gdbutler Posted June 15, 2008 Share Posted June 15, 2008 Has anyone taken a look at the ice vending things? Not cheap at all, and I don't understand how you will ever turn a profit. They cost something like 100 grand. There are a few of them here in Louisville, and I have never seen anyone actually buying ice at one. Here's a link to a biz op ad for one of them http://louisville.craigslist.org/bfs/719408419.html . I think i would rather buy 1000 bulk vending machines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-man422 Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Seen them, and think the exact same things. Waste of $$$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VendAndy81 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 That is an insane amount of money for vending machines. A person could basically start their own company with that money. Yeah most people just go to gas stations to get ice anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frntrange Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 How about some math for the ice machine? $100,000 investment, with 20% down = a loan of $80,000 at 12% interest at payments of about $1200.00 per month. (assuming such a loan is available in this market). Lot rent=$300.00 Electricity=$500.00 (could be a lot more or even some less, very local issue). Water=$200.00 Supplies = $50.00 Misc=$250.00 Total =$2500.00 These numbers assume a whole lot, but if even sort of close, would require selling 1925 bags a month (at $1.30 stated gross profit) or about 64 bags a day just to pay for the machine, before making a dime in net profit. If this was a Wittern machine, there would be a 6 foot sign on the side saying: Only 64 vends per day pays for this machine! LOL Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VendAndy81 Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Steve, Very impressive. LoL. So it is near impossible to make a profit. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chechnya Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 I did a bit of research into ice vending. I didn't get a chance to see the type in OP's link but there are smaller ice machines out there. Check this, for instance: http://www.icehouseamerica.com/mini-details.asp So I wonder if it's actually profitable? I see bulk water vending everywhere but I've seen ice *i think* maybe once? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 How often do people run out just to buy ONLY ice? Maybe half of the time you need ice will you need ONLY ice. "Half the time" is being generous too. When going out for ice you usually also need snacks, drinks, smokes, or SOMETHING other than ice. Why make multiple stops by going to the ice vendor? You could get all you need AND ice at the supermarket, pharmacy, or corner store. Around here, even fast food joints like McDonalds sell reasonably priced bags of ice right through their drive-thru. This sounds like a terrible investment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Vending Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 There are 3 of these big machines in a small town of 500 people. In the summer time they stay busy this is a resort town lot of boats around here in summer.. Also there are a lot of construction workers buy ice.. 20 lbs for $2.00 yep I go there to buy ice about 3 times a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antoniocinisi Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 here water is a flat rate regardless of what you use,so selling ice may be profitable.I agree with sherlocks post,no one leaves the house to go buy just ice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmuseStar Vending Co Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 You have to consider the market and type of area where such a machine would be placed. In many cases, they are to be used in tourist towns where people need to fill coolers or need ice for specific reasons, BUT bring the other things with them. I see a HUGE market for these by busy boat docks, beaches, etc. One plus these machines have is that they are there for just ice. This means they larger amounts of ice for less than the local convince stores. People are always looking for a deal. If they can get "Twice the ice" for the same amount as somewhere else, its worth the extra stop if it saves you $2. Plus, these machines are just plain FUN to use. I know operators who have great success with ice vending. You just have to know what you're doing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antoniocinisi Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 well if they are out there someone must be making money off of them.I dont know if the 100k machine makes blocks of ice too but someone needs to supply the snow cone people in the summer.it seems that location is extremly important too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinnJinn Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 around here, almost every liquor store, gas station, grocery store has coolers/freezers that have bags of ice in them, even at the local lake has 5 of these coolers/freezers full of bagged ice. So there would be no place to put one of these machines in my area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnl828 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Yesterday I received a email from a company trying to get me to buy a ice machine for 65k. I don't have 65k and even if I did the return would take to long... They are trying to give me all types of deals and I really just couldn't see myself doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Mass Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I love this thread. I actually worked with an ice vending company and they made a killing! They did have one small advantage though, they made the ice themselves, serviced the account themselves and targetted only seasonal locations (islands, beach locations, and a mix of seasonal locations). Last I knew they were doing somewhere around 50M per year. All of which came in basically 5-6 months worth of work for the most part. There is a market for it but most territories can only support 1-2 vendors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agrantha Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I love this thread. I actually worked with an ice vending company and they made a killing! They did have one small advantage though, they made the ice themselves, serviced the account themselves and targetted only seasonal locations (islands, beach locations, and a mix of seasonal locations). Last I knew they were doing somewhere around 50M per year. All of which came in basically 5-6 months worth of work for the most part. There is a market for it but most territories can only support 1-2 vendors. The only advantage to this would be that it would cut down the theft of bagged ice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Mass Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Not sure what that quote was trying to say, the way most of the route work is managed is that