North Carolina Vending Association

Interested in pursuing a career in the automatic merchandising industry? Operating a successful vending business is a combination of good management and exemplary service. Listed below are several resources that will provide you with free, or low-cost, unbiased information about owning and operating a vending business.

The N.C. Vending Association encourages you to research your options before making any purchasing decisions. A misguided purchase of overpriced, inferior quality machines can prove costly.

If you would like additional information, two industry directories published by business trade journals are available:

Blue Book Directory
Automatic Merchandiser
P. O. Box 803
Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
920.563.1605

International Buyers Guide

Vending Times
1375 Broadway
New York, NY 10018
212.302.4700

Should you decide to pursue your interest in this industry and wish to speak with an established operator, please contact the NCVA office at 919.383.0044, or via e-mail at info@ncvend.com, and you will be provided with a contact person.

If you believe that you have discovered a potential "blue sky" vending advertisement or company, you can call the Consumer Protection department of the Attorney General's Office in Raleigh at 919.716.6000 to request information about the company and, if appropriate, file a formal complaint.

In the meantime, thank you for taking the time to learn all the facts before investing in a venture which could prove both costly and unprofitable.

Trade Publications

Automatic Merchandiser
1233 Janesville Ave.
Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
920.563.1605
920.563.1702 (F)

Vending & OCS
4016 Flowers Road Suite. 440A
Atlanta, GA 30360
770.451.2345
770.457.0748 (F)

Vending Times
1375 Broadway
New York, NY 10018
212.302.4700
212.221.3311 (F)

Amusement Machine Publications
Play Meter
6000 Fleur De Lis
New Orleans, LA 70124

Replay
22157 Clarendon St.
Woodland Hills, CA 91365
Street Beat
85 N. 3rd St. Suite. 6E
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Trade Associations
National Automatic Merchandising Association
20 N. Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
312.346.0370

Bulk Vendors Association
200 N. La Salle St. #2100
Chicago, IL 60601
312.346.3100

Amusement & Music Operators Association
401 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
312.245.1021

Government and Private Publications

A Concise History of Vending in the USA by G.R. Schreiber. 1961. Reissued with Afterward 1990. Paperback. $15.00.

SBA Publications. Over 100 business publications selling for a nominal fee (most under $2.00). For a free copy of SBA’s Directory of Business Development Publications write to Publications, P.O. Box 15434, Fort Worth, TX 76119 or contact your local SBA office.

Other sources include the U.S. Department of Commerce for the Census of Retail Trade and the U.S. Department of Labor for employment statistics.

The National Automatic Merchandising Association publishes an annual operating ratio report showing average industry performance data.

The N.C. Vending Association has available several brochure, researched and produced by the Federal Trade Commission, which are available from the association offices, upon request.