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Some machines sell snacks. This one sells a moment: a kid tearing open a pack in a store doorway while a parent watches. If you've wanted to build something your own kids think is cool, this might be it.
The play: a trading-card machine
Pokemon and other trading-card machines hold sealed packs and boxes instead of chips. Gift season is when they get the most attention, because parents and grandparents are already out shopping for kids who collect.
They work where families wait or wander, and where people already have a reason to stop.
How to spot a good location
Family traffic with time to kill: bowling alleys, family entertainment centers, skating rinks, mall corridors.
An entrance everybody uses: busy grocery stores and large pharmacies.
A crowd that already collects: barbershops with young customers, arcades, game stores that don't carry sealed product themselves.
Indoors and watched. Sealed packs are worth stealing. A spot staff can see beats a quiet hallway every time.
What to say
Ask for the store or general manager. Bring a photo of the machine on your phone, because most people have never seen one up close.
"I place trading-card machines, the kind kids line up for. Families already come through here. Is there a spot near the front where your staff can see it? I'd stock it and take care of everything, and you'd get a share of every sale."
The rules, before anything else
Genuine sealed product only. Buy from authorized distributors or retailers. Resealed or fake packs end the business and the location with it. This guide on where to buy cards for machines covers sourcing.
Sales tax applies. Register with your state and set prices with tax in mind.
Know the cost first. The machine and the opening inventory cost more up front than a snack machine. Here's a breakdown of the costs.
Do this today
List five family spots within 15 minutes of home.
Visit one and look for an open, staffed spot near the entrance.
Price one sealed product line from an authorized source so you know your cost per pack before you pitch.
One stock, two shelves
If you end up with more sealed product than one machine can move, a small online store is one way to sell the rest. Shopify is one option for setting that up. (Partner link: VendBuddy may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.) For the full picture on card machines, this guide is the longer read.
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