first 15 vending machines done

[gritbinsales]

Hi, i have now located my first 15 machines

they cost £1500.00 and stock around the same

so £3000.00 for 15 machines

I would like to have 50 by the end of the year at a cost of £10,000.00

Is it possible for all the machines to pay for themselves by December

They vend a toy for £1 with 25% for the shop the caps cost around 35p

Thanks

Adrian

 

[TotallySport]

How long have the machines been in place and how much have they take on average per week?

 

[stevon]

What kind of toys are they? Got pictures of the machines? I'd maybe be interested in getting a few of these in some shops I have Adrian...

 

[Cornish Steve]

Is it possible for all the machines to pay for themselves by December

Don't you have a business plan with the answer to that question?

 

[lesliedocherty]

Don't you have a business plan with the answer to that question?

very good question

 

[Naughty Vend]

Don't you have a business plan with the answer to that question?

Business plans are for bank managers Steve...

 

[Boris]

Hi, i have now located my first 15 machines

they cost £1500.00 and stock around the same

so £3000.00 for 15 machines

I would like to have 50 by the end of the year at a cost of £10,000.00

Is it possible for all the machines to pay for themselves by December

They vend a toy for £1 with 25% for the shop the caps cost around 35p

Thanks

Adrian

you need to sell 20,000 toys to get to you £10,000 mate i doubt it very very much indeed, good luck though..

 

[Naughty Vend]

you need to sell 20,000 toys to get to you £10,000 mate i doubt it very very much indeed, good luck though..

Why do I get the feeling someone was just about to try and sell us a toy vending business opportunity?

 

[LicensedToTrade]

Business plans are for bank managers Steve...

And communists!

 

[Vending Siting Services]

Hi, i have now located my first 15 machines

they cost £1500.00 and stock around the same

so £3000.00 for 15 machines

I would like to have 50 by the end of the year at a cost of £10,000.00

Is it possible for all the machines to pay for themselves by December

They vend a toy for £1 with 25% for the shop the caps cost around 35p

Thanks

Adrian

Hello Adrian

It's VERY difficult to answer your questions without knowing a few facts first.

You say each vendor has cost you £150.00 and the stock to fill the vendor is also £150.00 which you sell at £1 vend and you purchase the toy caps for 35p and you give away a massive 25% of your gross.

By my calculations your vendor holds in the region of 429 toy caps.

When you done your research on these types of vendors what gross monthly figures were you told?

What kinds of sites do you occupy?

The only way of knowing your ROI is first to know what gross monthly sales you will be achieving. Forget your first month's takings as these are normally higher and is known as a honeymoon.

Before you go investing any more money, first see what results you are getting and why not share this with us.

I started off in toy vending nearly 20 years ago, had a couple of good years then sold off the round ......

I would not be too willing to give away 25% of your sales either, that is very high.

Having a business plan IS IMPORTANT, without one it is like going on a journey without a map and not knowing where your destination is. It is vital and academic.

Kind regards.

Barbara Fellowes

 

[Billmccallum]

Hi, i have now located my first 15 machines

they cost £1500.00 and stock around the same

so £3000.00 for 15 machines

I would like to have 50 by the end of the year at a cost of £10,000.00

Is it possible for all the machines to pay for themselves by December

They vend a toy for £1 with 25% for the shop the caps cost around 35p

Thanks

Adrian

Based on your figures...


Every machine would have to sell 70 items per week, every week for 26 weeks to achieve your target.

 

[richardo]

Hi, i have now located my first 15 machines

they cost £1500.00 and stock around the same

so £3000.00 for 15 machines

I would like to have 50 by the end of the year at a cost of £10,000.00

Is it possible for all the machines to pay for themselves by December

They vend a toy for £1 with 25% for the shop the caps cost around 35p

Thanks

Adrian

Did you not even consider conducting any form of investment appraisal?

 

[Naughty Vend]

...oh for the love of, can't you see this was an advert and that's why there's no replies from the original poster.., by replying we bump it back up the forum... ...

