How To Get Refund From Vending Machine? 4 Different Methods
If a vending machine took your money but didn’t vend a product, vended the wrong product, or took your money twice, you have the right to request a refund.
To get a refund from Vending machine, contact the vendor directly and let them know of the malfunction. The vendor’s information is often listed above the coin or dollar bill mechanism. You can also speak to the management of the location so they can issue a refund directly.
In this article, we’ll show you how to get a refund from vending machines that have malfunctioned in some way.
Let’s dive right in!
RELATED READ: Did A Vending Machine Overcharge You? 2 Possible Reasons
How to Get a Refund From Vending Machine?
Here’s how to get a refund from a vending machine depending on the situation. Spoiler alert: you don’t have to hit the machine multiple times or tip the machine over.
Method 1: Contact the Vending Machine’s Owner
Vending machines are reliable as can be, but at the end of the day, they’re just that: machines. They break and malfunction. For this reason, vending machine owners leave their contact information on the vending machine itself in the event that it doesn’t work as it should.
You can find the owner’s contact information on the machine itself, usually above the note reader, coin mechanism, or credit/debit card scanner.
When you reach the owner, let them know of the situation. Make sure to give the owner the exact location of the vending machine that took your money so he/she can investigate the situation.
In most cases, the owner will issue a refund check or transfer the refund money on a third-party app, such as PayPal or Cash App.
Method 2: Speak to Management
If the vending machine is located inside an establishment, such as a store, a company, or a hotel, speak to the receptionist, management, or the person handling the place directly. They should know who to call and what to do if such a situation occurs.
They likely have their own procedures in place to provide refunds, especially if it isn’t an isolated event.
For instance, some colleges give out special “One Free Vend” bills to people who have lost their money to a vending machine. These so-called bills have no cash value, but with them, you can get the snack or drink you wanted without paying real cash. It isn’t a refund, but it’s a good enough workaround.
On the other hand, the North Carolina Central University asks students and staff to fill out an online form and email it to the admin.
Some establishments ask you to leave your contact information so they can send you a refund check. There’s no guarantee that they’ll follow through with that promise, so if the place hasn’t issued a refund after five working days, you might want to contact them again.
Method 3: Send an Email to the Company
If the vending machine belongs to a big-name company, like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Gilly Vending Inc., and Mars Inc., you can email the company directly for a refund.
Gilly Vending, for example, has a refund section on their website that you can fill out. It’ll ask you how you made your payment—cash or credit—and whether the product has been dispensed or not.
If the product wasn’t dispensed, you’ll need to fill in a form that asks for the machine’s details, the amount you’ve lost, and your preferred refund method.
Method 4: Contact Your Bank
This method only works if you’ve paid via credit/debit and the machine took the payment twice. In most cases, this charge is what the bank calls an “authorization hold.”
When you purchase a snack or drink from a vending machine with your credit/debit card, payment isn’t immediately transferred to the vending machine. It’s not until the merchant submits a “batch transfer” that the funds are deducted from your card.
So, if you’ve purchased an item, it’ll appear as if the vending machine charged you twice. But in reality, the actual charge hasn’t been processed yet and instead was put on temporary hold.
The amount should return to your card within 24 to 48 hours, and, in extremely rare cases, up to 72 hours. If the hold takes longer than 72 hours, contact your bank or credit card provider to see what the issue is.
In most cases, the bank will release the hold so you can use the money as normal.
Why Do Vending Machines Take Your Money?
Machines aren’t perfect; they malfunction from time to time.
Usually, this malfunction is caused by user error. Once in a while, vending machine parts wear out or go bad and thus need to be repaired, replaced, or cleaned. Sometimes, the coin/cash mechanism has some sort of substance or dirt that renders them useless. It won’t be able to scan the money and doesn’t dispense a product like normal.
Also, vending machines don’t work if the product isn’t placed inside correctly. The products must be situated as per the machine’s instructions for it to dispense the product as it should.
Finally, there’s also the case of customer error. If a customer forces a bill or a coin in the slot too fast, the machine won’t be able to properly register the money and vend the product required.
Unfortunately, there’s yet to be an “instant refund” option on vending machines. For this reason, people usually just don’t bother with the refund process and walk away.
Still, money is money, even if it’s just a couple of pennies. If you don’t mind spending a few minutes to contact the vending machine’s owner, it’s worth the extra effort.
Final Thoughts
Vending machines aren’t created with the intent to “steal” money from people. In most cases, this is due to a malfunction or a user error.
Luckily, you can easily get a refund with the methods above. You might not think it’s worth the hassle, but it really doesn’t take longer than three to five minutes to fill out a refund form or to talk to the vending machine’s owner for a refund.
In most cases, you’ll get the refund through your mail or to your mobile wallet.
