WafflePieCake Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I'm very new to the vending business and looking to start up. I found this on Craigslist and he is willing to sell me 3 for $200: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/bfs/5118962503.html I wanted to run it by you honest people and make sure I'm not getting ripped off. He says I'm getting a great deal but I'm not sure since I'm so new. He says the brand is Zenjet 104 but I can't really find any info on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMD Snacks Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 I am also interested in this machine, and like you can't find any info any update? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BouncyBalls Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Craigslist post expired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClarkMI Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Quick search shows Zenjet are Chinese import, which are poorly spoken of in general here. What kind of machines are they (single heads, triples, amusements...)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WafflePieCake Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 They are triples. They look exactly like the 1800s. I'll upload a picture when I get the chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WafflePieCake Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 Here it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMD Snacks Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 Yep I think we're trying to buy from the same person on craigslist. I also went to their website and asked them for some info, i've yet to hear back from them, it's been about a week now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodney69 Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 Holds way to much product Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerformaVending Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 Aha, an LYPC triple clone. Not an exact 1800 clone, but close. I can't vouch for the thing to be honest. 1800's were nice because all of it's "vital" parts (mechs, wheels, locks, etc.) were all of pretty good quality compared to it's contemporaries. My biggest concern with something like this would be the mech quality. In the event the wheels inside aren't compatible with Northwestern mechs, you will have no real recourse should the mechs fail- nor can you upgrade them if you need to put the unit in a rougher spot, or sell higher-end products. I for one wouldn't touch the things, as imports have about a 10-to-1 ratio of horror stories to modest successes. That, and at some point every machine is going to need parts of some sort- if this Biz-Op goes under, you are sunk. If you're just getting started, you might be okay to learn the ropes on them, but keep in mind that triples are going to limit your options to grow your business in the future. Whatever you do, good luck! (...and thanks for the photo!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WafflePieCake Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 Aha, an LYPC triple clone. Not an exact 1800 clone, but close. I can't vouch for the thing to be honest. 1800's were nice because all of it's "vital" parts (mechs, wheels, locks, etc.) were all of pretty good quality compared to it's contemporaries. My biggest concern with something like this would be the mech quality. In the event the wheels inside aren't compatible with Northwestern mechs, you will have no real recourse should the mechs fail- nor can you upgrade them if you need to put the unit in a rougher spot, or sell higher-end products. I for one wouldn't touch the things, as imports have about a 10-to-1 ratio of horror stories to modest successes. That, and at some point every machine is going to need parts of some sort- if this Biz-Op goes under, you are sunk. If you're just getting started, you might be okay to learn the ropes on them, but keep in mind that triples are going to limit your options to grow your business in the future. Whatever you do, good luck! (...and thanks for the photo!) Yeah, I have three of them and am just getting started. To grow, would you suggest doubles? Also if you don't mind, would you explain why it would limit my options in the future? I'm very new at this and any information would be very helpful. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerformaVending Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Yeah, I have three of them and am just getting started. To grow, would you suggest doubles? Also if you don't mind, would you explain why it would limit my options in the future? I'm very new at this and any information would be very helpful. Thank you! Certainly! The problem with triples is that, despite the perceived "size" of them, they are not a flexible machine at all. There are a lot of locations out there that don't need that many selections, but you can't shrink down a triple to a single. Likewise, as you expand your business, you can't really put triples on racks, nor can you put triples into "bigger" locations. Triples are really best relegated to smaller restaurants and corporate break-rooms, and eventually you will get to the point of diminishing returns for those sort of accounts. Candy triples are only profitable to a point- at which point the maintenance, cost of goods, and travel to their locations outweighs the profits earned, or, in my case, you're working way harder for less money than you can with other machines. On the flip-side, if you buy a handful of used Oak Vistas or NW 60's, you can do a number of things with them. For small locations, you can run single gumball machines. If you need more options, snap a double plate on, and you have two options. Need a triple, you can get a triple plate. Then, when you get racks, or a location that warrants more options, break down the doubles/singles and rack them up for the high traffic accounts. Then you can reuse the pipe stands as you add more machines. The machines are inherently flexible in their role, have 50 cent mechs, and can vend pretty much every small product under the sun reliably, with great support for parts and service across the US and Canada. Plus, in the future when you look to sell your business, an Oak Vista or NW 60 is going to be worth roughly the same you bought it for if it's not any more beat up- but a plastic triple will be worth far, far less. There is a guy around ere that purchased a "biz-op" triple route that has been spamming Craigslist for about a month. He wants just shy of $5000 for 30 1800 machines placed around two towns- his reason for selling? Hard to get parts, long drive times, longer servicing times, just not worth it. He said the route grosses just over $200 a month, which I'd guess is high. The kicker- he's selling the route for about half of what he paid for it. Don't be that guy. Invest your money in quality machines that work for YOU, not the other way around. You will be far happier (and wealthier) down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMD Snacks Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Everything you say makes all sorts of sense performa. I am getting all my information about the business from the book I read HOW TO START A VENDING BUSINESS by ANTOINE CAMERON Not sure he ever made that point. Sounds like he makes his money all on vendesign 4 head carousels. So all this leads me to my next question for you, how big are you talking about going to merit the nw60's/racks etc? more than 200 machines? more than 500? If a person like myself (just starting out) has a goal of $3,000 a month on roughly 150-200 machines, would you suggest racks and single nw60's or just stick with the triple heads, since