Congratulations on choosing Piranha to purchase a vending machine!  You should be receiving your vending machine very shortly.  A Bill of Lading will be created for your shipment to help ensure transit of your vending machine.  Here’s some important facts you need to know:

• A Bill of Lading is a document signed by a carrier (a transporter of goods) or the carier’s representative (driver) and issued to a consignor (the shipper of goods) that evidences the receipt of goods for shipment to a specified designation and person.

All of the information below will be noted on your Bill of Lading for your reference:

• Shipper and receivers complete names and addresses, and phone numbers.
• Reference numbers, PO, sales order number or other numbers that a shipper may use for their own internal purposes.
• Ship date
• Description of the merchandise being transported complete with National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) item number and the actual class of the product.
• Individual piece counts as well as the number of handling units such as pallets or pails.
• The exact weight of the goods being transported and the declared value of the goods.
• Any specialized instructions or additional services that may be required at the time of delivery such as a lift gate, call before delivery.  Accessorial charges will apply for these services.

Don’t forget to thoroughly inspect your merchandise once you receive the shipment from driver.  You will be asked to signed the Bill of Lading which will act as a legal document that you have received merchandise and accepted it’s condition.  If your merchandise has been damaged, do not accept shipment and do not sign the Bill of Lading, and contact Piranha immediately.

Here’s a quick guide for people who are thinking about purchasing a vending machine but not sure what type to get into.  Take a look below on some tips!  You can also call Piranha Vending for more details on how to purchase a vending machine that fits your needs.

• What size business is the vending machine going to?

Look for Combo Vending Machines when the size of business is small to medium.  If you are servicing a large business of 100 employees or more, or if the location has a high traffic valume of more than 100 people per day, then full size drink and snack Vending Machines will be necessary to service that location.

• Is the location far away from restaurants and cafeterias?

You vending machine will be very busy if it’s located far away from other restaurants and cafeterias.  People need to be able to have access to food especially during short meal times like lunch.  If the location of your vending machine is far away from other places that offer food, your vending machine will likely be very busy.  You should be looking for higher quality vending machines that have a big capacity.  You should also be looking to place full size,  sturdy equipment in that type of location.

• Is security an issue for this location?

Does the location open 24 hours?  Is it in a location where it can easily be accessed by the public without supervision?  You might think to add some security measures built into your vending machine equipment.  Reinforcements such as extra locking system and metal cage are available as after market additions to ensure security and help prevent vandalism.  You will also need to take the cash out of your vending machine as often as possible to prevent loss of profits.  Having insurance on your vending machine is another way to help potential costs of future repairs.

• What are the potential consumers requests on a vending machine?

If a location is interested in healthy food items, make sure you stock the vending machine  with the types that they are interested in.  If a location requests any specific product, have it available for sale in your vending machine will ensure that they make frequent purchases.  If the consumer likes to have bottled beverages, make sure your vending machine is capable of dispensing bottles and not just canned drinks.  Paying attention to what consumers are looking for will help you choose the right type of equipment.  Just let the staff at Piranha Vending know and we can help you get the exact vending machine for that location!

Answering these questions will help you figure out what type of vending machine to get in to.  It’s important to fit the right vending machine to the environment.  This will ensure better sales and help with budgeting your equipment investment.  Good luck on your ventures in vending!