gumball guy

I would check your limit switch and it's connections. It sounds like something is causing that switch to close prematurely and making the claw think that it is over the prize chute. Sometimes things can make contact with the switch when it moves at certain angles creating intermittent problems. A loose connection or a broken wire can do the same. It could also be a board issue, dip setting issue or a power supply issue but I would look at the switch first.

That is a great bulk set up for that spot. In my opinion, going head to head, cranes will regularly out gross bulk racks just because they take bills, the game play is more exciting and the chance of winning a big prize is often too hard to pass up. Since you have operated cranes in the past, you know it is a completely different animal than bulk vending. Cranes can make great money but require a lot more attention and capital to operate. Generally, if you are going to delve into that business, it's not a bad idea buy several of them and put together a small route. That way you can buy more mixes and rotate items from location to location. If I were going to add one there, I would swap out the sticker machine for the mini crane (if it will fit) and leave the rack. You would also need to bolt it to the wall or floor. I guess my ultimate advice would be to ask yourself where you want to be in vending 5 years from now. Is this something you really want to expand on or is it just a side gig for the foreseeable future? Bulk vending is a lot less demanding than a claw machine route but claw machines have a better future than bulk. If it is a just going to be a side gig, I would stick with bulk for the time being.

Sorry but my response is going to sound like the rantings of an old geezer who just poo poos any new technology. Honestly, I am always interested in new things and have looked at them but I have never tried one primarily because they just have never seemed practical in bulk vending. Overpriced mediocre single head machine, processing fees, the need for a power source, connectivity issues, coin/bill jams, machine theft and vandalism are just some of the concerns when considering going down this path. I don't see any viable avenue for this machine vending 1 inch products at a 50 cent max per item. The machine can be converted to vend 2 inch capsules which may get sales in the right location, but overall you are spending a lot of money on a machine that vends random cheapo toys unlike a snack or pop machine where you can pick exactly what you want. The fees, location commissions and rising product costs are a real issue because you can only go so high on what you can charge for any bulk product ($1 to $2) or it just won't sell. Add to that gas, insurance, taxes, etc... and that makes for a slow ROI. If someone was going to try this, I think the machine would have to be put into a safe, A+ location with a ton of foot traffic. Sadly, I don't think that any cashless option available today will stop the eventual demise of bulk vending.

I have tried the ZED gum on a very limited basis but I am not getting a great response in terms of sales. I may expand on it a bit.

Yes it does affect the sales, especially after the gumballs start getting hard. The current version of Dubble Bubble is fine out of the box (in regards to being easy to chew) but it doesn't take long for the shell harden up. Dubble Bubble's shell has always been harder than Ford's gumball. Before the color change, Dubble Bubble looked better than the Ford because of that shiny finish and the great colors. Ford always had a dull finish but once people tried them they seemed to always outsell the Dubble Bubble.

Those gumballs do indeed look terrible and get hard as a rock when they get some age on them. I sure miss Ford gumballs.

That looks like a lid from a 1-800 Triple. They generally use keys that look like this: Unfortunately there are a lot of different key codes so finding one that works on that particular lock would be costly if not impossible. Those locks also have a tendency to seize up so even if you found the right key it may not work. Best bet is to drill the top and back lock, then buy replacement replacement locks/keys.

I didn't see this mentioned so I thought I would mention it. Being under 18 years of age may create a lot of obstacles to start a vending business. Most states don't allow minors to enter into contracts. Creating a LLC or incorporating, obtaining liability insurance and even securing locations could be a challenge (or impossible) as a minor. I know your benefactor wants you to "start" the business but he will undoubtedly need to take an active role in it's creation. Another question is what do you get out of it if it's not your business? That's a lot of hard work so what's in it for you in the long run? Additionally, since you are a minor, your parents could possibly be held liable if anything goes awry so as AZ said, be up front with them. I'll be honest, I'm a little concerned that an adult would approach a minor with an endeavor such as this without consulting your parents in advance.

Visually it looks to be the same type of lock but I would buy a set and test them out before buying a bunch of them. Sadly the price of these particular barrel locks are pretty salty even on Ebay used. The locks you found there may be the best price around.

It is a 1-800 Triple. They haven't been in business for maybe a decade? LYPC made a replica of it in the last few years called the Triple Pod. Not sure if they still are making them or not. They used locks and keys like these: https://www.gumballs.com/gumball-classic-machine-lock-key.html

In case you haven't found it yet, it appears to be an old Tom's snack machine from maybe the 50s?

What did you do with the machines you pulled? Are you selling them or junking them? I'm not interested in buying anything, I'm just curious. My days are numbered as well but I have a large route so it will take some time to liquidate.

