Buying a Vending Machine Route in Australia — Due Diligence Checklist

Why routes come up for sale Operators retire, downsize, or move interstate. A route with 15–40 machines can be a turnkey small business — if you buy the right one.

The 12-point checklist 1. **Machine list** — make, model, age, serial number, location, monthly gross. 2. **Site agreements** — written and current? Assignable to a new operator? 3. **Cashless contracts** — Nayax/Vendon accounts, transfer fees, remaining term. 4. **Bank statements** — 24 months of deposits reconciled against reported gross. 5. **DEX or telemetry data** — sales by machine, by month, by product. 6. **Cost of goods** — supplier accounts, current pricing, minimum order values. 7. **Service history** — breakdown log per machine. 8. **Vehicle & warehouse** — included in sale or separate? 9. **Staff** — anyone under an employment contract? 10. **Debts to sites** — commission owed, unpaid rent. 11. **ATO / super compliance** — clean statement of position. 12. **Handover period** — 4–8 weeks of shadowing is normal.

Typical valuations Routes trade at **8–14× monthly net profit** (not gross). Anything higher, ask why. Anything lower, ask harder.

Related: start a vending business · site services.