Novelty Bulk Vending Machines

There are lots of different "bulk vending" machines on the market, besides just the standard candy / gumball / capsule machines. The bulk vending market also has quite a few "niche" machines out there that are very profitable if you can get into the right kind of locations with them.

One popular and eye-catching option is the "Antique Gas-Pumper" gumball machines. Most of them, such as these (5 new, never used ones for only $900!) are over 5 feet tall! Some are up to 7 feet tall. The cool thing about them, apart from looking retro which is popular due to all the junking / restoration shows on TV these days, is that you can customize the logo on the top (the real gas pumpers would have had oil & gas company logos.)

Here's another popular little machine, especially with the kids- Shootin' Hoops gumball vending machines. (Left.) Yup, you guessed it, you push the button and try to get the gumball into the little basketball net. How cute is that? Perfect for pizza parlors, game rooms, theater lobbies, etc.



On the more high-tech side of novelty bulk machines are the interactive vending machines that put on some type of show for the customer. They can be quite pricey, but if you get them pre-owned, you'll save thousands.

An example of the Interactive bulk machines is the Wowie Zowie vending machine by Wacky Fun Factory. It is a brightly colored frame in a clear case full of gears, levers, cogs, pulleys, etc. As the gumball travels down to the hand of the customer, it moves through the parts with colored flashing lights and silly sounds.

Gumball Machine Bandit Arrested

I can't help but think this is funny. What on earth compels a person to walk up to a metal gumball / bulk candy vending machine and take off with it? Supposed he did get away with it, how much trouble is he going to have trying to open it and get the change out? Newsflash: commercial gumball machines aren't nearly as flimsy as you'd think.Someone is very likely to get stopped trying to flee the scene with a machine. And they sure as heck aren't goignt o be able to break into it it public.
http://www.kristv.com/news/suspected-gumball-machine-bandit-arrested/

Luckily, theft of gumball machines is a very uncommon thing- only the most desperate bozo would try it. Fortunately for bulk candy vending machine operator, it's easy to pick up some used, like new bulk candy machines for cheap to replace one that's stolen or just needs to be replaced. 

Bulk Vending - Get the Scoop

The bulk vending machine business actually consists of several different types of machines and products: Novelty capsule venders, gumball venders, flat vending (which includes temporary tattoos and stickers), and few other niche items. In 2005, the dollar volume of all the different types of bulk vending was appx. $413,417,000; in 2009, it was $398,417,000. It's an area that still has room to change and grow.

Because of the crunch in the credit industry, it's is harder for all types of vending machine operators to purchase new equipment on credit. Luckily, there are other ways to obtain quality vending machines at extremely reduced prices. If you will steer away from the "usual" ways to buy bulk vending machines, you can save yourself a lot of money and not have to bother with creditors.

While the number of bulk candy, bulk capsule, and gumball vending machines out on locations has diminished somewhat over the past few years, the industry is still very lucrative. The idea is to minimize your initial investment, so that you can recoup your losses very fast. If you buy your machines from a business opportunity company, you'll be paying WAY too much to begin with, and you may never recover your investment, much less realize the profit that the biz-ops want you to believe.

Vending business opportunity companies will often expect you to pay ridiculously high prices for their "services" that go along with the machine purchase. They will also give you very inflated profit projections about how much you will make. Once they get you hooked, they reel you in- you'll end up paying for: the machines, "locating services", extended warranties, "coaching", and sales literature.

Really, all you need are the vending machines, and you sure don't need to pay full price for them. Warranties? What a joke. It's a little mechanical machine that takes quarters, not a high-tech computer. If a part breaks, then just snag the part off one of your machines that you're not using, and replace it.

You don't need machines straight from the manufacturer- get them USED. You'll find that there are LOTS of bulk candy machines on the used market, that aren't even used! Some of them are still brand new in boxes. Some of them are like new.