thevendingbutler1 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 I just read the book "The Vending Jackpot" by Ronnie Talent. His main point of the whole book is that bulk candy vending (using the small gumball stands) is probably one of the most profitable and easiest careers you can ever do. In that book he says that :1) You can do this all by yourself without needing to hire anyone. 2) You will have all kinds of free time on your hands (because like he says, these machines are working making money while you aren't) and 3) You will make a whole lot of money doing this (he says he makes over 6 figures a year). Are there any of you who ONLY do this type of vending for a living and if so is he right about this? How many hours a week do you guys have to work and what do you pull in every year? After thinking that honor boxes could be a career for me (because I was sold a bag of goods from someone at another website) I learned the hard way that that wasn't going to happen because society at large (at least where I live) are not honorable. So I'm looking for a good full time career where I won't have to work more than 40 hours a week while making a good income (I consider that to be at least $40,000 a year). Is this that type of business that will do that for me? Is the book "The Vending Jackpot" a book of truth or is it just a bunch of B.S.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vendelicious Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Nepavend seems to have a thriving bulk business. Here are his financial reports: http://vendiscuss.net/index.php?/topic/2206-nepa-vending-financial-reports/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerformaVending Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 It "can" be a full time career, but you won't get there overnight. I've been at this for about a year, and while I'm not drowning in debt, it's not exactly a living on it's own. One benefit of bulk machines over honor boxes is that theft is far less common (not impossible, but far less common). Another is that the physical machines are a one-and-done purchase. Your largest costs are products and machines, and if you buy quality machines, and maintain them well, they will pull in quarters for decades without incurring more costs.However, the process of amassing enough machines to sustain yourself, and to have enough locations to work with could take some time to accomplish. I would do significant research into what kind of bulk vending you would want to pursue, and how you would go about expanding and operating. My advice to you is to start with smaller machines, singles, doubles, triples perhaps. Smaller machines are far easier to place than larger setups, and can be quite profitable on their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogcow Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I just read the book "The Vending Jackpot" by Ronnie Talent. His main point of the whole book is that bulk candy vending (using the small gumball stands) is probably one of the most profitable and easiest careers you can ever do. In that book he says that :1) You can do this all by yourself without needing to hire anyone. 2) You will have all kinds of free time on your hands (because like he says, these machines are working making money while you aren't) and 3) You will make a whole lot of money doing this (he says he makes over 6 figures a year). Are there any of you who ONLY do this type of vending for a living and if so is he right about this? How many hours a week do you guys have to work and what do you pull in every year? After thinking that honor boxes could be a career for me (because I was sold a bag of goods from someone at another website) I learned the hard way that that wasn't going to happen because society at large (at least where I live) are not honorable. So I'm looking for a good full time career where I won't have to work more than 40 hours a week while making a good income (I consider that to be at least $40,000 a year). Is this that type of business that will do that for me? Is the book "The Vending Jackpot" a book of truth or is it just a bunch of B.S.? its not to say its BS, but lets be honest if it was so easy why doesn't everyone do it ? if you want 40k a year and work 40hrs/wk get a job...because i cant say ive met many business owners who pull a 9 to 5. when you own a business you are the first one in and the last one out. as for all the free time he probably isnt counting the time spent doing paperwork, refurbing machines, locating,etc..etc.. i think its possible to make money if you are willing to work hard though. however lets do some quick math... So lets say your accounts make around $15/ea per month and a gumball costs 0.02 and vends for 0.25 so we say $40,000 is our target gross, thats about $3,200 in product cost ..lets say your machines do an average of $15/month ea. ive seen that number thrown around a lot. This means you would have to gross about 220 machines to hit that gross. of course not all machines are average. this means you are paying $220 a month in chairty costs assuming $1/sticker per month. so our costs are now around 5,800/year before taxes (if applicable), mileage and insurance... I'm not 100% sure what a bulk vendor costs, lets say $70 for a new machine and a stand seems about reasonable. So you need about a $15,000 initial investment to cover equipment costs. if this seems reasonable to you then go ahead. this is basic business planning tho u need to construct a proforma to determine if the numbers make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdendy Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I agree with Performa, it isn't going to happen overnight and will require a bigger investment than honor boxes, but you have less losses from loss and less long term costs with having to keep replacing the honor boxes as they wear out, get torn, etc... But you can do the math to get you where you want to be. I think I have read around $12 per head is average (someone please correct me if I am wrong). So to get to 40k a year, you would need to get to around 50k to