Hey Vendrepreneurs!

Your product selection makes or breaks your profits.

Stock the wrong items? Your machine collects dust.

Stock the right items? You could see sales increase by 30% or more without changing locations or prices.

Today, we’re breaking down exactly how to find your best-selling vending products in just 30 days.

Why Most Operators Stock the Wrong Products 🤔

If your vending machine isn’t making as much money as you expected, your product mix might be the problem.

🚨 The 3 biggest mistakes we see:

❌ Stocking what YOU like (instead of what your customers want)
❌ Overloading on variety (too many choices = decision fatigue)
❌ Ignoring data (basing decisions on gut feelings instead of real sales)

It’s time to ditch the guesswork and let the numbers guide you.

Step 1: The 80/20 Rule of Vending Machine Sales

💡 Fact: In most vending machines, 80% of sales come from just 20% of the products.

Instead of stuffing your machine with random snacks and drinks, start with a data-backed approach:

✔️ Look at industry bestsellers (we’ll cover that below)
✔️ Test a mix of popular items + unique selections
✔️ Track sales for 30 days → Double down on top performers

By the end of the month, you’ll know exactly what sells, and what’s just taking up space.

Step 2: The Best-Selling Vending Categories

Every vending location is different, but some products always sell.

If you want to maximize profits, focus on these top-performing categories:

🔥 Drinks (account for ~50% of vending revenue)

• Water (top-selling item overall)

• Energy drinks (Monster, Red Bull, Celsius)

• Soda (Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper)

• Sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade)

🥪 Snacks & Quick Meals

• Chips (Doritos, Lays, Cheetos)

• Candy (M&Ms, Snickers, Reese’s)

• Protein bars (Clif, Quest, Kind)

• Instant noodles (popular in offices & dorms)

💡 Pro Tip: Healthy options (low-sugar drinks, protein snacks, nuts) are becoming more popular, especially in gyms, offices, and schools.

Need a shortcut? Grab our curated product list with prices to stock your machine with proven bestsellers!

Step 3: Run a 30-Day Sales Test

Now that you have a solid product mix, it’s time to test and refine.

Week 1-2: Track What Sells

✔️ Manually check stock levels every restock
✔️ Use vending software (if available) to track sales in real-time
✔️ Take note of “dead products” (anything barely moving)

Week 3-4: Adjust & Optimize

🔄 Restock bestsellers in larger quantities
⚠️ Swap out low performers for new test items
📊 Review trends. Are certain products selling better on certain days/times?

By the end of 30 days, you’ll know exactly what sells and can optimize profits with zero extra effort.

🎯 Final Thoughts

Vending success isn’t just about having a great location, it’s about giving customers exactly what they want.

💰 To maximize sales, remember:

✅ Follow the 80/20 rule—double down on bestsellers
✅ Stock products that fit your location
✅ Run a 30-day test to find your top performers

🚀 Ready to scale your vending business? Check out Vending Machine Launchpad, our step-by-step program to help you build a vending empire.

— Jaime & Ethan