Oh bugger. :redface:

 

[LicensedToTrade]

sounds good

Richiford, why are all of your posts complete nonsense? you wouldn't be trying to get your post count up so you can post URLs would you?

 

[*Lexxy*]

...oh for the love of, can't you see this was an advert and that's why there's no replies from the original poster.., by replying we bump it back up the forum... ...

Oh bugger. :redface:

noooo, leave him alone - he's been out cutting grass in the good weather!

i don't think it was an ad, he's online again now tho', so all will be revealed shortly...

 

[Vending Siting Services]

...oh for the love of, can't you see this was an advert and that's why there's no replies from the original poster.., by replying we bump it back up the forum... ...

Oh bugger. :redface:

Hi David

I am not sure that this is an advert. If you look at his older posts, he was asking quite relevant questions earlier this year about vending, he also runs a garden maintenance business as well as supplying grit bins. He's obviously got his fingers in a few pies.

Barbara

 

[FreelanceSoftwareDeveloper]

I don't see why you would want to go from 15 to 50 when you don't know what the return will be yet??

Surely grit is a better investment if we get a repeat of last winter!!

 

[gritbinsales]

Thank you for all your advise on vending, as you may know i started on the 20p SSF sweet vending machines at car boot sales then changed to the £1 a turn machines in the shops

As you in the vending trade know a hand full of 20p's is not a lot, and then you still got to give 25% to the shopkeeper, where as a hand full in £1 is a round £50-£60 so the 20p's had to go

Yes i am still new to vending and i am learning from you chaps, gardening is slow and grit bins is ok in the winter however i did recive a grit bin order for one last week

Is this an advert NO NO NO "why" because at £ 200.00+ a pop i have to move slowly and i feel vending is an expencive business to get in to

So just been to empty a few machines the range was £ 27.00 - £ 88.00 less 25% for the shop, its going to take a good few months to break even

but on we go

 

[S-Marketing]

Thank you for all your advise on vending, as you may know i started on the 20p SSF sweet vending machines at car boot sales then changed to the £1 a turn machines in the shops

As you in the vending trade know a hand full of 20p's is not a lot, and then you still got to give 25% to the shopkeeper, where as a hand full in £1 is a round £50-£60 so the 20p's had to go

Yes i am still new to vending and i am learning from you chaps, gardening is slow and grit bins is ok in the winter however i did recive a grit bin order for one last week

Is this an advert NO NO NO "why" because at £ 200.00+ a pop i have to move slowly and i feel vending is an expencive business to get in to

So just been to empty a few machines the range was £ 27.00 - £ 88.00 less 25% for the shop, its going to take a good few months to break even

but on we go

Quick bit of advice, if gardening is slow you are doing it wrong. I do the marketing for a gardener and landscaper and he is always busy. There is no reason why you shouldn't be either, as long as you are good at it.

 

[gritbinsales]

Quick bit of advice, if gardening is slow you are doing it wrong. I do the marketing for a gardener and landscaper and he is always busy. There is no reason why you shouldn't be either, as long as you are good at it.

we lost a lot of contracts due to price they wanted us to do 36 visits a year for the cost of 24

what can you do / do it and then work for lower pay
or not do it at all and find something else

 

[S-Marketing]

we lost a lot of contracts due to price they wanted us to do 36 visits a year for the cost of 24

what can you do / do it and then work for lower pay
or not do it at all and find something else

There are loads of well paid jobs out there in your sector, I would suggest working out a way of getting those.

 

[*Lexxy*]

There are loads of well paid jobs out there in your sector, I would suggest working out a way of getting those.

no offence, but isn't that a bit of a sweeping statement? this guys area might be saturated with other companies all offering the same service.

 

[S-Marketing]

no offence, but isn't that a bit of a sweeping statement? this guys area might be saturated with other companies all offering the same service.

No offence taken, always up for a healthy debate.

Thats why he needs to 'work out' a way of getting those. Not saying its easy, but my opinion is that there is money to be made in this area. There is always a way of differentiating yourself to gain a competitive advantage.

