As a vending machine business owner, you have very few options to differentiate your machines from those of competitors. The machines work the same way and almost always carry the same brands of snacks and drinks. You can, however, offer a superior product mix, better pricing, more payment options, and a better overall buying experience to attract and retain customers. Since most vending machines look the same, to succeed at differentiation, you need to create a distinctive image of your vending business in the minds of customers. You can do this by branding your machines using custom vending machine wraps.

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What Is a Vending Machine Wrap?

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A vending machine wrap is a decorative piece of vinyl used to cover a machine’s exterior body. If you want to brand a vending machine, you can either paint it or use sheets of vinyl to wrap it. Wrapping a vending machine is the better option for the following reasons:

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• It is significantly cheaper than a paint job

• It is temporary, and you can easily change it when you want a different design

• It protects the factory paint, preserving the resale value of the machine

• You can expect a quicker turnaround (paint jobs require sanding, applying a primer, curing, and the final coat application)

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A vinyl wrap can be designed however you want, and you should consider putting your company branding on it. Given how easy it is to print a custom wrap compared to painting a custom design, you can get a great vending machine wrap job done pretty much in every city and town in the United States. Local wrapping studios and shops, including car wrap businesses, can comfortably handle a vending machine wrapping job.

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What Types of Vending Machines Can I Wrap?

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Practically every vending machine can be wrapped. Vinyl wraps are easy to customize and can be trimmed to fit the dimensions of any vending machine.

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How great the job turns out will depend on the condition of the body of the vending machine. Physical imperfections on the body will show on the wrap. Peeling paint, dints, and dings underneath may lead to creases. If you are working with an old vending machine with body imperfections, you may want to do the preliminary corrections you’d normally do before a painting job, such as filling and rust removal.

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Are There Any Benefits to Wrapping a Vending Machine?

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You can derive several benefits from wrapping a vending machine, including:

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• Makes branding easy and affordable. You can design a vinyl wrap with your brand’s colors and elements to differentiate your machines from those of competitors. Good branding increases brand recognition and promotes repeat purchases and customer loyalty. It also makes word-of-mouth marketing possible as customers can more accurately describe your machines to their friends and families.

• Makes advertising more effective. Branded vending machines are easier to advertise. You can use social media to advertise your machines or employ traditional methods such as flyers.

• Better body advertising graphics. Printed wraps offer you the opportunity to use complex designs and graphics that are hard to achieve using traditional paint. It also makes it possible to affordably unify the designs of all the machines on your vending machine route.

• Protects the factory paint. A vinyl wrap protects against paint fading, peeling, and scratches. A well-preserved factory paint can help you fetch a great price for the vending machine in the resale market.

• Quick turnaround. A vending machine wrap is quicker than a paint job. Being quicker, the interruption to your vending business will be minimal.

• Covers imperfections on the body of the vending machine. If you are working with an old vending machine with scratches, paint peeling, and rusting, a vinyl wrap can help you cover the imperfections and make the machine more attractive to customers. Customers like to buy from vending machines that look clean and new.

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A good vending machine wrap is as good as a professional paint job, at a much lesser cost. A professional vinyl wrap can last for about five years before needing a refresh.

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How Can I Customize My Vending Machine Wrap?

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If you already have a vending machine on site and you want to customize it, It is best to hire a professional to design the graphics for your vending machine wrap. The online gig economy has lots of professionals who can put together such a good design for under $50. On Fiverr, for instance, you can find graphic designers offering the service for between $10 and $50. 

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You can also work with established printing shops that can design and ship the completed vinyl wrap to you. One such company is RM Wraps. It charges about $350 to design, print, and ship wraps for a standard vending machine.

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Alternatively, you can work with companies that can handle the whole process from designing the wrap to installation. One such company is NVS Visuals. You can order the graphics online and they will ship it to you, wherever you are in the United States. They can also install the vending machine wrap if you are in New York City, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Austin, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, and Boston. If you are not in these cities, they can arrange for an independent service provider to do the installation for you.

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If you are still considering buying a vending machine and you want it to come with a custom wrap, consider buying it from a vending machine manufacturer or retailer that offers such customizations. The manufacturer/retailer can design the graphics according to your specifications and install the wrap before delivering the machine. Vending.com is one such company. It has a wide selection of vending machines available for sale and can customize them to your liking before shipping them to you.

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When customizing a vending machine wrap, consider the following ideas:

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• Mind your vending location and go for a design that coheres with the theme and feel of the property

• Make the design eye-catching and memorable

• Include the name of your brand and logo on the machine

• If you have organic or healthy products, highlight the fact, for instance, “100% ORGANIC”

• If you are selling one product at one price, highlight the fact, for instance, “T-SHIRTS AT $5”

• You may want to highlight the payment options you accept if you take mobile wallets

• If you run several vending locations, maintain the same design to ensure brand cohesion

• Remember that a brand is supposed to establish trust and credibility, and this applies to your vending machine given the fact that you will be selling food and drink items - people are picky about where they buy their food

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How Much Would a Vending Machine Wrap Cost?

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The cost of a vending machine wrap can vary greatly depending on location and the service provider you hire to handle the installation. If you are on a budget, you can get the designs done by a freelancer for between $10 and $50, print them at a local vinyl wrap and printing shop for under $100, and do the installation yourself.

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If you hire a professional shop to handle the entire process from design to installation, you can expect to pay between $250 and $500 for the complete job.

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How Do You Apply a Vending Machine Wrap?

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You can wrap your vending machine yourself. Doing it yourself will save you a significant amount that would have gone to an independent shop. To wrap a vending machine, take the following steps:

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• Clean the surface of the vending machine thoroughly and remove all dust and rust residue

• Ensure the vending machine is completely dry before wrapping it

• Figure out the layout and map out where the pieces are to go beforehand; alignment is absolutely important

• Apply the printed vinyl wrap on the vending machine being careful to get the alignment right

• Straighten out the wrap to eliminate wraps and bubbles

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If the vinyl wrap has creases and bubbles before installation, you can remove them using a heat gun and a squeegee or a sturdy card as shown in this video:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZglr2OUvgc

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Here is a video of a standard vending machine wrap procedure:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgSRZBZd4-E

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Closing Thoughts

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A vending machine wrap is an affordable way to brand your vending business while protecting the machine's factory paint. It is important to keep the colors of your vending machine and that of the property location cohesive. If you are still looking for a vending location, you can take advantage of our vending locator service to explore potential locations near you.