sherlock Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 If I was 20 years younger and building my route I wouldn't touch 2". That's a really good point. I wonder how much of the 2" market is driven by vending biz owners with similar thoughts. No way to tell, but it would be interesting to know how many vending company owners, big and small, who would prefer not to vend 2", but stick with it because of the time/expense required to update racks and sell off machines. I don't pretend there is no profit in 2". There is. But if it is your least profitable line, deleting that line of product warrants consideration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjvend Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 its past time for 1 inch caps or balls to be 50 cent, flat 75-$1.00 and 2 inch caps .75 to $1. Gumballs at 50cents too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havending Posted November 10, 2014 Author Share Posted November 10, 2014 its past time for 1 inch caps or balls to be 50 cent, flat 75-$1.00 and 2 inch caps .75 to $1. Gumballs at 50cents too. Flat at 75 and 1.00? Flat is way to trendy to do that. It will slow your units down too much. Gum at .50 is just gready. Un less you have a gormet gum ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick505 Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Flat at 75 and 1.00? Flat is way to trendy to do that. It will slow your units down too much. Gum at .50 is just gready. Un less you have a gormet gum ball. I have a very high traffic buffet that a have a rack and crane in and my lowest price point is .50 I am going to take an additional rack in there and have a head of gumballs at .50 as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havending Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 I have a very high traffic buffet that a have a rack and crane in and my lowest price point is .50 I am going to take an additional rack in there and have a head of gumballs at .50 as well.Nerds are ok at .50 but not a home run Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BouncyBalls Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 I love it when I open a 2" @ $1 and the coin tray has $100.00 worth of quarters in it!!! Gonna keep running 2" here, it is still successful in my neck of the woods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cmiller Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 PJVEND, I agree, but you can't force it down your customers' throats. You have to do it systematically. It's going to be a hard sell to them, especially gum ( and that may be the one machine that you keep at $.25 ). This isn't like food and gas, they don't really need it. It's just to appease their children. And who says they have to go out to give them a treat ? This year, I've had a lot of grandparents and parents call up to get single machines for their homes. So you still want to make it appealing to the adult and gradually bring the prices up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BouncyBalls Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 PJVEND, I agree, but you can't force it down your customers' throats. You have to do it systematically. It's going to be a hard sell to them, especially gum ( and that may be the one machine that you keep at $.25 ). This isn't like food and gas, they don't really need it. It's just to appease their children. And who says they have to go out to give them a treat ? This year, I've had a lot of grandparents and parents call up to get single machines for their homes. So you still want to make it appealing to the adult and gradually bring the prices up. I sometimes feel the suppliers are forcing prices down our throats. A box of 2" NFL buildables $70 some odd dollars?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makes Cents Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 I wonder how much of 2" slowdown over the past few years is due to the higher price points. At some point the higher vend prices and slower sales volume will tip things to the point its not enough profit - The 2" may be the first victim of that. I agree suppliers forcing prices, I also wonder about the toy manufacturers in China manipulating things. They're not stupid. If they can charge more make less, cut production and labor and have the same profit...They'll do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mainor5251 Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 i like the idea of buying product in bulk and capping myself to keep prices down on 2" over abandoning 2". My 2" cheap mix at .50 is my best seller. I not interested in raising prices on gumballs or flats. I tried flat at .75 with no success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cmiller Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 BouncyBalls, All of our buildable figures are at that price, but we aren't forcing it down your throat. We have 2" NFL product at $.75 and $.50. The prices of certain licensed items are higher because of the fees that we pay the licensees. However, we also balance that out with non-licensed items : Tongue Tuggers, Birthstone Bears, Punch Balloons and Flingshot Animals are in the top 6 toys at the $.50 level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 I sometimes feel the suppliers are forcing prices down our throats. A box of 2" NFL buildables $70 some odd dollars? BouncyBalls, All of our buildable figures are at that price, but we aren't forcing it down your throat. I thought BouncyBalls was joking. 2" at $70+ PER BOX!!??!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cmiller Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 No, not at all. They are a $1.00 vend, and sell extremely well. Right now NFL and Sponge Bob Buildable figures sell the best. We have 6 on the website now, with the Cartoon set being the newest, and the NHL set selling only out of the California warehouse. You can view past sets by logging on www.openbuildplay.com . But, hopefully, everyone knows that we also have 2" capsules toys as low as $22.00, and lower if you include the tattoos, and some of the toys on sale monthly. Last month, the Glamour Rings were on special at $20.00 and they sold out in batches of 3 boxes or less in about a 2 week period. Right now, the Glamour Rings, Hematite Jewelry, Karma Bands, Retrobots, Sea Animal Suction Cups and Stretchy Body Parts were all lowered to less than $30.00 per box of 250. And this is simply informing you, not shoving it down your throat. The one thing we offer is a lot of choices for vendors to pick and choose from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 They are a $1.00 vend, and sell extremely well. Right now NFL and Sponge Bob Buildable figures sell the best. We have 6 on the website now, with the Cartoon set being the newest, and the NHL set selling only out of the California warehouse. $75 for 2" = 30% COG at a $1 vend...before shipping Something to think about if paying commission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mainor5251 Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 $75 for 2" = 30% COG at a $1 vend...before shipping Something to think about if paying commission. pass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orsd Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 is that price for straight or watered down mix? