Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Average units per slot per week
5.25
Minimum viable velocity threshold
3.00
Cushion above/below threshold
2.25
Annual units per slot (avg)
273
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How to use this
- 1Enter total units sold per week.
- 2Enter number of slots in machine.
- 3Enter days between restocking visits.
- 4Enter minimum units per slot per visit to justify the slot.
- 5Read your average units per slot per week on the right — it updates as you type.
- 6Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Slot velocity — units sold per slot per week — is the single best diagnostic for vending machine planogram health. A machine with 40 slots selling 200 units a week averages 5 units per slot, but averages hide the problem: if 10 slots are moving 15 units a week and 10 slots are moving 0.5 units a week, you have dead weight taking up space that a better SKU could fill. This calculator takes total weekly units sold and slot count to compute average velocity, then flags what a slot needs to hit to be worth keeping versus swapping for a proven mover, using a minimum viable velocity threshold you set based on your restocking cycle.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Total units sold per week: 210
- Number of slots in machine: 40
- Days between restocking visits: 7
- Minimum units per slot per visit to justify the slot: 3
Results
- Average units per slot per week: 5.25
- Minimum viable velocity threshold: 3
- Cushion above/below threshold: 2.25
- Annual units per slot (avg): 273
What each field means
Inputs
- Total units sold per week
- The total units sold per week used in the calculation. Starts at 210 so you have a working example on load.
- Number of slots in machine
- The number of slots in machine used in the calculation. Starts at 40 so you have a working example on load.
- Days between restocking visits
- The days between restocking visits used in the calculation. Starts at 7 so you have a working example on load.
- Minimum units per slot per visit to justify the slot
- The minimum units per slot per visit to justify the slot used in the calculation. Starts at 3 so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Average units per slot per week
- Returned as a decimal number and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Minimum viable velocity threshold
- Returned as a decimal number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Cushion above/below threshold
- Returned as a decimal number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Annual units per slot (avg)
- Returned as a whole number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
What's a good average velocity for a snack machine?
3-8 units per slot per week is typical for a decent-traffic location; top performers with popular SKUs in high-traffic spots can exceed 12-15 units per slot weekly on best sellers, while niche or specialty items often sit at 1-2 units weekly even in a good machine.
How do I find which specific slots are underperforming if I only have a total?
Most modern vending machines with telemetry (DEX data) report per-slot sales automatically. Without telemetry, track sales manually for 2-3 restock cycles per slot using a simple tally sheet — it's tedious but the data is what tells you which SKUs to cut.
What should replace a dead slot?
Rotate in a product from a category currently selling well elsewhere in your route rather than guessing — cross-reference your best-selling SKUs system-wide and test the top 2-3 candidates that aren't already in that machine before trying something entirely new to your inventory.
Does slot velocity change by season or day of week?
Yes significantly — cold beverage velocity can double in summer, and office-location machines see 60-70% of weekly volume concentrated Tuesday through Thursday. Measure velocity over a full multi-week period, not a single restock cycle, before making planogram changes.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
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Vending Machine ROI Calculator
Compute payback period and annual return on a new or used vending machine purchase.
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Vending Machine Slot Velocity Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/vending-machine-slot-velocity
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/vending-machine-slot-velocity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vending Machine Slot Velocity Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Vending Machine Slot Velocity Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/vending-machine-slot-velocity) (2026).