How do I get a refund?
For the fastest and highest quality service, please fill out the online Refund Request form. This will immediately inform the vendors and the university vending coordinator. It also places the event in a database so that the history of the machine can be traced to provide better service.
How do I get an empty machine refilled?
Fill out the online Service Request form.
How do I report that the machine is out of order?
Fill out the online Service Request form.
Why won’t the machine give me my money back when it’s out of a product?
The vending machine has a sensor that instructs the machine to give a refund after money has been deposited and the refund button has been pressed because no product was delivered. If the refund button does not work, put in a service/refund request.
I have a fantastic product. Can I place a couple of machines on campus for a test?
At this time, we only allow the machines of our four vendors on campus. There are no exceptions to this policy because allowing one vendor to provide services without allowing open competition would subject the university to complaints and disputes from other vendors.
Why do snacks and drinks cost so much?
The vending-machine snacks, per ounce, are competitive with the convenience store. You can always get a better value buying products by the pound than by the ounce — this is to say, several pounds of potato chips will be significantly cheaper than three ounces of chips. The soft drink vendors return close to 50% of the sales to the university.
Why can't we get cash refunds?
Accounting for cash refunds on 450 machines with four different vendors would be very complex, and this makes the distribution of cash refunds cost prohibitive.
Why do the machines keep breaking down?
The university has close to a million vending transactions a year on campus, and some wear and tear is normal for machines considering this frequent use. Each year, there are about 500 refund requests and around the same number of refill or repair requests. Many incidents go unreported. PTS urges you to take full advantage of the online resources for submitting service and refund requests.
Why don't we have more coffee machines on campus?
There have been coffee vending machines at two test places on campus for several years. In general, the coffee vending machines have been expensive to obtain, required modification to the building, break down more frequently than other machines, and do not generate as much business at what are otherwise very high-volume locations.
How can I get further information on vending at UT?
Contact the vending coordinator at 512-471-7563 or send an e-mail to vending@utexas.edu.