Vending Stock Sold at Two Prices: Calculate Revenue Before Using an Average
When a vending product sells at two prices during a reporting period, calculate revenue from the actual quantities at each price before using an average. Simply adding the two prices and dividing by two can give the wrong answer because the numbers sold at those prices may differ substantially.
This matters when reviewing a price change, a promotion or a period that includes an agreed discounted rate. You want the report to describe the sales that occurred, not an imaginary equal split between price points. Keep the quantities and prices visible so another person can follow the calculation without relying on a headline average.
Work from the actual price groups
Consider a simplified example: ten items sell for EUR2 each and five sell for EUR3 each. The first group produces EUR20 and the second produces EUR15, giving EUR35 across fifteen items. These are illustrative figures, not a price recommendation or a statement about the costs or sales of any particular machine.
Write down the quantity, selling price and revenue for each group before combining them. Check that the quantities refer to completed sales within the same period. A stock movement, test vend or cancelled attempt should not be silently counted as an ordinary sale. Use the definitions in your actual reporting system and investigate unclear entries before drawing conclusions.
Calculate an average that reflects quantities
In the example, EUR35 divided by fifteen items gives an average selling price of approximately EUR2.33. The simple average of EUR2 and EUR3 is EUR2.50. Multiplying that simple average by fifteen would suggest EUR37.50, which is EUR2.50 more than the revenue actually represented by the example’s completed sales.
The difference arises because more items sold at the lower price. Keep the total revenue calculation at its original precision and round only where the report requires a displayed result. If someone later multiplies a rounded average by the quantity, it may not reproduce the exact total. Explain that limitation instead of adjusting the original sales figures to match.
Keep revenue separate from other measures
The calculated total describes the selling prices in this simplified example. It is not automatically profit or the amount deposited into a bank account. Product costs, payment fees, refunds and other relevant adjustments need their own treatment. Confirm whether the source report includes or excludes tax and keep comparisons on the same basis, seeking accounting advice where needed.
If a refund is recorded later, retain enough information to understand how your chosen report handles its timing. Do not subtract it in one spreadsheet and then subtract it again because another report already shows an adjusted total. The aim is a traceable reconciliation, with each adjustment explained once rather than hidden inside an unexplained average price.
Use the result to ask better questions
Compare the quantities sold before and after a price change alongside availability and the length of each period. A lower average selling price does not by itself prove that customers rejected a higher price. Different stock availability, trading days or product combinations may affect the result, so keep the evidence and its limitations together.
When assessing vending machine costs, build your sales assumptions from explicit quantities and prices. Show separate scenarios where those assumptions differ, and avoid presenting an average as guaranteed income. Calculating revenue first gives you a sound starting point for discussing the broader operating costs and uncertainties of the proposed service.
For a proposal suited to your site, contact our team with the location, expected users and your main requirements.
Related guidance: Vending Stock Bought at Two Prices: Keep the Cost Assumption Clear; A Vending Cost Rises by a Percentage: Calculate the Euro Change Before Updating the Budget.
For the wider planning context, see our vending business setup guide.