i've already got about 30 of them, only 5 placed and counting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodney69 Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Yeah, I have three of them and am just getting started. To grow, would you suggest doubles? Also if you don't mind, would you explain why it would limit my options in the future? I'm very new at this and any information would be very helpful. Thank you! Here's an example: I bought into the Uturn 8 selection hype 13 years ago. A year ago I cut them all down to 4 selections except 4. They made the same if not more money! I am now taking all Uturns out of my restaurant locations and putting doubles and racks. So far everything that I switched to a double still made the same or with in 7% of the gross. Profit went way up, changed to .50 mechs on toys and my bottom line is much more. Can you put in .50 mechs in the triples easily? I waited to long to switch out. All of my left over machines are being sold and selling them off the route as I buy Oak's and NW if I can get them cheap enough. There is a reason people go with the higher quality. You of coarse can use what you have, fill the heads half way and MAYBE make your money back or even more, but long run it doesn't look as good for expansion. Most bulk will be at .50 no more than 10 years tops, probably less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerformaVending Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Everything you say makes all sorts of sense performa. I am getting all my information about the business from the book I read HOW TO START A VENDING BUSINESS by ANTOINE CAMERON Not sure he ever made that point. Sounds like he makes his money all on vendesign 4 head carousels. So all this leads me to my next question for you, how big are you talking about going to merit the nw60's/racks etc? more than 200 machines? more than 500? If a person like myself (just starting out) has a goal of $3,000 a month on roughly 150-200 machines, would you suggest racks and single nw60's or just stick with the triple heads, since i've already got about 30 of them, only 5 placed and counting? How big you are when you go into racks is entirely up to you. A lot of people have this conception that they can't run racks unless they're a "big" operation, which is entirely untrue. I got my first rack when I only had 20 or so machines running- scored a 5-way on eBay for a couple hundred bucks- the thread about it's still around here somewhere I'm sure. Getting into racks is far easier than you might think. It's a little different for everyone- some people prefer the slow-build, while others will go from singles to racks in their first week. Make your route as you want to make it- that's one of the freedoms you've got in this business. If you are looking to make thousands a month, you are going to need an incredible number of triples to make it work- and you'll be working like crazy to make that work, and for most guys the volume of work you'd need to put in to get that sort of return isn't worth it, considering you could make that same volume of money for far fewer, more concentrated machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMD Snacks Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 How big you are when you go into racks is entirely up to you. A lot of people have this conception that they can't run racks unless they're a "big" operation, which is entirely untrue. I got my first rack when I only had 20 or so machines running- scored a 5-way on eBay for a couple hundred bucks- the thread about it's still around here somewhere I'm sure. Getting into racks is far easier than you might think. It's a little different for everyone- some people prefer the slow-build, while others will go from singles to racks in their first week. Make your route as you want to make it- that's one of the freedoms you've got in this business. If you are looking to make thousands a month, you are going to need an incredible number of triples to make it work- and you'll be working like crazy to make that work, and for most guys the volume of work you'd need to put in to get that sort of return isn't worth it, considering you could make that same volume of money for far fewer, more concentrated machines.Ok gotcha, and sorry that we're now probably getting off topic but around how many, oh let's say 5 head rack systems would you roughly estimate for 3k/month profit..feel free to generalize I'm not looking for concrete numbersSent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WafflePieCake Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 Thank you all for your input. I think I'll try to stick to single head and Gumballs as much as I can in the future, that way I only have to worry about buying one product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musser Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 5 way, anywhere from $50 to $100 a month, closer to $50 for a beginner due to not having the skill to push established operators out of the better locations. But unless you are in an urban area locations for racks will be a challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerformaVending Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Yeah, the going average for my racks is right around $70 for a 5-way. I need to weed out some under-performers, but that'll have to wait a spell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMD Snacks Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Ok so sounds like my goal will be to get a rack eventually, seems like a whole different animal to locate vs a triple. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodney69 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Ok so sounds like my goal will be to get a rack eventually, seems like a whole different animal to locate vs a triple. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk Yes they are, but not in a bad way. Just different. Approach is different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerformaVending Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Yes they are, but not in a bad way. Just different. Approach is different. Exactly that. You're going for a different kind of location with racks, so you have to approach them on their "level", so to speak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OU8SUMCANDY Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Here's an example: I bought into the Uturn 8 selection hype 13 years ago. A year ago I cut them all down to 4 selections except 4. They made the same if not more money! I am now taking all Uturns out of my restaurant locations and putting doubles and racks. So far everything that I switched to a double still made the same or with in 7% of the gross. Profit went way up, changed to .50 mechs on toys and my bottom line is much more. Can you put in .50 mechs in the triples easily? I waited to long to switch out. All of my left over machines are being sold and selling them off the route as I buy Oak's and NW if I can get them cheap enough. There is a reason people go with the higher quality. You of coarse can use what you have, fill the heads half way and MAYBE make your money back or even more, but long run it doesn't look as good for expansion. Most bulk will be at .50 no more than 10 years tops, probably less. I've got a bunch of 8 selection U-Turns as well. Did you just buy the parts needed to make them 4's off the internet? I've been thinking of doing the same to some of mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodney69 Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 No, I used a saw and cut it down myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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