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6th and 7th locations, learning some things...


AMD Snacks

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Anyways....I'm gonna get some haters solojay...buts its OK.if you go in and REPRESENT. The charity that's fine. You bought the hat(goes to charity)you bought the shirt (goes to charity) charity is happy.charity SELLS you a sticker.(goes to charity)you now are renting their sticker/monthly or yearly.(money goes to charity)

Now charity DOES NOT supply your candy.(you pay for that)charity is getting a free ride.If your customer wants to see receipts and expense reports concerning the charity you say sure. First let me see your books first!(bet you they won't!)

If they have in depth questions about the charities expenses. Tell them to call the phone number on the sticker. If you have to fight with this tight@## about a fricken quarter...pick the machine up and go find somebody else. It's not worth your time.

You don't have to stand there and tell someone your life's story. This is (hopefully)a cause you believe in. It is not your sole purpose in life. If your new customer does not understand this then he don't want you anyways. And he had too much time on his hands.

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Sorry not trying to rant too much,but I actually had a pizza joint thought they were the crap and wanted the ENTIRE amount of money to go to the charity .I called the charity up and told her the debacle I had just went through,and she even agreed that that was ridiculous.you have to make a living. There are too many businesses out there that will be more than happy to let you put your machine in. Once it is in..no one patronizes where your money goes. It's about the candy!its about the toys!

So run your business.

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Thanks Hillbilly and Jerry, I'm so new, and my locations so questionable that $1.50 might end up being 50% my profit at first lol. I figure they set their price, so they must think it's a good price to charge for the stickers too.

 

Thanks for all the input, I dove into this business head first without much planning just because it sounded like such a great idea and something I could see myself enjoying. So i'm always checking and comparing to make sure not to make too many rookie mistakes. Thanks for all the support it helps relieve some worries  ^_^

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As somebody that's new to this and as of right now is 100% charity machines, let me ask you guys this: 
 

Do you have any success in locating singles and doubles by offering commission?   I'm not really sure if I owned a store if I could really get excited about being offered even 30% on just a couple of machines that may do $20-$30 a month on a good month.   Personally I would be a lot more likely to allow placement of charity machines in locations such as this.

Now if I had a business that could support a rack... that's a different story.

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Commission singles and doubles is a business model that doesn't work, there just isn't enough money there. You will have the approximately the same level of success with a pitch that isn't charity or commission, just telling the decision maker its a convenience for customers and employees, also the sugar helps employees.

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Commission singles and doubles is a business model that doesn't work, there just isn't enough money there. You will have the approximately the same level of success with a pitch that isn't charity or commission, just telling the decision maker its a convenience for customers and employees, also the sugar helps employees.

 

 

That's exactly what I figured.   So with that being said, charity machines are the only way for those of us that want to start out small can start out small. 

 

Plus I can't speak for everybody, but I really like the charity I'm partnered with. 

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I think he's saying no commission, but if you don't want to use a charity you can still place it for free and perhaps explain that it will benefit the employees by being convenient and provide a nice sugar boost... but I agree helping a charity you like seems like a win -win

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

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My 30 location operation, several years old now, is 100% commission doubles, with a few flat machines mixed in, so it certainly can work! I do very little candy (only places that sell a TON and places where toys don't sell) and space out my service cycles so there's always enough money so the location feels like they're getting something. I pay taxes and fees (e.g. $500 annual LLC fee in MA!) and still make money. It may or may not be the best model, but it can work.

Also, the reason I won't do charity is NOT because I think it's scamming the location, but rather I think it's misleading (although technically accurate) to the customer with the quarter since the "portion" is so small. Same reason I dont give checks to charitys that spend 70% on administrative costs. But that's a personal decision - I don't fault or bash anyone for choosing differently.

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My 30 location operation, several years old now, is 100% commission doubles, with a few flat machines mixed in, so it certainly can work! I do very little candy (only places that sell a TON and places where toys don't sell) and space out my service cycles so there's always enough money so the location feels like they're getting something. I pay taxes and fees (e.g. $500 annual LLC fee in MA!) and still make money. It may or may not be the best model, but it can work.

Also, the reason I won't do charity is NOT because I think it's scamming the location, but rather I think it's misleading (although technically accurate) to the customer with the quarter since the "portion" is so small. Same reason I dont give checks to charitys that spend 70% on administrative costs. But that's a personal decision - I don't fault or bash anyone for choosing differently.

 

 

I have to wonder how many people really make their bubblegum purchase decision based on whether or not the machine or its operator are affiliated with a charity.    Thinking back to when I was a kid, I certainly don't remember thinking to myself "This is a good cause, so I'll buy me a piece of gum."     I've always looked at the charity angle as a method to get into small locations rather than a method to increase sales. 

Also, I've had pulls that have been < $4, so that $1 I gave the charity for that machine is a pretty substantial portion of that month's proceeds. 