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick505 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Straight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BouncyBalls Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 You can't give the 2" $22.00/box stuff away I promise you that. I firmly believe that a few suppliers are sucking all the money they can out of us. I mean 1" punch balloons @ $26.75/250??? Can't blame that on a license. BouncyBalls, All of our buildable figures are at that price, but we aren't forcing it down your throat. We have 2" NFL product at $.75 and $.50. The prices of certain licensed items are higher because of the fees that we pay the licensees. However, we also balance that out with non-licensed items : Tongue Tuggers, Birthstone Bears, Punch Balloons and Flingshot Animals are in the top 6 toys at the $.50 level. What you the "salesman" calls a .50 product and the actual vendor in the field trying to feed his family is two different things. If you can get those items to me for .10/unit shipping included then we will both agree and call it a .50 item. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 We have the CHOICE to not buy it. Yes $70 for 2" is high but the flip side of that coin is the popularity of anything NFL. If you sell NFL buildables at a much higher rate than your other 2" you're still netting more than if you didn't carry it. I can't blame a supplier for charging me as much as the market will bear, because we're turning right around and doing the same thing to our customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cmiller Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 You do have the choice, that's true. And, admittedly, we do have 'dogs' at times. Remember ' Cone Zone' ? The final price on that was down to $19.00, and the largest sale I had on that was a customer who actually wanted 'filler' for his crane. His ratio was 12 Cone Zone: 2 Marvel Capsule Buildable : 2-3 each of Tuff Stuff, NBA Fingerbands, MLB baseballs, Clear and Cool Rings, and Glow Mouth Guards. You have to realize, suppliers have no idea ( until you tell us ) what your $.50 item is, or what you pay in commision. I will say that the majority of my customers across the country who have a minimum of 10-100 mixed machines will buy the 1.1" Punch Balloons and sell them for that same amount. In your particular market, maybe you can't sell a $22.00 , 2" capsule toy for $.50, so you have the option of either making it $.25 vend or buying a more desirable / expensive product. Once again, it's your choice. But as an operator, isn't it up to you to see what will work in various demographic markets ? Birthstone Bears ( $37.00 ) has been on our top 5 list for over a year now. When it came out, there were a lot complaints from my customers about the price point versus attractiveness. Every single one of the people who complained, that took a chance on it have purchased it at least 3 times. Others , who jumped on the boat at a later date, regretted not taking that chance. Right now, there are 145 boxes on back order from the Maryland warehouse alone, and with the bulk product coming in on 11/24, that amount will grow by another 30%. Want another example ? DC Heroes String Dolls is a 2" capsule that sells for $85.00 per case of 250. We have back orders of 167 ( MD ) and 370 ( CA ). The majority of these are in lots of 1-10 boxes. That means that operators like you, Bouncy Balls are buying them. I personally, do not have any customers who make millions of dollars. Actually, 40% of my customers who have back orders for the dolls are comic book shop owners with no more than 2 machines in their stores. The rest are retirees or people who have a full time job. So, really, it's not too much for them, they see the value. But once again, it's your choice. I can not and will not make that decision for you. My job is merely to tell you what's new, what has sold well in what area, and what has not sold. Any of my customers will tell you that I very rarely 'push' products. I'll even send you samples of a product to have you look at it. ( much to the chagrin of my bosses ). My suggestion is to talk with your rep at whatever company you deal with and have a frank and honest discussion on what you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cmiller Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Something to also think about is, why not make up your own mix ? We have the buildables at $70.50, but we also currently have 5 other NFL products that you can use to 'water down ' said mix. In most major regions across the country with the exception of the bible belt, and maybe the southwest, NFL has been the hottest capsule product for 6 months of every year. Over the past 10 years, women and girls have been courted by the NFL and are now extreme fans. Guess who spends the most money in vending, moms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havending Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 No matter what company you buy from its all about your relationship with your sales person. ESP at AA because they are true account reps. Some on the other companies have order takers. My advice is find a sales person that you feel comfortable with and stay connected with them. Hell mine is on my FB. You can usually talk throught pricing and service issues. If you order regular most companies will work with you on pricing. My AA rep will tell me if I'm about to order a dog and will call or email me soon as a new item is out. Honestly he will go out of the way for me. As far as licensed products we never really did very well with them. Only ones that stick out as ok was the nick jr stuff from years back. So we really don't fool with it much just enough to stay competitive. We do very well with the better generic items. The highest licence stuff I have seen is at All Star 90.00 per 200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BouncyBalls Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 My Rep. is great, never said anything bad about my Rep. I am just replying to comment Chris made about a guy trying to sell a gb for .50 cents. Chris said that is shoving a price down customers throat. I just think that's a possum calling ant eater a long nose sob. By the way Flatline has 1" Punch balloons and Rocket balloons for less than $20 if anyone wants an alternative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiley Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I think a lot of you guys get too hung up with cost of goods. Would you rather $100 of an item with 35% COGS (including shipping and displays or $50 of an item with 25% COGS? At 35 % commission you make $30 on the first item and $20 on the cheaper item. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I think a lot of you guys get too hung up with cost of goods. Would you rather $100 of an item with 35% COGS (including shipping and displays or $50 of an item with 25% COGS? At 35 % commission you make $30 on the first item and $20 on the cheaper item. Are you serious smiley? Your scenario is hardly worth discussion. The first vendor spent TWICE as much yet didn't earn TWICE as much. Who would take that option? The first vendor in your example had $100. He should forget the 35% COG product and buy $100 worth of the 25% COG product. Then his $100 would return $40 rather than the $30 he'd be getting from the $100 spent on the higher COG item. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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