Time Management & Smart Inventory Sourcing

As your vending operation scales, managing your time and inventory efficiently becomes critical. This module teaches you how to streamline inventory sourcing, avoid product loss through poor purchasing decisions, and leverage warehouse organization to save hours every week.

Focus on Profit-Driven Products

Your product selection should always be based on margins and shelf life. For example:

• In high-traffic environments like a taxi office, drivers need quick, portable meals like burritos or Lunchables.

• These products offer high margins and good shelf life, making them ideal for machines where customer flow is constant and dwell time is minimal.

The Inventory Time Trap: What to Avoid

One of the biggest operational inefficiencies in vending is spending hours shopping at retail stores for inventory.

Without a system in place, your operators might end up:

• Going to multiple stores for specific items (Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart).

• Searching for specific drinks like Celsius or Alani in scattered locations.

• Buying variety packs that contain unwanted flavors, leading to inventory waste.

The Solution: VendHub for Centralized Ordering

To eliminate inefficiencies, use a centralized inventory platform like VendHub.

How VendHub helps:

• Provides access to over 8,000 SKUs in a digital catalog.

• Operators can place complete orders online, streamlining sourcing and reducing shopping time.

• Orders placed by Friday at 10 AM can be delivered by Monday morning, fully restocking your warehouse on schedule.

Result:

Your team doesn’t waste hours shopping, and all preferred products are delivered directly.

Warehouse Organization for Efficiency

Once your delivery arrives, organization is key:

• Keep drinks on one side (e.g., right shelf) and snacks on the other (e.g., left shelf).

• This layout makes pre-packing for top-offs and restocking trips faster and more efficient.

Beware of the “Lost Leader” in Variety Packs

Buying in bulk from stores like Costco may seem cheaper—but it can actually reduce profits.

Why?

• Many variety packs include unpopular flavors as “lost leaders.”Example: Celsius Guava flavor often comes in Costco packs but doesn’t sell, while Orange Celsius is popular.

• When you’re forced to buy both, you end up with unsellable inventory that clogs up your machine and reduces turnover.

• This small “saving” actually results in greater revenue loss.

Summary:

• Prioritize products with good margins and shelf life for busy locations.

• Avoid retail sourcing inefficiencies—use a platform like VendHub to order directly from a vending supplier.

• Organize your warehouse for fast retrieval and restocking.

• Avoid variety packs with unsellable “lost leader” flavors—even if they appear cheaper.

This module ensures your vending operation isn’t just profitable—but also operationally efficient and time-smart.