How do people find locations for their vending machines?

Most people find vending machine locations in one of two ways. They either pitch businesses themselves or hire a vending locator.¹ Those who pitch aim at busy spots like hospitals, gyms and malls.² If you use a locator, pay only on a signed venue agreement.³ Some machine sellers, including Nibly, also offer location help when you buy.

What kinds of places make good vending machine locations?

Good vending machine locations have heavy foot traffic and hungry people.⁴ Hospitals, gyms and malls are common examples of high-foot-traffic sites worth looking at first.²

Both parts matter. A busy hallway helps, but the best spots have a steady stream of people who want something to eat or drink while they are there.⁴

Start your list with places that fit that description in your own area.²⁴ A short list of strong candidates is more useful than a long list of quiet ones.

How do I find a good location for a vending machine?

Research first, then pitch.²⁴ Before you approach any business, work out where the best places are, such as hospitals, gyms and malls.

After that, finding locations comes down to persistence and a professional pitch.⁴ Aim the pitch at spots with heavy foot traffic and hungry people.

People underestimate the persistence.⁴ Expect to make several approaches, and keep your pitch clear and professional each time.

Should I find a location myself or pay a vending locator?

Either can work. There are two basic ways to get vending locations: find them yourself or hire a vending locator.¹ Finding them yourself means doing the research and the pitching described above.²⁴

Hiring a locator is a reasonable choice too, because location services are a legitimate trade.³ What matters is how you pay. Pay on a signed venue agreement with a named contact, never on a promise of one.

That rule protects you either way.³ If you want control and are comfortable pitching, doing it yourself is a real option.¹ If you would rather hand it off, a locator can do the work, as long as you are paying for a secured site.

Are vending machine locator services a scam?

Not as a whole, because location services are a legitimate trade.³ The risk is that some locators hand over only a list of sites that were never secured.

A list of addresses is not a location. Pay for a signed venue agreement with a named contact, never for a promise that one is coming.³

If a vending business comes with location help of any kind, ask how a location is secured before you commit.³ Our list of questions to ask before buying a vending business is a good place to start.

Do I need a written contract with the place that hosts my machine?

Yes, a written location agreement is worth having.⁵ It protects you from sudden machine evictions and arbitrary commission demands.

A typical agreement sets a fixed initial term of 12 to 36 months with automatic renewal.⁵ That gives your machine a clear period to stay put, instead of an arrangement that can change on short notice.

Read the term and renewal wording carefully before you sign.⁵ Those parts decide how settled your location really is.

Do vending machine companies help you find a location when you buy a machine?

Some do. Nibly helps buyers find a location for their machine. Nibly sells touchscreen AI vending machines to people starting a vending business.

Nibly operates in North Vancouver and Greater Vancouver, Canada. If you are starting a vending business there, ask about location help when you talk to Nibly.

Ask Nibly directly what that help includes. You can read more on Nibly's locations page before you get in touch.

Our answers

Talk to Nibly about starting a vending business