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I am new in vending, and it looks like I'll get an account at a hospital satellite emergency room.  They average 50 patients a day + probably 50 or more people who come in with them + staff.  I am considering either a new AMS 39" Combo, or separate snack & drink machines--refurbished National 145 for Snacks & refurbished Royal 650 for drinks.

 

The USI combos look great, but that's more than I want to spend right now.

 

I'd appreciate any opinions or advice about my current purchase decision!

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I am new in vending, and it looks like I'll get an account at a hospital satellite emergency room.  They average 50 patients a day + probably 50 or more people who come in with them + staff.  I am considering either a new AMS 39" Combo, or separate snack & drink machines--refurbished National 145 for Snacks & refurbished Royal 650 for drinks.

 

The USI combos look great, but that's more than I want to spend right now.

 

I'd appreciate any opinions or advice about my current purchase decision!

While the old 145 has never been among my favorites (bought a refurbed one once and the door never did line up right) you can't go wrong with the Royal 650.  This is an MDB compatible machine with a vend sensor.  Royals are rock solid and the 650 is part of the Merlin IV series which is a currently manufactured model so you won't be out of date.  Profitability wise you'd be much wiser to buy two refurbed full sized machines than one new combo,  The full sized machines will hold a lot more product and should show more sales per vend cycle.  The 145 is not MDB compatible and you'd be better off with an AP113 or newer.

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While the old 145 has never been among my favorites (bought a refurbed one once and the door never did line up right) you can't go wrong with the Royal 650.  This is an MDB compatible machine with a vend sensor.  Royals are rock solid and the 650 is part of the Merlin IV series which is a currently manufactured model so you won't be out of date.  Profitability wise you'd be much wiser to buy two refurbed full sized machines than one new combo,  The full sized machines will hold a lot more product and should show more sales per vend cycle.  The 145 is not MDB compatible and you'd be better off with an AP113 or newer.

 

How often does Royal send you checks for your marketing work?

 

Anyway, I agree with Moondog that the Royal 650 is a very good machine and Royals are good machines in general.  I personally feel like the quality of the Royal is arguably the best of all of the major manufacturers but my local vendor friend is selling off his royals because his drivers don't know how to load the front/rear machines properly lol.  That is probably the only flaw with Royals -- the front/rear columns and the fact that the 650, for example, has 12 columns for 9-10 selections.  it can be confusing if you are a first timer!  Plus, if you accidentally mess with the space-to-sales option, it could change almost every column around to something different.

 

The National 145 is, in my opinion, one of the easiest snack machines to operate.  Assuming the board works and it has been upgraded with a VN 2511 bill acceptor, you only have to fill the selections up (and insert your product properly) and let it do its magic!  Sure, it's not MDB compatible without a retrofitted board such as InOne Technologies board or VE's UCB (Universal Control Board) but the VN 2511 paired with a TRC 6000 will do absolutely fine.  It's not a showroom model by any means but the machine just works and works and works.  I almost never replace motors in them.  I almost never replace anything for that matter.... and there is a ton of space under the bottom for whatever you need it for.  You could easily stock the bottom up with extra soda should you need it later for the soda machine.  Products don't seem to get hung up much.  The machine almost never rips anyone off.  The only bad thing about them is that they don't look very good.

 

If you want a snack machine that looks nice, something even as old as an AP 7600 in excellent condition will look great.  I think a 4-wide would be better for this location but that's my opinion.  If you could get an AP 112 with a Royal 650 for under $3,000 or even $2,500, I think you would be doing alright.  Keep in mind... hospitals can be hit or miss.  It really just depends on how accessible the machines are, how visible they are (do people even know where they will be or will they walk right past them and never know?), and how hungry people are.  I wouldn't recommend spending too much money on a location like this just in case it turns out to be a turd.  It might be a real winner though. 

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How often does Royal send you checks for your marketing work?