they bill at delivery. The theft would normally fall on store owners. Not sure if I missed anything. I do believe however, this is an industry where you need to enter by acquisition only. Buying out a competitor is the only way to get started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Bottle Vending Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 They can be valuable in the right location and demographic, just like any vending unit. I have seen the actual numbers from the owners of some of the equipment. Some were good, and honestly, many were not. I have tested out one of the manufacturers smaller units (around 30k), and it did well. The advantage of the smaller units are much, much, lower install costs, and, well, if the location doesn't work out, you can move it much easier. The larger units require a huge investment, but can do well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill J Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Actually there are ice vending machines out there that cost 40K or less and many people use them especially at convenience stores or marinas. Check these guys out: www.bagofice.com Has anyone taken a look at the ice vending things? Not cheap at all, and I don't understand how you will ever turn a profit. They cost something like 100 grand. There are a few of them here in Louisville, and I have never seen anyone actually buying ice at one. Here's a link to a biz op ad for one of them http://louisville.cr.../719408419.html . I think i would rather buy 1000 bulk vending machines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cvbabcock Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I am from Northen New York. Family friend bought an ice vending company already owned a marina. They thought they would make a killing having both. The ice vending business went belly up in 18 months. They were out 120k. It always was in the red. Most are owned by big national companies. I buy ice only at Christmas time other wise i just dump it out of my freezer that makes ice. I am in Arizona too. It is huge overhead with very little profites. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdendy Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I live in the deep south, on the coast and yes it is covered with tourists during the Spring and Summer, these are all over the place down here yet here we are going into season and there are no less than 3 of them up for sale on Craigslist for the area, These might have been good back in the day but everyone sells ice down here now, as pointed out every gas station, convenience store and grocery has ice and almost every restaurant and fast food joint sells bagged ice down here now, through the drive through for a buck. They have the ice machines for drinks, why not use em. I just don't see how anyone makes a ROI on these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagofice777 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 The best ice vending machines I have seen for the money and I so happen to own 3 of them are Bag of Ice XL1900, you can see them here and they pay for themselves but you need a good location. I paid mine off in less than 1 year. http:// you can also see them here: http:// Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendiscuss777 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I have used Links removed and user vendiscuss777 and bagofice777 banned for multiple registrations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llcoolrobb Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 there was a medium sized ice vending machine located in back of a busy liquor store at a busy intersection took up a little more than 1 parking space was always busy and was the only one in the city i think. it sold bagged and 2 different sizes of block ice every time before we headed out of town for camping we would stop and get supplies at the store then get ice from the vending machine in back! the ice vending machine was there over 30 years,i wonder how much profit it made over 30 years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronsidney Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 the guy that mentioned he "worked for ice vending company" was not even talking about what this thread is about..He was talking about where you put a freezer on curb of c-store and a route truck comes by every week and fills the freezer with bags of ice,,the c-store pays for the ice and they provide freezer for free,just like coke and pepsi do the glass door coolers in the stores.. that is very profitable,,as the c-stores sells the ice for you and there is not theft as the c-store is responsible and pays for the ice bags when they are delivered.. this vending machine we are talking about on this thread is a competing biz that is totally self service and bags etc automatically... the are a real biz op thing and i don't think they will ever turn a profit.. a local guy here in my town has one and he cries all winter about his dumb mistake of sinking 100k in this biz op/blue sky business... all the machine is really is a restaurant ice machine,most make over a 1000 lbs a day and dumps in bin beneath so waitress etc. can just scoop out for glasses... now you get you a "grain elevator" like is used on a farm to elevate corn etc, basically a belt with ridges on it to elevate the material, in this case ice. like this now you get a coin/dollar operator timer mechanism (like on car wash,air compressor etc) and figure out how long it takes for that belt to fill a bag of ice and set timer for that...there you have a ice vending machine,,get a fabricator to make you a nice stainless steel box, and insulate it really really good.. total costs,,less than 5K id guess and you can make it smaller so it could fit on steps on c-store so you wouldn't have electric bill etc. just plug into their water/electric.. forget the auto bagging etc. just make it so its like walmart with bags on a roll in produce section..make it cheaper than anybody else sells bagged ice.. I think you can make money with them but with that big of investment they are just fishing for someones retirement savings by promising the "pie in the sky" which like they say a "fool and his money are easily parted." you can normally spot the biz ops when you see them for sale on ebay and craigslist in location for half of what they sell for new,,normally they will say "Selling due to health." and just point potential buyers to the original snake-oil salesmen's marketing material.... ron ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogcow Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 you can normally spot the biz ops when you see them for sale on ebay and craigslist in location for half of what they sell for new,,normally they will say "Selling due to health." and just point potential buyers to the original snake-oil salesmen's marketing material.... ron ron lol everyone is "selling due to health" vending sure is bad for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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