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I have to wonder how many people really make their bubblegum purchase decision based on whether or not the machine or its operator are affiliated with a charity.    Thinking back to when I was a kid, I certainly don't remember thinking to myself "This is a good cause, so I'll buy me a piece of gum."     I've always looked at the charity angle as a method to get into small locations rather than a method to increase sales. 

Also, I've had pulls that have been < $4, so that $1 I gave the charity for that machine is a pretty substantial portion of that month's proceeds. 

And if the machine does more than 30 dollars, 1 dollar is a big scam. 

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And if the machine does more than 30 dollars, 1 dollar is a big scam. 

I'll take a minute to feel guilty about that when I have that "problem" and maybe even slide the charity a little extra if that will appease the "Charity Machines are Scams" gods. 

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My 30 location operation, several years old now, is 100% commission doubles, with a few flat machines mixed in, so it certainly can work! I do very little candy (only places that sell a TON and places where toys don't sell) and space out my service cycles so there's always enough money so the location feels like they're getting something. I pay taxes and fees (e.g. $500 annual LLC fee in MA!) and still make money. It may or may not be the best model, but it can work.

It can work because everybody has different minimum standards. If there is enough money flowing to make a double commission location work there probably is more money there with a 4 way high/ low rack which takes up the same space. A narrow 5way rack is just a few inches wider and will do even better if the traffic is there.

All of us as bulk vendors should be constantly evaluating/reevaluating our equipment on location and maximizing revenue from every location by equipment and product choices. Sometimes you upgrade equipment and everybody makes more money, sometimes you upgrade equipment and the money is the same making your ROI worse so you downgrade back to what you had, then you might try it again 2 years later and it works this time.

I've found in this business you have to constantly keep trying different things to find what works, because what works changes.

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My 30 location operation, several years old now, is 100% commission doubles, with a few flat machines mixed in, so it certainly can work! I do very little candy (only places that sell a TON and places where toys don't sell) and space out my service cycles so there's always enough money so the location feels like they're getting something. I pay taxes and fees (e.g. $500 annual LLC fee in MA!) and still make money. It may or may not be the best model, but it can work.

Also, the reason I won't do charity is NOT because I think it's scamming the location, but rather I think it's misleading (although technically accurate) to the customer with the quarter since the "portion" is so small. Same reason I dont give checks to charitys that spend 70% on administrative costs. But that's a personal decision - I don't fault or bash anyone for choosing differently.

 

Off topic a little, but couldn't you file in Delaware and pay the foreign fee and be cheaper for your LLC?  

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I'll take a minute to feel guilty about that when I have that "problem" and maybe even slide the charity a little extra if that will appease the "Charity Machines are Scams" gods.

Lol good for you! Somebody gets it! Owner at one of my stops didn't feel charitable when as he was telling me the mike and ikes were stuck. I had the top off(vendstars),and he proceeded to reach his hand in the mike and ikes and grab a hand full,then sampled the peanut m&ms...walked off as he was saying "thanks". Hey he's the boss. I kept quiet,and did my job.
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I think he's saying no commission, but if you don't want to use a charity you can still place it for free and perhaps explain that it will benefit the employees by being convenient and provide a nice sugar boost... but I agree helping a charity you like seems like a win -win

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

Yeah, unless the owner and some of the employees are off in the country,too busy to take much of a break or lunch..or just junk food junkies. The excuse of the motivational sugar rush don't mean a thing....but its slightly possible!
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As somebody that's new to this and as of right now is 100% charity machines, let me ask you guys this: 

 

Do you have any success in locating singles and doubles by offering commission?   I'm not really sure if I owned a store if I could really get excited about being offered even 30% on just a couple of machines that may do $20-$30 a month on a good month.   Personally I would be a lot more likely to allow placement of charity machines in locations such as this.

Now if I had a business that could support a rack... that's a different story.

 

There are some singles that you can pull a commission on. They tend to look like this though:

60bde6b680b9ea47b91d5f2c961a8d21.png

Basically a rack on a micro scale for the spots that just don't have the space for a 4/5 way setup. I've had quite a bit of success with these sort of setups, though getting the bases that will work with them is almost too much hassle these days. Whatever you do, good luck!

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Don't forget "Double Tap" Performa haha.

 

We shall survive the Zombie Apocalypse BaneTrain. B)

 

29947-zombieland-bang.gif

 

I was kinda skeptical about it when I got that mix at first, but the guys at Flatline were right, Zombie Hunter was a great product. Really shows how old that photo is though- I think I've got a sticky mix in that machine now.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'll pay around $600 this year to the two charities that I promote with my machines. the sticker is on the side of the machine. I don't think anyone is seeing the sticker and buying candy to help the charity. they are buying candy because they want candy.

I make some money and the charities make some money. Does anyone think that evreryone that works for a charitable organization works for free? I guess all the doctors and surgeons at not for profit hospitals have taken a vow of poverty and work free?? Hell no they don't. Even priests get paid a salary.

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