cover business expenses. So 350 Heads x 12.00 = $4200 a month x 12 months = $50,400 a year. Now is 350 heads a month possible. Lets say even if they are all singles, which you could have doubles, triples or racks making them more compact with fewer locations, but for the math let's say all singles, it takes me about 10 minutes to service a location and let's say an additional 10 minutes of drive time per head so 20 minutes x 350 locations = 7,000 / 60 = 116.6 hours a month work time plus you need to add in time for locating, ordering equipment and product and other business tasks. So yes the math says it can work but what it doesn't take into account all of the variables, like can you locate, from what you told us you can. Can you locate into profitable locations? Do you have the patience to grow your business and do what it takes to thrive? Here's the thing about your post that most bothers me, "So I'm looking for a good full time career where I won't have to work more than 40 hours a week while making a good income (I consider that to be at least $40,000 a year). Is this that type of business that will do that for me?" Everyone wants an easy job, no more than 40 hours a week and great compensation, but if it was that easy everyone would be doing it. Whether you choose this business or any other business, if you are the owner 40 hours a week is a rare luxury. As for what you want in compensation, the general rule is the more you work, the more you make. I actually have a great career and make a pretty good living doing it. I also build websites on the side for private clients, I am working with another partner for a locals review type site, I have been busy building my own vending business for a little more than 2 months and am up to 31 machines, most of them placed or being sold for profit. My point here is that even though I am 41, make a good living, I have always worked for more and I have always had my own projects and businesses in the works. Some work out, some don't, but at the end of the day it's not about how much I have to work for me, it's about providing the best for my family and having the things I want out of life. If you're going to get serious about this, don't worry about how much time you put into it, only worry about is it giving you an ROI and can you steadily build your business, if you have those two you will succeed. Sorry for the long winded answer, but I don't want you to go into this thinking it's easy money. Also just an off topic question but are you part of generation Y? If your serious about this, stop reading books on vending and start reading this site and talking to the real vendors, and yes there are quite a few full time and successful people on here. its not to say its BS, but lets be honest if it was so easy why doesn't everyone do it ? if you want 40k a year and work 40hrs/wk get a job...because i cant say ive met many business owners who pull a 9 to 5. when you own a business you are the first one in and the last one out. as for all the free time he probably isnt counting the time spent doing paperwork, refurbing machines, locating,etc..etc.. i think its possible to make money if you are willing to work hard though. however lets do some quick math... So lets say your accounts make around $15/ea per month and a gumball costs 0.02 and vends for 0.25 so we say $40,000 is our target gross, thats about $3,200 in product cost ..lets say your machines do an average of $15/month ea. ive seen that number thrown around a lot. This means you would have to gross about 220 machines to hit that gross. of course not all machines are average. this means you are paying $220 a month in chairty costs assuming $1/sticker per month. so our costs are now around 5,800/year before taxes (if applicable), mileage and insurance... I'm not 100% sure what a bulk vendor costs, lets say $70 for a new machine and a stand seems about reasonable. So you need about a $15,000 initial investment to cover equipment costs. if this seems reasonable to you then go ahead. this is basic business planning tho u need to construct a proforma to determine if the numbers make sense. Guess I was writing mine while you were writing yours....LMAO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donovon Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Imo it would take you a very long time selling gumballs, but it could be done.. I agree with performa vending.... Start slow, double heads. Find a good deal on CL or ebay.. Maybe pick up 5... Try to keep it under 300$. Throw in onther 100$ for product.. Before you buy anything.. Ask us if it a good deal. Lots of machine out there.. You might want to stay away from.. U-turns, come to mind... Candy good.. Imo toys are great... More options for the vendor, like section & pricepoint... Dont forget stickers ant tattoo's i love them.. Set some goals 6month,year,5year Plan.... If i clear 10,000 this first year im counting that a win.. There is a crazy amount of information on the forum... Read, read, search, read,& ask... You will do great.. Also stay away from anything that has "jackpot" in the title.. TVF complete startup kit... Just have to listen what people are tellinf ya.. Glad to see you on this side of the fence...Lol i was thinking the same Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogcow Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I agree with Performa, it isn't going to happen overnight and will require a bigger investment than honor boxes, but you have less losses from loss and less long term costs with having to keep replacing the honor boxes as they wear out, get torn, etc... your bulk vendor will wear out before you spend $70-80 in honor boxes replacing a single box for a location. i have boxes that have lasted a year, thats like 25 boxes for the price of one machine and stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DependableVending Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I read the same book 5 years ago. That is what got me into bulk in the first place. I built a route to 40 locations and they did well enough that continuing the way I was going, 150 locations