BradMillner46 Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 Hello everyone. I'm new to this forum and not into the vending business (yet) but I've wanted to try vending for a long time, particularly with honor boxes. The only thing is is that I'm a very shy person and going out and locating boxes would seem very scary to me. I wanted to ask, is it profitable to hire locators instead instead of doing it yourself? I don't know if I could ever do that myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfleet32 Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 I have located my own machines for the past 20 years but have recently started using Rodney69 from this site as has many others on here. I have been very happy with his service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMillner46 Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share Posted December 19, 2015 Thank you Red Fleet. Did you find locating to be too overwhelming and that's why you started hiring locators? From the looks of this forum, it looks like most people on here are shy like me and that's why they hire locators. It makes sense to hire someone else when you know they can do a better job than you and are much better skilled at doing that job than you are. Going out and talking to so many people just seems way too overwhelming to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMillner46 Posted December 20, 2015 Author Share Posted December 20, 2015 How about the rest of you on this forum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodney69 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 That's one of the reasons. Others are they're too busy with other priorities. Plus, if you can make more money doing something else than it costs to hire someone, then it's also better. It's about what it's worth to you. I have several customers that aren't shy at all and have a considerably large business, yet still have us find locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMillner46 Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 Hey Rodney, what is the largest charity vending route you've ever seen before? How many boxes did they have out there and what charity organization were they going through? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lake Cities Vending Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Are you looking at snack boxes or mint boxes? I do mint boxes and I use a couple of locators. I don't have a lot of time and they have more experience getting good locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMillner46 Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 I'm leaning more towards the charity (mint) honor boxes and I'm just trying to gain as much information as I can about this. I don't think I could ever do vending locating because it would be to intimidating for me to go door to door (I'm a much more introverted person.) I would like to know if anyone can tell me what some of the largest (charity) honor box vending routes are that they've ever seen (or heard of) before because it would be my ambition to do this full time and be successful with it. I take it that Rodney (above) is the locator all of you on this forum are talking about and I do hope he can get back with me and answer the question I have above for him. If you all speak so I highly about him then I may decide to hire him. I just need more information about this business first because I don't believe in ever diving head first into anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodney69 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 I think most use Sheridan for the charity. Some use NCCS. The biggest mint box route I've heard of currently running was over 2000. I helped a customer put one together that was just under 1000. You can service from what I here about 30 a day, but the operators on here are going top be able to be more accurate on that. I currently only have bulk machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMillner46 Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 Thank you Rodney, was that just 1 person who was running the route that was just under 1,000? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodney69 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 2. If I was to do it, I would shoot for 500 so I had time to breath and take care of the stuff needed on day to day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMillner46 Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 What's the most you've ever heard of any 1 person doing before, Rodney? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodney69 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Not sure, but don't go so much on volume, but quality. If a person gets to many they can't service properly. Service is key Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMillner46 Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 Why? What happens if they're not serviced enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMillner46 Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 Also how much net profit do these boxes make on average per month? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honorbox99 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Hi also new to this site. I currently have 330 locations and it takes me 20 hrs to service a week. I service 330 one week and about 200 the next. I plan in a couple of months to double my route as I am planning on leaving my job as the profit margin is to big to ignore. I have done this almost a yr and have had 18 boxes lost or stolen. For my next 330 I have thought about locators that range from $12-30 per location, but found when I started with my first 50 about 50% were denied when I arrived. and was able to locate the other 305 with relative ease but a lot of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMillner46 Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 Honorbox99, Thank you so much for your input. What charity do you use and how much average net profit would you say you make on 1 of your boxes per month? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honorbox99 Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 vending I am in the process in setting up a better inventory/profit expense per location, but i can tell you my profits are .32 a day per box. That is with all expenses candy, gas, food on run, royalties taxes etc. I have boxes with $1 a week I have some with $50. all bills over $5 I donate to the cause. I maybe lucky with location I am in the northeast, but I have 200 off my locations in a 5 mile radius, the reason why I can run my current route in 16-20hrs a week. doing this is great, you help a cause and with effort make a great income, with the only skill needed is people skills. I got worried when I would lose a location but it is amazing how many businesses there are. I never thought about corporate business but I have tons because I asked to put in break room and not in place of business. I have boxes in office locations in break rooms.smoke shops, hair salons, auto repair restaurants are where my boxes get stolen. I hope this helps. I would also like to hear of other success stories so please share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMillner46 Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 Honorbox99, Thanks so much for the info. I've already given you 2 likes thus far. What charity do you use, if you don't mind me asking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglesfan1203 Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Hmmm. I never thought of break rooms. What type of businesses are you putting in break rooms? On top of what you already mentioned, I have many in hotels. They usually give me a good spot too. They do well. Also rent a center type places have been great for me. Aaron's, rent a center, majik rent to own. And whatever is your local rent a place. Lately I have been going after advanced auto parts. We got about 10 of them. Only 1 said no. Diners are my big money makers. Auto places are hit or miss for me. I have high shrinkage in them. But I do have a few good ones. Chinese places are so so. About 2 of 10 are good. Lot of shrinkage in those places. Also be careful in summer. I get a lot of melted product at Chinese places. I have about 250 locations. In my experience, I think the acrylic perform better than the cardboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMillner46 Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 Eaglesfan, what charity do you use and do you use cardboard or acrylic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lake Cities Vending Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 I talked to a guy the other day that has 800 locations and still has a full time job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglesfan1203 Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 I use both cardboard and acrylic. I'd love to have all acrylic, but that's too much start up costs. I use candy for a cause. I'd strongly recommend you do as well. These boxes are very easy to locate. I think the breast cancer pink is a big reason for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMillner46 Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 Lake Cities Vending, what charity were they going through and was that with cardboard or acryllic. eaglesfan, Thank you for your help thus far, are you doing this full time and do you do your own locating or are you hiring locators? What is your average theft loss (shrinkage)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglesfan1203 Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 I do part time. I can't see ever doing this full time. As mentioned before, there is a constant turnover with these boxes. So unless you live in a big city, you will eventually run thin on possible locations. I don't live in a huge city so I have to spread out. I originally used a locator for 200 locations. Now my daughter locates for me. She does a great job. Usually about 8 of 10 say yes. We also run the route together. One thing to take into consideration is you will pay to have the original location. Then you will constantly be losing locations. So you will need to find a new home for that box. If you locate yourself then its no problem. Otherwise you will need to set aside money every month to get new locations which will cut into your profits. But you can still make money even paying locators. Just not as much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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