If you do not Manage this expenses properly you could very well be losing 10% – 20% of your profit – every month. To put this in the correct context imagine that people somehow figured out how to put less money in your Machine but still get their product. Hopefully that helps you to see how big this issue can be – if not controlled.

In the vending business, Inventory can be both the product in your machine or the product you have waiting to go into your machines. They are both of equal importance. The most obvious task is for you to watch those expiration dates. Sure the product often tastes just fine but look at it for the customer’s point of view. How would you like to pay for something only to find that it is expired. It seems like the vendor is trying to cheat you, or worse, just doesn’t care. So, watch those expiration dates.

One of the easiest ways to manage your inventory is to make sure you are “turning over” your product on a regular basis. This means that if you buy 10 cases of soda it will last one to two months. You don’t want to be running to the distributor every week nor do you want to fill your garage and/or basement with candy and soda. A healthy balance needs to be maintained. I recommend about a full month’s inventory at all times. If you have a machine don’t let product sit for more than a month either. If no one is buying it, move it out.