Friday, November 03, 2006

Packaging for Success in Vending Machines

When a person is one the go and has little time, the product in your Antares vending machine must add comfort, convenience and ease to that person. When you think about what products will be ideal for the vending channel, you have to think of quick indulgences. These are products that make a busy person’s life easier. Below are some packaging challenges for your Antares vending operation:

· Make it cost-efficient. This should be the primary issue when thinking about vending packaging. If potential sales are estimated to be 5 percent or more of a product’s total, vending specific packaging becomes a viable option.

· Consider form and function. Confections and most beverages appear in Antares vending machines in much the same packaging as they do on the store shelf. However, many non-food products and non-traditional food products require vending specific packaging to maximize “appetite appeal” and protect against damage. Most products sold through vending machines need to be designed for a single use. This would not apply to the snacks and beverages sold in Antares vending machines. The size of these items will almost always be the same whether in a retail store or vending machines.

· A third consideration is optimizing communications on the package’s facing panel. Consumers usually cannot handle the product prior to purchase. They can’t turn it to inspect the side or back panels, which may sit obstructed from view inside the vending machine. Key information that will drive the sale must be a clearly visible on the front panel. Consumers should be able to see it through glass from two to three feet away.

In the vending environment, the package has to work both inside the machine and in the consumer’s possession. This of course is what will work in your vending business. There are a number of strategies that you can incorporate in your vending business to drive sales. Effective packaging is one thing that you can do to have a successful Antares vending business.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Wellness Programs for Vending

Most operators with school accounts are familiar with the importance of delivering health and wellness products and messages, because the issue has been around in the school market for several years.

The federally-mandated school wellness programs are designed to motivate schools to create new ways to address the issue. The Antares vending operators who carry these products carry these programs; will be seen as a valuable business partner working to be part of the solution.

Corporate wellness grows

For many companies, the answer has been to introduce company-wide wellness programs which bring a number of benefits. Wellness programs reduce absenteeism, on the job injuries, workers compensation costs, and disability-management costs. They can also help reduce insurance premiums and increase productivity.

Wellness programs requires customization

These wellness programs are not all the same. Different accounts will most likely want to structure different Antares vending programs that are based on the buying habits of their workforce.

Some companies might want a higher percentage of healthier choices, while other companies might not have the internal support necessary to make such an ambitious plan financially feasible. As an Antares Corp. vending operator you will need to be flexible by conveying to your account that you are prepared to work toward achieving a program that will work for them.

The good news for operators is that across the industry, manufacturers are coming together to offer a wider array of products that can help them meet their customers’ demands, and other resources are available to help them address this issue as well.

The Antares vending operators, who research the market and understand how to effectively respond to the ever shifting landscape, are the ones who will thrive. This means the companies leading the way tomorrow will be the ones with the foresight to recognize that health and wellness are here to stay. This means that using a wellness program in your vending operation would make your business successful.