mvalanoski

Wowzers, many thanks for being chosen as the NOTM, I feel honored. I've learned a vast amount of information from the members here and I've really become more assertive when it comes to the social aspect of vending since my arrival here. You guys have achieved a great deal through your years and I'm thankful that everyone has shared their success, ideas, and surefire tactics for the new batch of vendors. So again, thanks those who've influenced me to mold my own on vending and thus influenc others. Wooot!:dude:

Thanks for ther tip Ole miss, hehe. I was going to do something to that effect by involving a shape from the middle to the outside of the paper but your idea seems more logical as it fixes the printer issue and lets me resume my original idea with a blue arc, thanks. Do you do any freelance work or anything like that? I had a website running for a few months this past winter but only saw a few projects result in it. I love the whole web design aspect but might just focus on graphic design when I part for school. The layout, ideas, designs, etc. all are my foray, the programming aspect gives me headaches, haha.

Oh yea, for sure G-Man. Apparently Epson makes a printer that feeds paper without rollers so they can be marginless, but I'm not sure on the actual model number or name, however Epson labels it's products. I love Photoshop also. I've been familiar with it since version 7-ish. The great thing about is the mere magnitude of the software itself. It's truly remarkable what you can do with digital imaging with that program. The only downside is the suite is very expensive, nearly $1,000 if I recall. Not saying it isn't worth for the programs because I think Adobe is a great company, but man, haha. Do you have a website or logo, anything of that nature G?

*wipes sweat from head* Haha, thanks for the comments guys. I always get nervous when showcasing anything I make. I used Photoshop CS to make it G-Man. It's not distinguishing in that I have a standalone image, it's basically just greatly modified typography, but I think the font's used and emphasis on the "V" give it enough character to stand it's own. Maybe I'll try to work something out with keeping a unique letterhead shaping, however I have a printer with rollers meaning I can't print marginless papers. So if I'd add that to an A4 letterhead, there'd be white margins to the left and right which is why I was going to get rid of them. Thanks for the words guys.

For my one machine, I just hung it from the item display which was provided with my product. Is in clear visible range to the customer and is not blocked or anything or that nature. My one of my Buzz Bites machine, there is a little window on one side of the plastic pentagon that allows you to see the product tubes and thus the BBs, well I slipped one of the laminated sticker in there and just let it sit atop the slots for the display card.

Hey all, I hope this topic fits this section but if not feel free to move it. Anyway, I contacted a local amusement park near me about placing my Spongebob Northern Beaver and got ahold of someone in HR who instructed me to send a professional business letter to them explaining this machine and maybe showing some visual. Well I spent a good part of Saturday conjuring up a design for my logo as I've had a sketch in my head for quite a few weeks now. I wanted to express professionalism with vending as well as a creative, unique side which is my focal area to gain locations right now, originality with my machines. Well this snippet was going to be the top of my letterhead but I am removing the blue crescent shape for more traditional white background. Let me know what you think!

Yes, an Excel spreadsheet, by you I think Steve, is what I use for keeping track of revenue, product, locations, etc. The neat thing with the new Excel version are these visual indicators you can setup to display bars, pie graphs, percentile, etc. to visually show you how much inventory or increased sales have been. Pretty neat.

I am affiliated with the NCCS and their labels are of decent size. Maybe a little smaller in width than a 4x6 photo. Anywho, instead of taking the sticker and adheding it to somewhere on my machine, I bought some inexpensive laminating sheets another member mentioned to me for labels and laminated the sticker. I now have more reign on where I can put the sticker as opposed to needing a flat surface to place.

The machine itself, product, and all the little touches probably totaled at around $200. This custom touch to vending is what I plan to do with alot of my future investments. My girlfriend is kind of sick of seeing it in the place though and me working on it "everyday." Haha!

Well here is my first machine from beaver. I was a little hesistant of it at first when I got it, since not knowing too much about the mechs of the machine but after disassembling it to an extent and playing with the chutes, hopper, coin mechs, etc. I have grown to love the beaver architecture. So below are pictures of this machine themed to Spongebob Squarepants. I took these two days ago so the SB display at the bottom isn't present but basically I wanted to make the machine more visual so people from a distance can see the sides and KNOW a spongebob toy is present, which I accomplished because when my girlfriend's two year-old came home and saw the machine from the kitchen she shouted spongebob out right away, haha. So just thought I'd show it off!

Oh, 3" toys. I didn't get see that's what you meant Guth, was thinking retail or something, hah. Any places that come to mind that sell 3" toys?

Not sure what you mean Guth, can you further explain?

I'm not sure if this idea has been brought up before or if people are already doing things of this nature with capsule-style machines so bear with my incentive for one I have. I basically want to put emphasis on toys and whatnot for kids using candy to supplement that. In regards to targeting a young, kid centric demographic, I want to incorporate plush style toys as well. As of right now, I do not have the funds to get a crane machine. However, my idea was to put toys hanging along the inside of my machine with certain capsules having codes, messages, etc. to indicate that they've won the toy. I then would have an employee or clerk of said location have toys corresponding to the codes ahead of time so they could redeem them with the employees. I figure it wouldn't be estrange or anything to insist on an effort by the employee. It shows friendliness and all that and makes the location seem inviting and I'm sure I'd go back if I knew the enviroment was kid-friendly like that. Is this making sense? Good idea? Tried before? Thanks guys!

Yes, thanks, G-Man. The store has been effective thus far but this is a commission-based account with the owner receiving around 35%. I only took it as I wanted the machine placed and got a handful of nos and him being the only yes. I do however have a chain-based tobacco discount store in mind with the manager interested in the product. So I plan in relocating in the next week or so. Right now I'm in dire need to located my Northern Beaver 50" capsule machine somewhere. I have it loaded with Spongebob figurines and going to put in bouncy balls and a single capsule with a code for a $10-$15 spongebob DVD. So hopefully that'll get placed soon.

Locally Owned Convenience Store - Week 2 Total- $21.50 [buzz Bites] Pool Hall - Machine Placed -[Will also monitor on Wednesdays]