VTM Pokémon and TCG machines vend booster packs on a 22 mm coil with a product pusher. The 22 mm coil holds packs snug so they stay upright and don't fall over in the aisle. A 22 mm coil measures 0.87" between loops. Booster packs should not be loaded in larger coils; they will not vend reliably. See the VTM coil guide for coil sizes by machine.
Every TCG-style VTM machine ships with 22 mm coils in the closed position, with the coil end between 5 and 6 o'clock and the product pusher at the end of the coil. In this position, the product pusher gives the pack an extra push as it leaves the coil so it doesn't hang on the ledge. The coil should not need adjustment out of the box.
If the coil end is in an open position, anywhere from 12 to 3 o'clock, a pack can slip out of the aisle, causing a loss of product. This video shows how to adjust coil position. If a coil needs replacing, see how to change your coils and the replacement coil 5-pack.
Top-loader cases
VTM recommends that every booster pack be vended inside a VTM top-loader case. The case protects the pack and helps it vend. The cases are sold on vtmvending.com and VendingWholesale.com.
The case measures 4" tall and 3" wide. It is a 180pt case, meaning it holds items up to 0.18" thick. When a Pokémon booster pack is loaded in this case, the top of the pack sticks out of the case. This is by design. Only the extra packaging extends past the case, and all the cards remain safely inside. Fold the extra packaging over and tuck it into the case.
Top-loader cases sold online are often taller, so the entire pack fits inside the case. A taller case does not leave enough clearance at the exit, and the pack can get stuck. This is most likely on the bottom tray.
Loose packs, with no case, are too thin and flexible to vend reliably. This is especially true of 3-5 card sampler packs and Japanese, Chinese, and other Asian-market packs, which are often thinner and flimsier than English packs. We always recommend the 3" x 4" top-loader case and strongly suggest it for Asian packs.
The refund sensor
The refund sensor detects the pack as it vends. When a pack drops and trips the sensor, the machine records the sale as successful.
When the sensor does not detect a pack, the sale shows as "Refunded" or "Refunding" in the VTM vending software. See Understanding Transaction Status on VTM Software. A refund means the sensor did not detect a product. It does not identify the cause.
When the correct case and the correct coil are used, the sensor should always detect the product on a successful vend.
Causes of a refund
A refund has four possible causes.
Not vended. The pack is still sitting in its coil and never moved forward. Check the coil size and position, then test the motor. The motor test is done with the door open so you can watch the coil turn a full 360°. It is a motor check, not a sensor check.
Stuck on the tray. The pack moved forward but hung on the tray instead of dropping off. Check that the aisle uses a 22 mm coil positioned at 5-6 o'clock, with the product pusher in place at the end of the coil.
Stuck at the exit. The pack dropped off the tray but was caught at the exit and never reached the pickup door. Check the case height and make sure the extra packaging is tucked in the case. If the issue proceeds, then something else is wrong.