FAQ - GOLD TO GO AG | innovative Verkaufsautomaten für Gold

General:

Why should part of the assets be invested in gold? Gold is the oldest crisis currency in the world and has retained its purchasing power for 6’000 years. Future forecasts, also regarding further pandemics, make gold even more interesting, as gold is not tied to a share price and protects against the loss of cash in the event of possible inflation. Gold can be exchanged for cash at any time and any profits made from gold after one year are also tax-free.
Why physical gold? In Germany, a total of 120 tonnes of physical gold were purchased in the first 9 months in 2020. Mainly due to rising fear of inflation. However, as more and more fake stores circulate on the internet and more paper gold is sold than physical gold is available, exchanging money for goods was and is the most honest and safest business. Solution: purchase physical gold directly, anonymously and discreetly at the vending machine.
Why gold bars? With gold bars you get better value for money compared to coins, as you do not pay any costs for embossing or the like. In addition, the purchasing and selling prices of dealers are very close to each other. Unlike regional coins, LBMA-certified gold has the same standard everywhere and is tradable worldwide. Collector coins, for example, always trade very far above the material value in comparison. Im Gegensatz zu regionalen Münzen hat das LBMA-zertifizierte Gold überall den gleichen Standard und ist weltweit handelbar. Sammlermünzen beispielsweise werden im Vergleich dazu immer sehr weit über dem Materialwert gehandelt.
The Company: GOLD TO GO AG is a Swiss corporation and trades gold through its subsidiaries. The company purchases gold from certified sources and sells small-sized gold bars (from 1 g to 1 ounce (31.10 g)) through its subsidiaries in Switzerland and the EU (initially only in Germany via GOLD TO GO (Deutschland GmbH)) via a network of innovative gold vending machines.
Headquarters: The parent company GOLD TO GO AG has its headquarters in Switzerland. Subsidiaries are incorporated in various EU and non-EU countries. In the first step, GOLD TO GO (Deutschland GmbH) will be incorporated in Germany. Gold trading via the vending machine takes place in all countries where gold vending machines are placed or, respectively, where, after a comprehensive analysis of the profitability, selected premium locations are expected to offer the greatest profit potential.

The gold vending machine:

What is a gold vending machine? A gold vending machine is a secure issuing point for physical gold in the form of gold bars. At the gold vending machine, anyyone will be able to purchase their gold bars in the future in an uncomplicated, anonymous and discreet manner.
How is a gold vending machine structured? The design and construction of the gold vending machine takes into consideration security, ease of use and attractive design. The gold vending machine has a touch display, a product display window, a terminal for card payments, a bank note reader, a passport scanner, a receipt printer and a dispensing tray for items and change.
How big and heavy is a gold vending machine? A fully loaded gold vending machine of the current series weighs approximately 596 kg, is 185.5 cm high, 95.5 cm wide and 75.6 cm deep.
What is the quality of the gold? You will receive the gold bars in first-class quality 999.9 purity grade (equivalent to 24 carat), processed in Germany and Switzerland and offered by controlled and certified refineries. Each gold bar is LBMA (London Bullion Market Association) certified and may be verified by its individual bar number.
How is the authenticity of the gold ensured? European refineries hallmark each individual bar. The certified gold can be checked at any time at a gold dealer. Furthermore, the vending machine locations reflect the first-class product selection. Companies such as Sixt, Käfer, Europapark Rust, various jewellers including Rauschmeier or Hugo's in Munich stand for quality and exclusivity, just like GOLD TO GO.
Which products can be purchased through the gold vending machine? Gold bars in various sizes are offered through the vending machine: 1 g, 1/10 ounce, ¼ ounce, ½ ounce, ¾ ounce and 1 ounce (31.10 grams).
Do I have to identify myself? Gold up to EUR 1,999.99 per transaction may be purchased at the gold vending machine anonymously and without verification of your personal details.
How does the gold vending machine work? Operating the gold vending machine is simple and straightforward. You select a product of your choice, pay for it and receive your gold.
Can I operate the gold vending machine alone? Of course you may operate the gold vending machine alone. Thus, no social interaction is necessary.
What if problems occur during the purchase? You are guaranteed competent advice and assistance at all times. You can either reach the 24-hour service hotline by pressing the respective button on the vending machine or ask a member of staff at the respective location for help.
How do I receive my gold? You will receive the gold in an elegant black gift box which allows you to either to keep it safe yourself or to gift it.
How many boxes fit in a gold vending machine? The gold vending machine has 12 product dispensing chutes that can be filled with a maximum of 32 product boxes. Thus, one vending machine can hold a total of 384 product boxes.
What is the competition on the market like? GOLD TO GO AG intends to buy up all existing gold vending machines on the market and thus obtains a unique position on the vending machine market. Competitors would have to invest at least 24 months in the development of vending machines, purchasing and distribution network in order to catch up. There are hardly any specialised companies on the market that offer mechatronics, software and design of vending machines. Discussions with business partners regarding exclusive cooperation are already well advanced. Further development steps will thus be ensured step by step.
Are there already reference values? A gold vending machine has been in place at "tic-tac Uhren Schmuck Pohl und Lawetzki" in Bretten since 2010 and has since then increased the turnover of the jeweller's store by EUR 500,000 without a targeted marketing strategy. In times of Corona, the vending machine has generated a daily turnover of up to EUR 15,000 and a monthly turnover of EUR 70,000. Examples like these show that a gold vending machine at the right locations is an investment that generates net profits from day one and can achieve ROI (= return on investment) within 2 years.
Where does the certified gold come from? Ethics and environmental protection are indispensable principles for GOLD TO GO. The gold in the gold vending machines origins from countries that oppose child labour and support environmental protection and do not support acts of war with the resulting income. In the future, certificates from third parties will confirm the origin of the gold and that social, cultural and ecological concerns in the countries of production were taken into account.

