Which Option is Right for You?
To buy, or not to buy: that is the question. Businesses who would like to have an extra revenue stream do well to incorporate an ATM into their business plan. An on-site ATM that has high usage rates can earn a business an increased potential gross annual income of over $10,000. But many businesses don’t know whether they should outright buy an ATM for their location. Thankfully, there are options. Through a company like Goldstar ATM, businesses can decide for themselves whether it is in their best interest to purchase an ATM, lease one, or create a placement partnership. The differences are in the details.
Buying an ATM
| Up Front Costs | Service Required | Income Potential | |
| Buying an ATM | $$$ | $$ | $$$ |
For many years the cost of an ATM was prohibitively expensive for businesses. Thankfully, over time, the cost of an ATM has gone down, while the quality of ATMs has gone up. Puloon, Genmega, Hyosung, and Triton are four of the most popular ATMs in the U.S. market.
Puloon ATM has long held a highly-regarded reputation because of its quality ATM hardware. More recently, Puloon introduced two new ATMs into the U.S. market: the Sirius I and the Sirius II. For business with a more modest footprint, the Sirius I is a good option as it is the smallest ATM in its class. The Sirius II has a high level of functionality, including space for an optional barcode reader and a 15” high-resolution screen with optional touch screen. Both the Sirius I and the Sirius II have cassettes that are capable of holding up to 8,000 notes.
Genmega has a good selection of ATMs available. From freestanding to wall-mounted, Genmega offers sleek, large-capacity machines for businesses who might not want to sacrifice floor space.
Hyosung has recently been working to expand more into the kiosk and bank ATM markets, but they also offer a good variety of options for retail spaces. From wall-mounted to stand alone, Hyosung provides an excellent selection of ATMs that will give business owners a choice in machine for their space.
Triton has a long history of ATMs in the U.S. For over three decades they have provided ATMs for the retail market. Triton’s Traverse ATM offers good quality at a reasonable cost and has become popular among owners looking to purchase an ATM for their retail spaces.
While the upfront costs for outright purchasing an ATM are higher than the other options, over time that ATM will provide businesses a good return on investment (ROI). Once the ATM has been paid off, then all profits are the retailer’s to keep.
Leasing an ATM
| Up Front Costs | Service Required | Income Potential | |
| Leasing an ATM | $$ | $$ | $$ |
Some business owners may not want to have the upfront costs of purchasing an ATM outright. In that case, leasing an ATM is often a good solution. The greatest advantage of leasing an ATM is that business owners will be earning income from ATM surcharge fees while they are making payments on it. Lease rates often depend on a business owner’s credit history and the length of the leasing agreement. Additionally, an ATM distribution company such as GoldStar ATM sometimes offer a deferred financing agreement for eligible business owners.
Some additional advantages to leasing an ATM include:
- Lease payments are always the same. Business owners will always know what their monthly payments will be, which will allow for better annual budgeting.
- Expenses are cash deductible.
- Business owners can recoup their expenses each month out of the ATM operation commission.
One cost that business owners will need to consider when either buying or leasing an ATM for their space is how to service and supply the ATM. GoldStar ATM offers both repair and vaulting services, which can take the hassle of maintenance and cash supply out of business’ hands.
ATM Placement
| Up Front Costs | Service Required | Income Potential | |
| ATM Placement | – | – | $ |
There is another option that incorporates advantages from both of the above options, and that is creating a partnership with an Independent ATM Distributor (IAD). In this situation, business owners may be looking for a way to increase revenue but don’t want to bother with buying or leasing an ATM. Therefore, having an ATM placed in their retail space might be the best option. Installation, maintenance, and vaulting are all covered by the IAD, but the business owner receives a monthly fee or a percentage of the monthly gross earnings in exchange for providing the space for the ATM placement.
Since 80% to 95% of all non-banking ATM transactions are cash withdrawals, and given that retail owners are seeing 20% to 40% of the cash dispensed stay in their stores, it makes sense for business owners to incorporate an ATM within their business footprint. With the flexibility of wall-mounted vs. stand alone, and buying vs. leasing vs. placement. Having an ATM within a retail space has never been easier – or more cost effective.
