TL;DR: A vending location is only “valuable” if (1) the foot traffic is real, (2) the schedule patterns support consistent sales, (3) you ask the right questions before placing/buying, and (4) you match the right machine + setup to the environment so you can keep it running with minimal downtime.
I recently connected with James Brown of Seriously Profitable Vending.
We initially connected to share how vendingvillage.com is built to be a Safe, Efficient and Transparent source to buy vending locations.
Wow what a source of knowledge this guy is — his whole career is about optimizing odds, and he’s worked at the largest vending company in the world.
He recently posted a YouTube video about how to avoid common traps and evaluate what really makes a vending location “worth it.” Here’s the breakdown, with the link to his video below.
1) Don’t “assume” foot traffic
A vending location can look busy in a 5-minute walkthrough and still be a dud. What you want is repeatable traffic at the right times, not random bursts.
How to truly determine foot traffic (practical ways):
- Visit during 3 different time windows (morning, lunch, late afternoon) on at least 2 different days
- Look for predictable drivers: shift changes, breaks, scheduled activities, recurring events
- Watch for dwell time (people waiting = buying behavior): lobbies, break rooms, gyms, rec centers, service bays, warehouses
- Ask for a blunt estimate: “How many people are in the building on a typical weekday?” then confirm with, “What about slow days?”
2) Schedules matter more than the address
Two vending locations with the same headcount can perform totally differently depending on when people are there.
What to look for:
- Operating hours (24/7 vs 9–5 changes replenishment and sales opportunity)
- Peak windows (lunch rush, shift breaks, tournaments, weekend spikes)
- Seasonality (summer vs winter, school year cycles, event-driven demand)
Why this matters: if you don’t understand the schedule, you’ll either understock and lose sales or overstock and increase waste.
3) The “right questions” reveal if a location will last
James hits this hard: a lot of vending operators fail because they skip due diligence and get surprised later.
High-signal questions to ask the location:
- “How many people are on-site daily, and what are the busiest times?”
- “Do you have shift work? What times are shift changes and breaks?”
- “What’s currently offered here for snacks/drinks?” (cafeteria, nearby stores, existing vending)
- “Who handles issues or complaints if a machine jams?” (who you’ll be dealing with)
- “Where would the machine go exactly?” (visibility, convenience, power access)
- “Any restrictions on products?” (healthy-only, no energy drinks, etc.)
4) Plan your service schedule before you place the machine
A vending location’s value collapses if the machine is down, empty, or messy. James is blunt: vending isn’t “set it and forget it.”
What planning looks like:
- Decide your replenishment frequency based on expected volume (not hope)
- Assume you’ll need to respond to: refund calls, jams, outages, theft attempts
- Track what sells and rotate out what doesn’t to avoid product fatigue
5) Match the machine to the environment (this is where profit is won)
James points out that operators leave a ton of money on the table by using the wrong vending equipment.
Machine-fit checklist:
- Cashless capability (many “hot” locations underperform with cash-only)
- Capacity + speed (busy location needs fast vend + enough inventory)
- Product type fit (snacks vs cold drinks vs higher-ticket items)
- Reliability (downtime kills trust and can lose the account)
He also highlights a common mistake: buying cheap, old vending machines without the skills to maintain them. A reliable refurb or modern setup often beats a “deal” that breaks every month.
James’ theme: you don’t win by finding one magical location - you win by running the location properly.
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xee8oweOG1w