Have you ever slid a nickel or dime into a vending machine in exchange for a pack of snacks? Great, you’re already on your way to being an expert on coin-ops.

Coin-ops are vending systems connected to MFDs that trade payments for printed documents. Thrifty business owners put cost recovery at the top of their lists, so we built a solution to meet their needs. Since 1994, ACDI has been a leading manufacturer of coin-operated devices in the USA.

In the beginning, access control devices were simple. Coin-ops accepted the obvious – coins and bills. The devices we offer today have evolved to keep pace with the way the world does business. Standard machines like the EX2000 or RSX1000 now take cards and mobile payments, too.

Coin-ops have been around longer than we’ve known life to be like a box of chocolates, but they’re tried-and-true.

Let’s explore three reasons why these devices are still a game-changer for business owners that want to pick up any extra money left on the table.

Cost Recovery

This is why we make coin-ops, to help businesses recapture any funds they’ve spent on overhead. It’s no secret that office equipment is heavy on the pockets. Factor in the cost of leasing, paper, toner, or service calls and you’re looking at a sizable chunk of your budget.

Coin-ops allow you to pass costs along to users in exchange for a service. It’s the very definition of commerce, and it doesn’t matter what your main business is. Placing a coin-op next to your printers or copiers is an easy way to make more money while bringing in more traffic.

Flexibility

Everything is not for everybody unless it’s a coin-op. With its flexible payment options, coin-ops like the EX2000 are easy for anyone with a coin, bill, or card to use. Newer options are streamlined for use with mobile payment apps like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Our devices are unique because they offer the flexibility to charge different rates for different types of documents. Fine-tune pricing with varying price lines for black & white vs. color copies or letter size vs. legal size paper.

An added benefit of using coin-ops is that they are available as standalone products. Not every environment wants (or needs) to track activity at the printer. These businesses can install devices to simply charge for use. Some organizations want an extra layer of accountability. Coin-ops paired with print management software like PaperCut MF are perfect to track, charge, and control usage.

Usability

Beside cost recovery and flexibility, coin-ops are practical for many places. We started seeing a large demand from public and academic libraries. Over the years, usage has crept into a variety of locations. From airports and coffee shops to hotels and co-working spaces, coin-ops are everywhere. Every office or location that has a publicly accessible MFD has a potential need for a coin-op. Whether it’s a fully-funded organization or a start-up, businesses can always reinvest money from a coin-op back into their operations.

ACDI provides award-winning service and support for our coin-ops designed and manufactured in-house. To get started with cost recovery, take a look at our hardware options today.