Whether it is a mall, office premises or train stations, vending machines have become ubiquitous. It has become an integral part of the modern-day life. Vending machine business is one of the fastest growing business today. This business offers extra income with low initial investment and is a 100% cash-only business. If you are thinking of starting a vending machine business, all you need is a vending machine, along with the different products like soft drinks, toys, gum ball, etc. But like all good things, there are pros and cons to this business also. Let's have a look at them. Advantages and Disadvantages of Vending Machine Business Owning your business is the best reward you can give yourself, but it is wise to investigate the pros and cons, before starting the business. As far as the vending machine business is concerned, the pros and cons are listed as under. Pros of Vending Machine Business: The vending machine business is a great way to earn profit within a few months of starting the business, and if owned solely by you, you can also enjoy the full share of the profits. The advantages of this business are: 1. Be your own boss: You can be your own boss. It is you who will determine the business plan, and decide which vending machine to buy, among the different available options like soft drink dispenser, toy dispenser, gum ball dispenser, etc. 2. Low initial investment: The investment is small unless you are going in for bigger vending machines. 3. Less time and efforts: Buying the right vending machine and setting it at the correct location does not take much of your time or efforts, especially if you have connections with local businesses and stores. 4. Flexible working hours: You can very well manage your full-time job and personal life with this business. 5. Less stress: Once you set up your vending machine and start generating revenue, then the only thing you have to look after is the timely maintenance of the machine. 6. Unbound success: This business has an infinite growth rate. There really is no limit to your success. 7. Little experience needed: One of the biggest advantages of setting up this business, is that no previous business experience is required to start this business. One only requires the working knowledge of how to operate a vending machine. To make your business profitable, choose a product that is in demand. Some popular products are soft drink, gum ball, chips, toys, etc. Being a total cash flow business, the need of a accounts record is limited to ensure that goods are not being filched. Also, you do not need a store front to store the stock, you can easily keep them in your garage. You can update your stock on a weekly basis. Cons of Vending Machine Business: There are several issues that need to be dealt with if you are running your own vending machine business. It is essential to understand the nature of problems that you may face. 1. Right place: Placing the vending machine at the right location is the key factor to ensure that your business is profitable. Suppose, you decide to buy a toy dispensing vending machine and place it outside a pub. On the other hand, your competitor also buys a toy dispensing vending machine and places it outside a children park. In this case, your competitor would definitely earn more than you. Your competitors' machine will sell the entire stock even before you manage to sell one toy, because your machine is not at the right location. Location plays an important role in the success of this business. 2. Increasing competition: The fact that there is a very low initial investment needed in order to start a vending machine business is a major factor which is responsible for increasing business competition. 3. Increased liabilities: Being a sole owner of the business, your responsibilities would increase. You will be responsible for the service of the vending machine on time. Initially you will have to maintain the stock and regularly service the vending machine. As you start getting revenue, you can hire people to help you. Maintaining fresh stock and regularly servicing the vending machine is necessary to make your business work. 4. Vending machine cost: Apart from the cost of vending machine, there are several other hidden cost factors like license fees, maintenance of the machine, insurance, and advertising cost. Therefore, it is advisable to start with the basic vending machines like gum ball dispensers, sticker (tattoo) vending machines, as they are cheaper as compared to the electronic vending machines that refrigerate drinks or warm snacks. Incorrect selection of the products and wrong location can cause you severe losses, thereby not generating the desired revenue from the business. Vending machines are not magical machines. It is a passive business, this machine works even when you are not there. But this does not translate into a reprieve from responsibilities on your side. Ensure that before starting vending machine business, you understand the pros and cons and think over the business properly.