Payment process:

How to pay? You can pay for your gold either in cash using the local currency or by a common bank/credit card.
How much gold can be purchased per transaction? Gold up to a value of EUR 1,999.90 can be purchased anonymously and discreetly per transaction. It is up to the interested party to decide how many transactions to carry out in succession.
How is the current price of gold determined? The gold price is updated every 60 seconds; therefore, GOLD TO GO offers fair real-time prices without risk premiums.

Security:

How secure is the gold vending machine software? The vending machine has monitoring software and control software for applications that is controlled by an internal PC. It also disposes of a permanent secure VPN connection to the data centre in Germany. The product chutes have a modern RFID product identification system, the vending machine is protected against power fluctuations and hacker attacks.
How secure is the gold vending machine against theft? The gold vending machine has an electronic and manual locking system that protects against burglary and tamper-proof cash cassettes and product chutes. It also disposes of money laundering prevention and smurfing protection. However, due to the fact that the vending machines are located exclusively in locked or secured locations, the idea of theft is hardly relevant.
Is the gold insured directly? The entire gold content is insured against theft with a reputable insurance company.

Locations:

Where will the gold vending machines be installed? Due to numerous enquiries, the future locations of the gold vending machines are specifically selected by our experts. The focus is on attractive locations such as jewellers, mega-malls, banks and exclusive restaurants.
How do the logistics work? GOLD TO GO employs a complete logistics team, which will take care of the installation of the vending machines from spring 2021. The roll-out is scheduled to start in March 2021 with 3 vending machines per day using 4 installation teams in Germany. In total, up to 100 vending machines are to be installed in Germany and possibly other countries by the end of 2021.
How can interested parties find the respective locations in their vicinity? Work is currently underway on a GOLD TO GO location app that will show the exact location of the vending machine in your area. Locations will also be displayed on the homepage.
What is plan B if Corona continues to bring restrictions in 2021? In the unlikely event that catering establishments that have already placed a vending machine order with GOLD TO GO still have to remain closed, the logistics team will focus on jewellers and shopping centres first. In addition, there are already some enquiries from banks that are interested in our gold vending machines as well. Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark in Austria will launch a pilot project from the beginning of next year with a branch consisting exclusively of vending machines and, of course, a GOLD TO GO gold vending machine. However, the sale of goods of all kinds through vending machines will increase in any case. Vending machines assumes an intermediate position between stores/shopping centres and online sales. Among other things, vending machine stands for quick, anonymous access and immediate availability.