Pokémon cards are still as popular as ever. In the US market, Pokémon cards are emerging as the biggest asset in the trading card market. In fact, according to Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), 43% of the professionally graded cards in 2023 were Pokémon cards. For context, only 17% of the cards PSA graded in 2018 were Pokémon cards.
Seeing as the demand for Pokémon cards is rising, is it a good time to run Pokémon card vending machines? In this post, I will explore the world of Pokémon card vending machines and whether or not they are profitable.
What Is a Pokémon Card Vending Machine?
Pokémon card vending machines are automated retail machines that allow fans to buy Pokémon cards through an unattended retail machine. Just as a vendor would sell snacks and drinks through a vending machine, there are specialty machines designed to vend trading cards, and they can be a hit once Pokémon hobbyists in an area find them.
The Pokémon Company officially licenses some Pokémon card vending machines. Also, some retailers have repurposed spiral vending machines and card vending machines to be able to vend Pokémon cards.
Can I Buy a Pokémon Card Vending Machine?
You can buy a repurposed card vending machine from independent retailers, or repurpose a card vending machine yourself to sell Pokémon cards. However, official machines made by the Pokémon Company International are fully owned by the company and are not available for sale.
Note that Pokémon is a trademark of Nintendo. While you can sell Pokémon cards as any other retailer or hobbyist would, you cannot present your machine as an official vending machine from the Pokémon Company International or Nintendo.
Can I Use a Normal Card Dispensing Vending Machine to Sell Pokémon Cards
Since official Pokémon card vending machines from Pokémon Company International are not available for sale, you can only use a normal card dispensing vending machine or a repurposed machine to sell Pokémon cards. Normal card vending machines will work just fine if the slots are the right size.
Most trading cards, including Pokémon cards, are 2.5” wide, 3.5” tall, and 0.01 - 0.03” thick. Most card vending machines can comfortably vend cards of this size.
Can a Sticker or Tattoo Vending Machine Work for Dispensing Pokémon Cards?
Yes, most sticker or tattoo vending machines can vend cards that are 2.5” wide, 3.5” tall, and 0.01 - 0.03” thick, which is the typical size of a Pokémon card. Sticker/tattoo vending machines are designed to dispense single stickers or packs. With such a machine, you will have the option to sell Pokémon cards either in singles or packs.
The best sticker and tattoo vending machine is the column sticker and tattoo vending machine. It is very practical and compact enough to fit in most spaces, including tight gaming shops where Pokémon hobbyists frequent.
Are Pokémon Vending Machines Profitable?
In a good location, Pokémon vending machines can be very profitable. Generally, card vending machines tend to be highly profitable for the following reasons:
- Low logistics expenses. Cards are easy to store and transport, and you don’t need a warehouse or truck to run several card vending machines. In contrast, someone running several vending locations selling drinks and snacks spends a significant amount of money on transportation and storage.
- Cards don’t expire. Unlike snacks and drinks with sell-by dates, cards can stay in your machines indefinitely. You will incur no spoilage costs.
- Lower maintenance costs. Unlike food machines with several complicated parts, including refrigeration units, card and sticker machines are simpler. With fewer moving parts, they break down less often leading to lower maintenance costs.
Because of the above three reasons, your operational costs will generally be low. But even with low operational costs, you still want to sell lots of cards to make the venture worthwhile. The number of Pokémon cards you sell will depend mostly on your location. The best Pokémon vending machine locations have:
- Lots of foot traffic. You want at least 50 people to see your Pokémon vending machine on any given day. Repeat foot traffic is not ideal; for instance, a corporate office building where the same 50 employees show up daily isn’t good. You want a high-traffic location with a diverse audience, such as a grocery store.
- Gaming hobbyists as an audience. You want to be where your potential customers are. Streets and shops where collectibles are sold are potential good vending locations.
- Security cameras. The Pokémon vending machine should be in the field of view of a security camera.
- Reasonable revenue share agreement. Location owners will want 20 - 30% of gross sales as their commission. You should always keep the commission below 30% to protect your business’ profit margins.
Below are some of the locations where you should consider putting a Pokémon card vending machine:
- Shopping malls
- Grocery stores
- University campuses
- Amusement parks
- Fast food restaurants
- Entertainment centers
- Gas stations
- Gaming cafes and arcades
- Streets with shops selling collectibles
- Transport hubs, such as bus and train stations
For ideas on where to put your Pokémon vending machine, below are some of the retailers where the Pokémon Company International has its official vending machines in the United States:
- Fred Meyer, Safeway, and QFC grocery stores in Washington State and Oregon
- King Scoopers grocery stores in Colorado
- Fry’s Food and Drugs in Arizona
- Kroger stores in Texas
- Vons and Albertsons grocery stores in California
Even with a good high-traffic location, you still must run your Pokémon card vending machine business well to maximize profits. Some of the things you need to do to ensure you get the most out of the business include:
- Ensure no out-of-service incidences. The vending machine should always be in good working condition. Frequent breakdowns can lose you both customers and location contracts.
- Always have in-demand cards. Cards that are in high demand should always be in stock. Tracking inventory levels and restocking regularly should help.
- Do not lose money on cards. Always buy cards at a price lower than what fans are willing to pay for them in vending machines.
All said, your vending location will be the single biggest factor determining the success of your Pokémon card vending business. You can use our vending locator service to find suitable locations.