I tried them several years ago with mediocre results. I used Lotsa Sours (from the now defunct Sweetworks Inc) for years and it has been one of my best sellers. Now that I can't get them, I have started running the Tootsie Tarts again. I mix them with existing Lotsa Sour inventory on the road. I also mix Pucker Ups from Concord in with the Tootsie Tarts because they have brighter colors (Tootsie Tarts coloring is kind of dull) and it seem to help sales. I really think Tootsie Tarts maybe good substitute for Sprees in many locations but probably won't sell as well as they did. Pucker Ups on their own could be an option as well.

I try to keep it under a half an ounce especially with M&Ms. M&Ms: 15 = 1/2 an ounce Peanut M&M 5-6 = 1/2 an ounce Mike & Ike 7-8 = 1/2 an ounce Hot Tamale 7-8 = 1/2 an ounce Skittles 14 = 1/2 an ounce

I've never heard of them before either. They look like chinese made machines contracted and branded through Vevor, an online discount tool supplier. Home Depot, Lowes and Bed, Bath & Beyond also sell them. Just more overpriced, low quality machines. https://www.vevor.com/s/vending

Have you reached out directly to Vevor?

Going forward it is always a good idea to include pictures of the machine in question. Personally, I don't remember running across any machines like this but hopefully someone on here has and will reply. Mainstream contemporary flat vending machines accommodate the 3" x 4.5" sleeves/card holders. The machine you have sounds like it is designed to vend the card only, which undoubtedly will end with a jam and makes it impossible to vend stickers and tats. I used Allstar, Sticker Mania, Sticker Universe and Steiner back in the day and they all used the cardboard sleeves. You can always reach out to the source you are buying from to confirm the column dimensions prior to purchase just to make sure.

Exactly what brand of machine are you buying, from where and for what price? I'm not sure who you are talking to in the bulk vending industry but if they are advising you to buy 30 brand new peppermint patty machines you may want to look for a second opinion. It almost sounds like you are being pulled into a bizop scheme. Maybe something like this: https://www.luckymintroutes.com/

The different hue has not seemed to affect sales. I am still buying from Sam's Club and the only color that really seems consistently different now is the white (has a yellowish tint). I have yet to get any that looked as bad as the pictures you posted in August though. Also, the lettering on the stock I have bought from Sam's is the traditional white on every gumball unlike the blue lettering in your pictures. Have you bought any more since then and have you seen a change in sales because of the appearance of the last batch?

Mike, just for reference this is a Tomy Gatcha bulk vending machine.

Personally I would try Craigslist and eBay. Over the years I have sold a lot of machines (including some Tomy Gacha machines) on Craigslist with no issues. eBay would work well with the coin mechs because those are easy to ship and a lot of operators go there looking for parts. When I sell things on Craigslist I place the ad in different cities around mine in approximately a 150 mile radius. Other options like Facebook Marketplace, Offer Up and Nextdoor are other great free options as well.

If the board is ok then I would suggest swapping out the power supply with one you know that works. A failing power supply can cause the board to malfunction thus this could be why you are getting a ram error. If that isn't it then you need to start checking wires, connections and switches.

If the coil and power supply are fine maybe that board corrosion is coming into play? Not sure if you checked the coil when you switched the boards out to see if it was still getting warm. Again, trial and error.

Glad you found it. Those zip ties are a common breaking point on these wire harnesses. Thanks for letting us know what the culprit was.

There are several things that could be causing these issues. They could be related or they could be independent of each other. I would suggest swapping out the power supply with one you know works. A failing power supply could lead to both of these problems so I would try that first and see if it resolves. The coil should not be energized when the game is sitting idle so that is another reason I am suspicious of the power supply. If the power supply is not the issue then it could be broken wire causing the claw operation to fail intermittently when the wiring harness gets stretched out toward the back of the machine. The problem would be specifically in the wires that go to that upward limit switch that stops the claw when it reaches the top and begins it's trip to the chute. A continuity test on those wires, as you manually move the crane head into the problem area, should tell you if it's a broken wire. The real head scratcher is the hot coil. Coils can get hot after multiple plays but if the machine is sitting idle for 20 minutes and the coil is still hot then there is a problem. I would definitely try another coil just to make sure that the original one isn't faulty and getting ultra hot during play. The thing that doesn't make sense is if the coil is getting constant voltage (and it shouldn't be) then it would try to close. I guess it could be getting just enough voltage to warm it up and not close but again that's indicative of a probable power supply issue or board malfunction. Unfortunately it is usually trial and error when it comes to diagnosing some of these issues.