would have provided me 40K. I moved for family reasons and sold the route. Just starting over now and learning from my prior mistakes that I made. His time factor has a lot that goes into it. For example, how long does it take to service a machine. I use 1800's for a reason. They are easy to swap parts on location. If something breaks, I swap it and fix it at home. My average service time is less than 10 minutes. This includes filling, collecting, and cleaning. Of course, there is a lot of back office time required. A lot depends on time. Once you get fast at it, if locations are close to each other, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vendelicious Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I'm a big fan of keeping things simple. I think as a general rule of thumb, what one puts into a bulk business monetary wise(cost of machines, cost of goods, insurance, etc...), one will receive that monetary figure in total sales in one year. Veterans of the board, please critique my novice bulk vending calculations as I may be completely off base! I understand that this is an oversimplification, but by thinking about it this way, it helps keep one motivated and pushing the boundaries further and further through expansion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobTHJ Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 your bulk vendor will wear out before you spend $70-80 in honor boxes replacing a single box for a location. i have boxes that have lasted a year, thats like 25 boxes for the price of one machine and stand. Some of my boxes (wax-coated) have been in service for 25+ years and are still in decent shape. I have a large number of non-wax coated boxes as well that are 5+ years old and are just now reaching the end of their useful life. So dogcow is right - honor boxes are still a less expensive investment - that doesn't mean bulk machines are not however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallstreeterww Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I also plan on getting into bulk as soon as we make the move from Cali to Vegas. From everything I've read on this forum it seems like the 1800 triples are the most sturdy machines if you can get a good deal on them. This is the first time I thought about honor boxes. Do you guys think that adding honor boxes to locations with the triple heads would be a good idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdendy Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Ok guys, if you say they last a long time I believe you. I was basing my logic off the cardboard ones I have gotten from Sheridan. They were nice but still cardboard and some issues with folding. I just didn't see them as holding up in many blue collar environments as my all metal machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerformaVending Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Ok guys, if you say they last a long time I believe you. I was basing my logic off the cardboard ones I have gotten from Sheridan. They were nice but still cardboard and some issues with folding. I just didn't see them as holding up in many blue collar environments as my all metal machines. Look out for the world's strongest kid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdendy Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Look out for the world's strongest kid! You sleep as little as I do Performa... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerformaVending Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 You sleep as little as I do Performa... Chronic insomniac. I'll have to upload a picture- one of the Munch Box machines I bought had the mech handle torn clean off- the locations written explanation was that the "worlds' Strongest kid" broke it off in a rage. The machine had been in an auto shop, so it made lots of sense- that's where kids hang out right? Anyway, look out for the "world's strongest kid" lurking among your blue collar locations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobTHJ Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I also plan on getting into bulk as soon as we make the move from Cali to Vegas. From everything I've read on this forum it seems like the 1800 triples are the most sturdy machines if you can get a good deal on them. This is the first time I thought about honor boxes. Do you guys think that adding honor boxes to locations with the triple heads would be a good idea? In my experience there is some overlap, but not a large amount. You typically want to target busy places (with kids is a plus) for bulk machines such as restaurants and waiting / break rooms. Snack boxes are a better fit in places where they aren't open to large quantities of unsupervised public traffic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havending Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 This is a great full time business. But it takes years to get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkochan Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 This is a great full time business. But it takes years to get there. I totally agree with you. I started my vending business in 2007. Five years later, bulk vending has become a full time business. It has saved me financially because my moonwalk rental business has been in decline since 2008. Bulk vending has enabled me to make up that lost revenue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallstreeterww Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Thanks bob, I feel like posts like yours give me the wisdom that I will need to get started in bulk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKK Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 The biggest mistake you can do is be afraid to make one. With that being said be patient for a good deal on used triples. Even vendstars if found dirt cheap. I recommend 1800s but only if bought at a good deal. Buy 15m and start your way up. Be on the lookout for good deals and grow. Locate yourself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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