 

Anyway, I agree with Moondog that the Royal 650 is a very good machine and Royals are good machines in general.  I personally feel like the quality of the Royal is arguably the best of all of the major manufacturers but my local vendor friend is selling off his royals because his drivers don't know how to load the front/rear machines properly lol.  That is probably the only flaw with Royals -- the front/rear columns and the fact that the 650, for example, has 12 columns for 9-10 selections.  it can be confusing if you are a first timer!  Plus, if you accidentally mess with the space-to-sales option, it could change almost every column around to something different.

 

The National 145 is, in my opinion, one of the easiest snack machines to operate.  Assuming the board works and it has been upgraded with a VN 2511 bill acceptor, you only have to fill the selections up (and insert your product properly) and let it do its magic!  Sure, it's not MDB compatible without a retrofitted board such as InOne Technologies board or VE's UCB (Universal Control Board) but the VN 2511 paired with a TRC 6000 will do absolutely fine.  It's not a showroom model by any means but the machine just works and works and works.  I almost never replace motors in them.  I almost never replace anything for that matter.... and there is a ton of space under the bottom for whatever you need it for.  You could easily stock the bottom up with extra soda should you need it later for the soda machine.  Products don't seem to get hung up much.  The machine almost never rips anyone off.  The only bad thing about them is that they don't look very good.

 

If you want a snack machine that looks nice, something even as old as an AP 7600 in excellent condition will look great.  I think a 4-wide would be better for this location but that's my opinion.  If you could get an AP 112 with a Royal 650 for under $3,000 or even $2,500, I think you would be doing alright.  Keep in mind... hospitals can be hit or miss.  It really just depends on how accessible the machines are, how visible they are (do people even know where they will be or will they walk right past them and never know?), and how hungry people are.  I wouldn't recommend spending too much money on a location like this just in case it turns out to be a turd.  It might be a real winner though. 

Yes - you'll want avoid those Turd accounts  ;D  ;D  ;D

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Surgery centers do better because the people in the waiting rooms are waiting on someone under the knife. Can be hours. A good set of equipment with C/C readers could pay off well if accessible to the public.

But like said above it can be hit and miss 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I would utilise an AMS Combo with a high capacity can drawer that's the absolute best.  I see Moondog and Angry Chris are are a bit backward thinking in suggesting old machines like a national which should have been scrapped years ago, and also  a Royal 650 enclosed front, both bad choices.

 

With the AMS you have the versatility to vend almost any item and in particular higher priced options with more margin equals more profitability.  A glassfront like the AMS will simply generate far more sales than the machines suggested by the others here............in essence you get what you pay for!!!!!!!.

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I would utilise an AMS Combo with a high capacity can drawer that's the absolute best.  I see Moondog and Angry Chris are are a bit backward thinking in suggesting old machines like a national which should have been scrapped years ago, and also  a Royal 650 enclosed front, both bad choices.

 

With the AMS you have the versatility to vend almost any item and in particular higher priced options with more margin equals more profitability.  A glassfront like the AMS will simply generate far more sales than the machines suggested by the others here............in essence you get what you pay for!!!!!!!.

Please note that Ron (Reel) lives in a place where all the toilets all flush backwards and they drive on the wrong side of the road  ;D  ;D  ;D  Up here in the land of golden grains and purple mountains a combo machine will never outperform two full sized machines.  I have a couple of glassfront vendors and I've tried a bunch of that oddball stuff that seems to be flooding the market these days and what do they buy? Coke, Coke and more Coke.  You want a machine that you can cram as much Coke as possible into if you're looking to make the most money (and who isn't?)  As for the snacks, I've tried a variety of stuff there too and you can't beat Crunchy Cheestos, stack them 15 deep and you'll sell every last one

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Mr Doggie,

 

I think you have had to many beers judging by your response, or maybe its the smog in the air has blurred your thinking lol. There would be very few instances where an enclosed front drink vendor will outsell a large  glassfront combination machine like an AMS or a VT5000!. 

 

I have had the combos mentioned above turning over between $800 and $1000 per week, i think the real issue is Moondog your such a tight a.. you just buy old ancient gear thats overdue for the scrap yard lol. 