 

[gritbinsales]

and advertising cost money(too much money)

i have just spend £ 250.00 on 20,000 leaflets NOT 1 CALL

 

[gritbinsales]

How can I keep my commission down?

 

[S-Marketing]

and advertising cost money(too much money)

i have just spend £ 250.00 on 20,000 leaflets NOT 1 CALL

With leaflets, its not about how many you do. Its about the design being based on sound marketing principles, how they are delivered, the targeting of markets and recipients, the look of the leaflet, a prominent call to action, copy being relevant and persuasive, etc etc etc.

 

[Vending Siting Services]

How can I keep my commission down?

Don't be too keen to give away your money. Negotiate with the site and get them to understand that you are actually doing THEM a favour ..... offering a very professional service for their customers (children), then once they know your toy vendor is at their shop/premises they will come in more regularly to spend more money with the shop.

Tell them how selective you are in the placement of your vendors and not everyone is going to get one.

Lots of little dittos like that to make them want it more than you want to give it to them. It's great negotiating with the site ..... memories.

No harm in trying things like the above, the worse thing they can say is .... no.

Try it out and let us know how you get on.

Kind regards.

Barbara

 

[glennborthwick]

Hi Gritbin

As someone who has 600 machines out there now I can confirm it can be an absolutely fantastic business.

Heres my top tips;

1. Watch ebay for rounds up for sale near you. You can normally pick them up for not much more than secondhand value of the machines with instant cashflow.

2. Get phone numbers off other sited machines and say youd be interested in buying them out.

3. Get a great brochure or presentation file made out. ALways have it in the car.

4. Dont give up on the 20p market. Gumballs cost 3p each as to bouncy balls. 15p back after site commission is a lovely mark up.

5. Aim for multiple machines in sites. In my busy pubs I will have a tub machine, a toy machine and a 20p machine. You them collect £100 a visit instead of £30

6. If you are in the £1 tomy/bandai/ market these are consistent high sellers - puppypalz, hello kitty, ben10

 

[Vending Siting Services]

Hi Glenn

Good to see you here again. Wow! You now have a great BIG business, good to hear and good advice.

Kind regards.

Barbara

 

[FlintVending]

Hi Gritbin

As someone who has 600 machines out there now I can confirm it can be an absolutely fantastic business.

Heres my top tips;

1. Watch ebay for rounds up for sale near you. You can normally pick them up for not much more than secondhand value of the machines with instant cashflow.

2. Get phone numbers off other sited machines and say youd be interested in buying them out.

3. Get a great brochure or presentation file made out. ALways have it in the car.

4. Dont give up on the 20p market. Gumballs cost 3p each as to bouncy balls. 15p back after site commission is a lovely mark up.

5. Aim for multiple machines in sites. In my busy pubs I will have a tub machine, a toy machine and a 20p machine. You them collect £100 a visit instead of £30

6. If you are in the £1 tomy/bandai/ market these are consistent high sellers - puppypalz, hello kitty, ben10

I have similar amount of machines to Glenn and he has posted first class advice on all six points!

The only thing that I would add is too Try and "saturate" your local area!
With time and fuel both adding to your costs, it is common sense to get as many machines in close to your house/ office as possible!

This is something I am now prioritising myself as I have sold a few machines more than an hours drive away to more local operators in order to buy more machines too site locally to me!

Do not make the mistake of just doing one type of vendor!
You have to try and get the busiest sites onboard!
approach them with an eye out for what type of vender the DON,T have, and then get them one ASAP.
It may not be a huge money spinner, but it is a foot in the door, and if you have the right "attitude" for vending and keep your machines well maintained, further business can often be the result!

I dont normally try and compete with what they already have onsite unless they complain about the service/ commission they are recieving.

Glenns point about buying out competitors is very valid and you may well get lucky as plenty of people get into vending in a "small way"and find it is more hassle and less profitable than they were led too believe!

good luck

Nigel