VendingMarketWatch.com |

Alan Podolsky, purchasing agent at Havco Services Inc. in Croydon, Pa., said drivers often must learn from experience what items sell best with what type of customers. “You really have to know who your customers are,” he said.

Most customers shop for good value, which includes quantity, price and taste.

Packaging makes a difference

Podolsky said manufacturers have improved packaging in recent years. Packages that are colorful and have dramatic graphics will get attention.

Podolsky said his company sometimes brings in products that are not available from standard vending distribution sources. These include gourmet type items.

Podolsky said there is a rising demand for gourmet type products in vending, but vending operators need to walk a fine line in meeting this demand. If it’s “overdone,” it will defeat the purpose of driving sales.

Don Herbert, route manager at Kenoza Vending Inc. in Merrimac, Mass., agreed on the importance of package graphics. “Nowadays, appearance is everything,” he said.

Drivers are hearing customers ask for healthier items. They are also the first to notice that many of these requests aren’t matched by purchases. But many vending operators have noticed that this is starting to change, however slowly.

The recent lull in consumer confidence is also something to pay attention to, noted Brent Cromer, president of Cromer Food Service Inc. in Anderson, S.C. While national name brand products have always been strong sellers in vending, Cromer said consumers are paying more attention to price, which has made certain “generic” products good sellers recently. Cromer said drivers should consider some of the lower priced products.

The company recognizes the need to offer good value and to regularly offer something new.

With all of the considerations that drivers need to pay attention to, choosing profitable products is not a simple matter. Drivers who are responsible for selecting products from the warehouse need to know their customers’ needs to make the best decisions.