Hey there, Vendpreneur!
Welcome to Becoming a Vendpreneur—where every week I help you navigate the challenges of running a vending machine business, whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your operation.
This week, I'm exposing the best-kept secret of vending: The most profitable products are the ones people are too embarrassed to buy face-to-face.
Here's what's inside:
🧠 The awkward truth that drives premium pricing
💰 Why certain products sell 2-3x better in machines vs. stores
📍 The venues begging for these "shame-proof" solutions
🎯 How to spot your next six-figure opportunity
Picture this: It's 2 AM at a packed nightclub.
Someone needs condoms. Or nicotine. Or those "performance" supplements with questionable names.
Now they have two choices:
Flag down a busy bartender and shout their request over blasting music
Quietly tap their card at a vending machine
Which one would you choose? 😏
🎯 The most profitable products are the ones people need but hate asking for.
There's actual science behind this. Studies show that embarrassment significantly reduces in-store purchases of certain products. But put those same items in a vending machine?
Sales explode.
No judgment. No eye contact. No explaining why you need ZYNs at 3 AM or why you're buying something called "Honey Pack."
Just tap, grab, and go.
PS. Speaking of ZYNs... some people think they don't belong in vending. My latest YouTube video settles the debate. Let the numbers do the talking → Subscribe 🎬
💸 Want to know what drunk people will actually pay? Brace yourself.
I stock products at prices that would make Amazon cry:
ZYN pouches: $5 at gas stations → $10-15 in nightlife vending
Disposable vapes: $15 retail → $30-40 in machines
"Enhancement" products: $10 online → $20-25 at 2 AM
Phone chargers: $7 on Amazon → $15-20 when desperate
You know what's crazy? I've never had a single complaint about prices. Not one.
Why? Because when it's 2 AM and you need what you need, you're not comparison shopping. You're solving a problem.
And privacy, convenience, and avoiding that judgmental look from the cashier? That's worth every penny of markup.
📍Venues are practically begging for these machines.
Bar and club owners face a dilemma I never understood until I started this business:
Every night, customers ask for products that venues don't want to stock. Not because they're illegal or problematic, but because they create awkward interactions that slow down service.
Think about it from a bartender's POV:
Dealing with drunk people begging to charge their phone behind the bar
Checking IDs for nicotine products during the 2 AM rush
Having "that conversation" about enhancement supplements
It's a nightmare they don't want to deal with.
Enter the vending machine: problem solved, revenue generated, zero staff involvement.
🔍 Here's how to spot your own "awkward product" goldmine?
Step 1: Follow the friction What products do people need at inconvenient times? What makes them hesitate at checkout? That's your opportunity.
Step 2: Target captive audiences Nightclubs, bars, casinos, adult entertainment venues… anywhere people are already spending impulsively.
Step 3: Price for the moment, not the market At 2 AM in a Vegas casino, that $30 vape isn't competing with the smoke shop. It's competing with the inconvenience of leaving.
The beauty of this model? Once you understand the psychology, you can replicate it anywhere.
🚀 Join me in building the future of nightlife vending!
7 years ago, I was $20K in debt. Today, I run 70+ machines generating $72K monthly. The difference? I stopped competing where everyone else was looking.
This opportunity is perfect if you have:
💵 $15K in available capital
🔥 Drive to build something real
💪 Commitment to make it work
💼 Sales experience (or willingness to learn)
Sound like you? Let's talk.
Fair warning: This isn't passive income. But it is smart income.
And That’s a Wrap!
Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter.
Hit reply and let me know what you found most helpful this week—I read every single reply and I’d love to hear from you!
See you next Saturday!
-Ethan
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