Advice about massage chair vending

[Retiredguy]

Check Grainger or McMaster Carr.

 

Good sites, thanks orsd. They didn't have exactly what I wanted, but lots of other stuff. A good resource though.

[Ginou]

Retiredguy... I want to start by purchasing 2 chairs however I am reluctant as I am new to the business and to any business for that matter. Was thinking to approach a particular laundry facility where I drop off my laundry weekly. How do you suggest I make the proposal?  P.S. I am an African American women and i believe the owner is an Asian man. Not that it should matter but it may. Any suggestions and tips?

[Retiredguy]

Hey Ginou,

I liked your post because I like the fact you are attempting to make make life better for yourself. Well Done!

As to your question, we have a variety of location owners from diverse backgrounds. Every one of them want to make $. Make your pitch, honest, sincere and polite. We offer 40 to 50%, dependent upon the quality of the location. I often say that we'll start at 40%, and if at the end of 3 months, the location generates your minimum (we like to hit at least $50 per month our end) then we'll increase the split.

Let them know you will call ahead when you come to empty the chair and you will ask them to count it with you. They like control and this shows you're transparent and likely honest. 

Stress that you take all the responsibility for repairs and the location's responsibility is to keep the chair clean and call you when anything happens (breaks/acceptors jammed, etc.) as soon as possible. When the chair is not working, no one makes $.

For Example,

Hello, this is a really nice facility, would you happen to be the owner? 

Have a sheet with a picture of the machine you want to place. Describe the type of massage it gives and how much people like  it  or how you like it. 

A laundry was our first location. It was self serve. We found that as long as the location was supervised the chair did ok. Unsupervised sucked bad. Chairs were damaged, unplugged and vandalized. We only go for supervised areas now.

Anywhere people wait will work. Children's play centers are good because the parent can sit and watch.

Anyways, good luck. Do your research and choose a chair that fits your requirements. Some can be quite heavy and not so easy to manover through doorways. 

Also remember that you will be fixing these things when they break, so hopefully you've got some mechanical abilities or access to someone who can help.

Good Luck, and if you need any more information or advice, feel free.

Retired Guy

 

[benji]

Hey All, 

I really appreciate all of the advise in this thread.  have recently had an opportunity to buy some chairs at a relatively reduced price and was wondering if you would be willing to answer a couple of questions? First, if I bought a chair that did not have built in vending is there a way that you have heard of to retrofit a bill acceptor/timer. More specifically the Kahuna SL-track Spirit? Second, (and probably more important) Would you recommend this business to myself (someone who is younger and just looking to try to get into business)?

 

Thanks for your time

Ben 

[mhttco]

I have been looking for a way to plug my massage chairs into a coin box or a timer system, without it turning off in the middle and getting the customer stuck in it. 

So I made my own for the infinity massage chair brand. I could make 1 or 10, or 50. since i needed 10 and wanted a few spares, I now have 30 left if anyone is doing the same as me.

Let me know and I can share it with you.

[Retiredguy]

Anyone using Quick Pass? Some of our locations want a credit card option for payment. Is there another option?

Thanks

[VendingFanatic]

http://www.thebackmassager.com/new-chair.html

 

Thoughts on the price of these massage vending chairs??

[Retiredguy]

Yup, that's the price for those chairs. We bought two of these when we started out, though not from this guy. Similar price. They're still going.

[Wannabe]

Hello just a general question about preference for chairs, what are the most recommended? Titan and backrubbers have been mentioned. Or maybe i should just ask are there any lemons in anyones experience that should be avoided.

[Retiredguy]

We use both. Different locations require different chairs. We've found back rubbers more dependable. The Titans are more of an upscale chair, so we use them in locations were we figure more adults will use them. They go down mostly because of acceptor issues, jammed, broken and vandalised. The BR's have a more protected acceptor, but it's much more expensive. 

We've also discovered the Titan's support is spotty and the upholstery wears rather quickly. 

We're in the process of looking for a better overall chair.

You can also use any massage chair if you hook it into a coin/timer box. We don't like the look though and don't want to add another item to our "be able to repair" list.

Good Luck, eh.

Edited November 27, 2018 by Retiredguy
grammar

[Retiredguy]

Well the spectre of Credit Cards has returned. There is a company who is trying to entice our customers away (sometimes successfully) with the same chair with a credit card pay system. They say the revenue will dramatically increase and bla, bla, bla. They force the location to sign a contract for three years and offer the same split as us. 

They have also been successful in getting into some of the bigger venues that we've not been able to. I don't know if it's because of the credit cards, or the young, aggressive good-looking representative they've got working for them.

Does anyone have any experience with credit card revenue verses the coin operated? To retrofit our chairs the bill will be anywhere from $600 to $900 and then an ongoing $15 per month per chair for a telco so the cc system will work. Not to mention the % we'll be charged for the banking.

Ordering new chairs already outfitted  with the cc application is also an option, but that'd mean us ordering a different chair and having to develop a whole new set of service/repair skills and most importantly investing a boat load of cash.

Any thoughts on this subject will be appreciated.

Thanks,

A Retiredguy

[Retiredguy]

Happy New Year everyone.   

Two of our chairs were  vandalised and broken into. The $ arms were hacked to get the $ out. Anyone out there use the RT-M01 chairs and know how to do that?

https://www.titanchair.com/products/massage-chairs/titan/rt-m01/199,1

The company in China that we bought from is no help, other than providing the part.

Thanks.

[wayne]

On 2/20/2019 at 8:46 AM, Retiredguy said:

Well the spectre of Credit Cards has returned. There is a company who is trying to entice our customers away (sometimes successfully) with the same chair with a credit card pay system. They say the revenue will dramatically increase and bla, bla, bla. They force the location to sign a contract for three years and offer the same split as us. 

They have also been successful in getting into some of the bigger venues that we've not been able to. I don't know if it's because of the credit cards, or the young, aggressive good-looking representative they've got working for them.

Does anyone have any experience with credit card revenue verses the coin operated? To retrofit our chairs the bill will be anywhere from $600 to $900 and then an ongoing $15 per month per chair for a telco so the cc system will work. Not to mention the % we'll be charged for the banking.

Ordering new chairs already outfitted  with the cc application is also an option, but that'd mean us ordering a different chair and having to develop a whole new set of service/repair skills and most importantly investing a boat load of cash.

Any thoughts on this subject will be appreciated.

Thanks,

A Retiredguy

 

[wayne]

We gave mostly used the Infinity Chair,(same as Titan)

most locations with CC on the chair does increase income. Except for Coin Laundry’s.

We also have many locations with CC only that actually increases the income, because the price starts at $3.00 the $5. Etc.

  We use only Eport also called Cantaloupe. Would not change for any other.

is there any chairs on location for sale in central or N.Indiana?

we have 30 chairs on location in N. Illinois that we would sell.

  

[Ewoods]

Does anybody Where can I get a replacement key for the rubber back massage chair?