What is the difference between merchant-owned and free placement?

Merchant-owned: you buy the ATM, you keep 100% of the surcharge revenue, and you load the cash. Free placement: we install and maintain the ATM at no equipment cost, you provide the location and traffic, and surcharge revenue is split per the placement agreement. Both have a place; we will tell you which fits your business.

What kinds of businesses qualify for free ATM placement?

High-traffic locations: bars, c-stores, tourist-area retail, marinas, lake-front businesses, music venues. The ATM has to do enough volume to justify the install. We pre-qualify before we recommend it.

Who handles cash loading?

On a merchant-owned ATM, the owner. On a free-placement ATM under most agreements, the placement company handles cash via vault carrier or owner load — depending on volume. We will spell out the cash logistics before you sign.

Are ATM surcharges taxed?

Surcharge income is regular business income for your books. We work with your CPA on the reporting; the equipment depreciation is its own line item.

Service line 03 · Kim runs this directly

ATM placements that actually pay.

Two programs, one phone call. Merchant-owned ATMs for owners who want every surcharge dollar. Free placement for high-traffic hosts who would rather skip the equipment cost. Kim runs the placement program herself, so the answer comes from one person who knows your spot.

Call Kim · 417-231-1349 Email Kim

Two programs

Merchant-owned: 100% of surcharge revenue to you
Free placement: zero equipment cost to you, revenue split
Surcharge typically $2.50 to $4.00 per withdrawal
EMV-compliant, contactless-ready hardware
Cash logistics handled per agreement

When ATMs make money

The four ingredients of a profitable placement.

Foot traffic

Bars, c-stores, marinas, music venues, tourist-area retail. The math gets real once daily transaction count clears 8 to 12 per day.

Card-vs-cash mix

Locations that are still partially cash-driven — bars with cover charges, music venues with merchandise, family-owned restaurants — outperform card-only spots.

No nearby ATM

If the nearest ATM is 100 yards away the surcharge math suffers. We help you check the territory before placement.

Operating hours

An ATM accessible only during retail hours pays differently than one accessible 24/7 in a vestibule.

Merchant-owned vs free placement

Which model fits your spot?

Question

Merchant-owned

Free placement

Equipment cost

Owner pays for the ATM

Zero equipment cost to host

Surcharge revenue

100% to owner

Split per agreement

Cash loading

Owner

Vault service or owner per agreement

Maintenance

Owner (we support)

Placement company

Best for

High-volume cash businesses

High-traffic hosts not wanting equipment

FAQ

Most-asked ATM placement questions.

What types of Branson businesses qualify?

Bars, c-stores, marinas, music venues, restaurants on Branson Landing, tourist-area retail. Anywhere foot traffic plus a partially-cash mix exists. Kim pre-qualifies the location before placement.

Who loads the cash?

On merchant-owned, the owner. On free placement, depends on volume — either the placement company via vault carrier, or the host owner under a managed-load arrangement. Kim walks through the cash logistics before you sign.

Is ATM surcharge revenue taxable?

It is regular business income on your books. We work with your CPA on the reporting; the equipment depreciation is its own line.

Merchant-owned vs. free placement: which is right for you

The two ATM models look similar from across the parking lot but are economically very different. Picking the right one comes down to one question: do you want the surcharge revenue, or do you want the foot-traffic bump without the operational lift?

Merchant-owned ATM — you own the box and the revenue

You buy the ATM (or finance it). You fund it with cash. You handle the cassette refills, jams, network connectivity, and compliance. In exchange, every surcharge dollar is yours. At a typical high-traffic location doing $30-$60K in monthly withdrawal volume, surcharge revenue can reach $500-$1,500 per month. ATM hardware (Hyosung or Triton) runs $2,500-$4,500 for the unit; ROI typically clears in 6-18 months at a busy location.

Free placement — third party owns the box, you keep the foot traffic

A placement partner installs and services an ATM at your location at no cost to you. They own the hardware, fund the cash, handle the network and compliance, and keep the surcharge revenue. You get the foot-traffic uplift (customers come in for cash, they often buy something while they're there). You also get zero operational lift — the placement partner handles everything except plugging in the machine.

How to decide

Heavy cash usage and high foot traffic + you want every revenue dollar → merchant-owned.

High foot traffic but cash-light or operational-light venue → free placement.

Marina, bar, lodge, convenience store, or any venue with reliable cash spend → merchant-owned usually pays back fast.

Restaurant where cash is a small share of revenue → free placement is usually the better return on attention.

Kim runs the program

The ATM Placement Program is Kim's. Site qualification, install scheduling, cash logistics partner introduction, compliance setup, and ongoing service contact all run through her. If a placement isn't going to work at your site, she'll tell you on the first call rather than after the install.

Frequently asked

Do free placements require a long contract?

Typical placement agreements are 2-3 years on the placement partner's side. The host (you) can usually terminate with 30-60 days notice. Specifics vary by partner.

What ATM brand do you place?

Hyosung and Triton are the most common. Both are reliable and serviceable. Choice depends on the partner relationship and the venue.

Do you place ATMs outside Branson?

Yes. Free placement is offered region-wide; merchant-owned can be supported anywhere we can train you on basic operations.

Can I switch from free placement to merchant-owned later?

Yes. The transition is straightforward. We coordinate the placement partner's removal and your new equipment install.

Pre-qualify your location with Kim Steele.

One short call confirms whether your spot makes the math work. No pressure. No obligation.

Call Kim · 417-231-1349