Humans are a visual species. According to the secretariat of the Seoul International Color Expo 2004, 92.6 percent of consumers put more importance on visual factors when purchasing products than on physical feel, hearing or smell, and 84.7 percent think that color is the visual factor most used for making buying decisions.

So how can this apply to vending machines?

If color is the number one factor that consumers use to determine what to buy, then it stands to reason that in order for customers to even approach a vending machine to look over the products inside, the color of the vending machine itself has to entice them there. There are several ways that color can influence consumers, and vending machine owners should be aware of them.

Coloring Moods

Research has been conducted for decades to determine how different colors affect mood, resulting in things like "drunk tank" pink jail cells meant to help calm down inmates and a 34 percent reduced suicide rate when London's Blackfriar Bridge was painted green. Studies have also shown that color can affect appetite. Gray is an appetite suppressant because there aren't many naturally occurring gray foods. Reds and greens, on the other hand, are the colors of many fruits, vegetables and meats that are commonly eaten.

By using the psychological ways color affects most people, vending machine owners can choose colors for their machines that will inspire consumers to investigate their candies and products.

Aesthetic Appearance

Color can also be used to draw attention. Research shows that the human eye can't absorb all visual information at once. Color is a great way to emphasize or de-emphasize certain objects in the visual landscape.

Vending machine owners should choose colors for their vending machines that coordinate with the machine's surroundings, while using little touches like gold accents, chrome trim or wooden stands to help stand out against the backdrop of the office, store or restaurant.

Not just the color of the vending machine, but the combination of colors used can affect how the machine and its products are seen. Many vending machines have different accent colors for their stands, lids, chute doors and coin mechanisms. Very few vending machine manufacturers offer owners options for both the body and the accent colors. With this unique option, owners can customize the look of their machines to create an identifiable branding or handpick colors for each machine depending on its eventual location.

1.800.VENDING is a vending machine manufacturer that offers 17 different possible color combinations to choose from. Those interested in beginning a home-based vending machine business can learn more about the effects of color on vending machine customers, locations and profits from 1.800.VENDING.