What should I do in the first months after buying a vending route?

Each machine sits in a place where someone agreed to host it, and each stop has its own habits. The handover period is where you learn them. Use it to see the route as the seller does, then to build records of your own, so that later choices rest on what you have watched.

Ride the route with the seller

Spend as many days on the route with the seller as your agreement allows. Watch how the stops are ordered, how machines are stocked and cleaned, and what the seller checks at each one. Take notes and photos. Ask which machines cause trouble and why. Your lawyer can tell you how long the seller should stay available after closing.

Meet each location contact

Every site has a person who lets you in, whether a manager, a caretaker or a front-desk worker. Introduce yourself to each one in person and learn what they expect. Ask whether anything has frustrated them. Our answer on checking location agreements on a vending route explains what to look for in the paperwork behind those relationships.

Reset the mix and log everything

Record each machine’s cash count, stock, breakdowns and complaints from the first week. After a few visits you will see which products move and which sit. Change the mix one machine at a time, so you can tell what made the difference. Keep your own books from the start, and ask your accountant to set up a simple way to track each machine.

Decide which weak sites to keep

Some sites will disappoint. Resist the urge to pull machines early. Wait until your own records cover a fair stretch, then compare each site’s results with the time it takes to serve. Talk to the location contact before you move or remove anything.