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Mr Doggie,

 

I think you have had to many beers judging by your response, or maybe its the smog in the air has blurred your thinking lol. There would be very few instances where an enclosed front drink vendor will outsell a large  glassfront combination machine like an AMS or a VT5000!. 

 

I have had the combos mentioned above turning over between $800 and $1000 per week, i think the real issue is Moondog your such a tight a.. you just buy old ancient gear thats overdue for the scrap yard lol. 

 

 

Just curious why would you want to work that hard? $1000 a week out of a combo? A six wide national and a Vendo 821 would do that with ease once a week. 

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Please note that Ron (Reel) lives in a place where all the toilets all flush backwards and they drive on the wrong side of the road  ;D  ;D  ;D  Up here in the land of golden grains and purple mountains a combo machine will never outperform two full sized machines.  I have a couple of glassfront vendors and I've tried a bunch of that oddball stuff that seems to be flooding the market these days and what do they buy? Coke, Coke and more Coke.  You want a machine that you can cram as much Coke as possible into if you're looking to make the most money (and who isn't?)  As for the snacks, I've tried a variety of stuff there too and you can't beat Crunchy Cheestos, stack them 15 deep and you'll sell every last one

 

 

Mr Doggie,

 

I think you have had to many beers judging by your response, or maybe its the smog in the air has blurred your thinking lol. There would be very few instances where an enclosed front drink vendor will outsell a large  glassfront combination machine like an AMS or a VT5000!. 

 

I have had the combos mentioned above turning over between $800 and $1000 per week, i think the real issue is Moondog your such a tight a.. you just buy old ancient gear thats overdue for the scrap yard lol. 

I think I will stay out of this argument... I am just glad to see the two of you picking on each other rather than taking the piss out of me!!

 

Ron... if you really want to wind him up.... just mention Chinese Combo's! ;D  ;D  ;D  

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Just curious why would you want to work that hard? $1000 a week out of a combo? A six wide national and a Vendo 821 would do that with ease once a week. 

Roger... Ron is from Oz mate so trust me... they never works hard!  ;D  ;D  ;D

 

The reason we are able to generate $800-$1000 dollars per week out of a Combo machine is because our product prices are much higher... 

 

Example: A can of coke would retail for around $1.80-$2.00 in a vending machine here

Ron... if you really want to wind him up.... just mention Chinese Combo's! ;D  ;D  ;D  

 

Or... you could ask him who is coming 1st in Fantasy Football!  ;D  ;D  ;D

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Well then we can just cut that in half and say that he collects roughly $400/week in american cash (real money, not that monopoly stuff you foreigners have).

 

Anyway, $400 out of a combo machine means that you have to hit it up twice each week because the thing will be bone dry by the end of the week.  I don't know what's up with reel but he's clearly in a different world (or country for that matter).

 

I would venture to say that the average profit here in the states is about 25% of gross revenue.  A $4,000 AMS combo is going to require about $8,000 in annual sales to pay itself off in 2 years.  That's $150/week.  That healthcare location mentioned in this topic might possibly do that much but I wouldn't bet on it.  A refurbished snacktron and royal bottle machine should be had pretty easily for a little over $2,000 and should be paid off easily in less than 2 years.

 

The worst case scenario is that the sales underperform and you are left with two pretty reliable machines that can be resold or placed elsewhere in a higher volume location.

 

Yes, the AMS combo is capable of collecting a lot of revenue.. but let's face it... 2 full-size machines are capable of doing roughly twice the revenue as one AMS combo.  The soda selections are technically better out of a combo but a full-size snack machine has at least twice the snack selections.  That means that you will be missing out on sales just by lacking the variety necessary.

 

My previous business model used combos such as the AMS combo... but I quickly realized that you need prime accounts to make it worth your while.  The only business model that makes sense to use combos is in a model in which you win medium-volume locations ($200-$400/week) that require fresh food.  You can just place an AMS combo in addition to a soda machine and set the combo up for mostly snack products with a few fresh food options.  But to rely on it solely means you miss out on selections.  I would hate to know what it's like to change out refrigeration decks in those (I really don't know).

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