closet store or canteen to grab a snack, but if you have a healthy vending machine, it will reduce students’ need to walk all the way to a store.
They’re Always Available
Another reason why a vending machine is a necessity on university campuses is that stores aren’t always open all the time. If there are students that stay back late in the library to study, chances are that they are not going to be able to access the snack shops on campus. However, a vending machine is always available because they don’t need anyone to operate them.
The best thing about a full service vending machine is that you don’t even have to worry about restocking the items. Your supplier is equipped with the job of checking up on the machine, taking out the change, and restocking on any items that need replenishing.
You Can Stock the Most Popular Options
One advantage of having vending machines on a university campus is that you know exactly the kind of people that will be using it. Just like corporate vending, where you know what kind of customer base is most likely to avail the vending machine option, you know the same for a machine on campus.
If you have learned that a soda vending machine works best outside of the student gym and that a snack vending machine is the most popular outside of classrooms, you will know what to keep in each machine. If you’re aware that most students prefer having energy drinks or a quick, healthy snack, you can stock more of those as opposed to items like chips and chocolate.
Most university students are willing to spend money on a vending machine if they know they have the options that they had in mind.
You Can Cater to Professors Too
Many professors need a refreshing drink or snack before heading in for a class. If you are smart and make sure to place an office vending machine outside the faculty lounge, you are likely to get business from professors as well. Often times, professors aren’t free at the same times in the day which means that they can’t go out for lunch in groups. In situations like these, grabbing something from the vending machine and heading back to grade papers is the most convenient option.
You can even have vending machines with tea and coffee options, which are more likely to sell among both young and older adults. You can get in touch with a vending company that supplies the kind of food and drink options that you think will work best with your potential customer base and have those options supplied in the machines.
They Require Less Research
Unlike the kind of fieldwork and market research usually required before starting a vending machine business, a university vending business is less exhausting. This is because you already know the places where students are most likely to gather at. You also know the places that lack in other food options nearby, so you know you can place a vending machine there.
You can even conduct a survey with as many students as possible and ask them what they would like a potential vending machine to have, so that you can make sure to have those options in the vending machine you place there.
Because you already know who your audience is going to be, it is easier to come to an understanding of what they are most likely to want to buy. You can do your research to find out what is better for young adults to snack on while studying, and educate the students on why the products in your vending machine are a great resource for healthy snack options.
They Require Less Marketing
Word of mouth is a great marketing tactic and if you have students all over campus talking about the new vending machine with a variety of food options, you get free marketing with minimal effort. When a few students are impressed by the standard and items in your vending machine, they are going to tell all their friends to give it a try if they ever pass it.
Unlike a public vending machine where you can’t ensure that people are going to approach it, a vending machine on campus is good to go once a few students start to talk about it.
Final Words
If you are looking for a professional vending machine installation company in Union County, Morris County, Hudson County, Essex County or Bergen County, you can get in touch with our team at (201) 826-2112. We are one of the best vending machine installation companies in the area and offer regular service and maintenance as well.
We offer office vending machines for snacks and soda. You can also opt for our healthy vending machine.
Ready to venture into the vending machine industry and get machines of your own? Just get in touch with us at (201) 826-2112 to find out all the details.