General
Vending Machines Guide
Shop setup, crafting costs, item pricing, and profitable vending machine operation.
Shop setup, crafting costs, item pricing, and profitable vending machine operation.
Vending machines enable passive income through automated trading. Players place items in machines, set prices, and earn resources when other players purchase. Running a vending machine shop requires location selection, smart pricing, and consistent inventory management. Multiple machines in different locations multiply your earning potential.
Craft a vending machine at a Workbench Level 1. You need 20 high-quality metal, 3 gears, and 100 metal fragments. This is a mid-game investment that requires gathering. HQM farming at monument locations accelerates acquisition. Once crafted, place the machine on a flat surface outside your base where customers can access it without entering your compound.
Position vending machines where other players travel regularly. Near Outpost, Bandit Camp, or major monument roads work well. Elevated platforms prevent vehicle pushing. Wide-open access ensures customer visibility. Don't place machines behind locked doors. Accessible machines attract sales. Consider building a small external shop structure separated from your main base.
High-traffic areas see more sales. Visible shop names on the map attract distant players. Build in areas you can defend. Raiding vending machine shops is common on PvP servers.
Vending machines automatically appear on the map with their location and owner-set name. Every player opening their map sees your shop location and name. This global visibility drives customer traffic. Shops become landmarks that players remember and return to repeatedly.
Use clear shop names that indicate what you sell. Names like "Ammo Shop," "Building Supply," or "Weapons" tell customers your inventory before they travel. Memorable names increase repeat business. Avoid generic names. Stand out from competitor shops. Use your team name or a memorable phrase.
Some servers implement marketplace systems that list vending machine inventory. Register your shop in these systems. Marketplace integration increases visibility and drives significant sales volume. Check if your server has active marketplace integration before setting up.
Add items to the vending machine inventory by interacting with it. Set prices by clicking each item and entering the desired exchange currency and amount. Customers see prices before purchasing. Keep machines stocked consistently. Empty machines lose sales and reputation.
Check machines regularly. Restock sold-out popular items within hours. Set up a nearby storage room connected to your shop. Automate restocking by designating a team member to manage machines. Large shops require full-time inventory attention.
Organize machines by category. One machine sells ammunition, another building materials, another weapons. Specialization helps customers find what they need quickly. Diverse inventory in a single machine confuses buyers. Clear categorization improves sales.
Check competitor shops on the map. Price slightly below competitors to drive volume. Don't undercut so severely you lose profit. Understand material costs. Factor in farming time and crafting costs. Profitable shops aren't free discounts.
Ammunition sells constantly. Price ammunition competitively but not at loss. Keycards maintain value. Selling keycards at fair prices attracts serious traders. Components like springs and gears have stable demand. Research what sells on your specific server.
Early wipe, raw materials command premium prices. Mid-wipe explosives and advanced gear sell well. Late wipe, farm supplies dominate. Adjust inventory and pricing as the wipe progresses. Adapt to the current meta weapons and strategies.
Round numbers like 100 or 500 sell better than 143 or 487. Consistency builds trust. Fair prices repeated earn reputation. Greed pricing alienates customers. Steady income from fair prices beats boom-bust cycles from exploitation.
Assault rifle ammunition consistently outsells other ammo types. Keycards never lose value. High-velocity ammunition commands premium prices. T3 weapons drop infrequently and sell for substantial markups. Explosives like grenades and C4 components sell when available.
Building components (bolts, gears, springs) see steady demand. Armor and protective gear sell during early wipe. Medical supplies have consistent buyers. Water bottles and food items sell to convenience-focused players.
Don't waste space on items that rarely sell. Canned vegetables, basic clothing, and common components move slowly. Prioritize inventory space for fast-moving high-margin items. Sell slow items only if they don't consume valuable shelf space.
Protect vending machines from raiders. Place machines behind externally-accessible walls. Keep machines away from your main storage. Don't concentrate all machines in one location. If raiders destroy one machine, others survive.
Position turrets to cover shop areas. Defend customers from shop murderers. Players who murder customers hurt your reputation. Defend your shop reputation aggressively. A safe shop attracts more customers than an unsafe one.
Machines hold payment currency internally. Collect payment regularly. Don't let machines accumulate excessive currency. Transfer payment to secure storage daily. Machine theft is possible, so manage inventory actively.
Raiders target well-stocked machines. Position machines strategically. Defend machine areas with turrets. Accept risk as operating cost. Some losses are inevitable.
Start with one machine. Expand to three machines as inventory grows. Large operations run ten or more machines. More machines require dedicated management. Assign teammates to handle restocking. Hire reliable team members for consistent operation.
Some shops focus exclusively on ammunition. Others specialize in explosives or components. Specialization builds reputation. Customers know exactly what to expect. Diversified shops capture more transactions.
Multiple shops in one area create community trading hubs. Coordinate with allies. Build collaborative shop villages. Shared defense helps everyone. Community economies are more stable than solo shops.
Early wipe, farm materials and craft ammunition. Stock machines heavily. Early wipe demand is highest. Mid-wipe, shift to weapon sales and advanced components. Late wipe, focus on farm supplies and consumables. Adapt to economic cycles for maximum profit.
Trading and vending machines work together. Check our trading guide for marketplace dynamics. Understand scrap farming to manage inventory costs. Monitor recycling values for fair pricing. Learn about NPC vendors to understand baseline prices. Explosives discussed in gunpowder guide are valuable stock items.