How To Get the Most Out of Your Store's Gumball Machine

They're simple, recognizable, and everywhere.  No matter how high tech our world gets, nothing has replaced the old-fashioned gumball machine as a source of traffic, profit and delight.  But even with something this simple and well-loved, you still have to make choices about the best ways to utilize your gumball machine. 

Here are some questions you should ask if you want to get the most out of your store's gumball machine.

What kind of machine will you buy? 

There are many different options of gumball sizes.  The kind that everyone thinks of, with the red metal base and the single clear globe, is called the Classic bubble gum machine.  If there's one globe on the stand, it's a single head, and if there's two, it's a double head.  There are also spiral machines of different sizes, which kids enjoy because they can watch the gumball roll all the way down.  Sportsball machines have gumballs decorated like baseballs, basketballs and soccerballs, and quad machines have an extended rack of four different but connected machines.  Each of these can be fun and profitable.

What kinds of gumballs will you sell? 

Many people don't know that there are at least 10 different sizes of gumballs.  The most common one is the 1-inch gumball, but they can be as small as half and inch, or 13 mm, and as large as 1.2 inches, or 31 mm in diameter.  You should also consider what flavors you want.  There are boxes of bright colors and standard flavors such as grape, cherry, etc, but there are also speciality flavors such as green apple, watermelon, black cherry, peach, pink lemonade, and special candy flavors, including Smarties, Nerds, and Jelly Bellys. 

Where will you locate your gumball machine? 

Many shops display their gumball machines right inside the front door.  This is a smart choice; you get the customers coming in who have money in their pockets and might be hungry, and you get the customers going out who have just received change and feel they can spare a quarter.  On the other hand, if kids know that your gumball machine is in the back of the store, they will often traverse the entire length of the building to get to it, dragging their parents through all of your well-displayed merchandise to get there. 

It only takes a little bit of time to work through these questions and get your gumball machine set up the way you want it.  It won't be long before you're getting the most out of your store's gumball machine.