Jax Snacks Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Well I tried out this guy, Don Kimball at http://www.dklocating.com - and it did not go well. I decided to test him out since I want to grow the commission side more and it was only a small dollar risk. Here is my experience... I placed a small order in mid May. He required a contract which should have been my first red flag warning. I never heard from him for 2 weeks. When I did call, he did answer the phone and said that "they were working on it". Another 2 weeks passes and still no location and not even a word on the status. So I called again and he did answer and said that he would place another locator on the job and that "Your town is real tough right now". After another week, I called again and he did answer and said he can not get a location and would send a refund. Here is where the fun begins! He requires that a refund form be fill out, signed and mailed back (not faxed) to him! And then he also charges a processing fee for the refund! So my "refund" is now going to be a bit smaller! I mail back the form and receive no reply. So I sent an email and he did reply back stating they received the refund form and a check would be cut. Two weeks pass since that promised check date and still no refund check. I sent another email and no reply this time. BTW, he did the exact same thing to another vendor. Don't want to create a drama scene, but just want to inform other vendors. I will post a followup if I ever receive the refund check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith Vending Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Another one bites the dust. I think these guys get out of jail and try their hand at locating Hope you get your money back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonvendor27 Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Thank you for the info Jax! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted July 31, 2010 Author Share Posted July 31, 2010 Thank you for the info Jax! No problem, I guess I was the sacrificial lamb on this one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted July 31, 2010 Author Share Posted July 31, 2010 Jax, I will not promise you a location, but what I will promise is that wont happen! Don't ya just love dirt bags? Oh No! Don't tell me that "DK" stands for Don't use Kelly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ontheballvending Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 What I am seeing is either Eddie Bauer or Kick Start are the Top Drawer Locators. They can help you. Now, here is a really strange deal from www.usedvending.com ?? or www.4vendingtips.com etc. They e-mail me and say they have a location in Louisiana, that has 45 Employees, and 500 Customers daily. Sounds Good !! Next they tell me they need $500 placement fee, contract, etc. So far, I am just listening, and taking this in, for what it is worth. After NO CAREFUL consideration I decided to NOT ever participate in this crap, and be sure I delete or block this entity for good. We have NEVER used locators. What makes this a little funny to me, is after they go through the entire script, they tell me this is for a Coffee Vending machine placement. I know you can imagine what I told them, but I rather plainly spoke, and said hey, are you on DOPE, and what gave you the Idea that our company sells Coffee. Do we have a Starbucks Logo on our trucks. See, they come at you with a product you dont sell or vend, then they have you thinking about getting them to help you with other type of locations. SCAM IT IS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ontheballvending Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I can see the reason for Locators and they serve their purpose. I think I may even try Kick Start & Eddie Bauer and see who does the best job. It would be interesting to see the results, vs. what I can find or locate in the same market myself. I will say this, and you can take this for what it is worth. NO ONE, can do a better job than YOURSELF. If you live in your MARKET, you know it better than anyone. Might Work better if you are locating, plus using the locator. Can you really have too many Good Locations ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted July 31, 2010 Author Share Posted July 31, 2010 Yea, upfront money and contracts are big red flags for sure. I agree that every vendor is their own best locator. I got 4 nice rack locations over the last 4 months on my own. But locating is an area where we can all use a helping hand from time to time, especially for us one man operations. No knock on Eddie or Rob as they continue to get good feedback, but they do not do commission racks. Charity locations are just too volatile in bigger metro areas and IMO just temporary and a time bomb waiting to go off. At some point either a new owner, new manager, district manager, auditor will want it removed from a public area. Unless, you just want to do single head gumballs. But there are at least 4 big operators here doing that here and many locations already have at least one or two single head gumball machines. I still do charity stuff, but most are in breakrooms or "dive" or "grungy" places. Maybe I need to change strategy and start using charity locators as simply a starting point and an evolutionary process to commission racks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ontheballvending Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I do not have any experience in The Charity division, as all of our racks are either no commission or on a 25% commission locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Master Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Maybe I need to change strategy and start using charity locators as simply a starting point and an evolutionary process to commission racks. I'm glad you see the light on locators Jax. We all had to start out somewhere, somehow, and with a little help or direction. Locators can be another tool to a learning process and a successfull business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted July 31, 2010 Author Share Posted July 31, 2010 I'm glad you see the light on locators Jax. We all had to start out somewhere, somehow, and with a little help or direction. Locators can be another tool to a learning process and a successfull business. LOL! I guess It's good to see the light, especially here in the sunshine state. However it is an overcast day today. I have been using locators for 10 years now and they will most likely always have a place on my team. Locators are like NFL quarterbacks and only a small handfull are of the elite status that produce results and that are worth dealing with. The rest are stiffs that take your money and run and usually feed off of newbies. Just look at that list on the Vending Connection Yellow Pages and all those "A1A AAA" grade locators - what a joke! I have had many quality locators over the years, but most have left the business for what ever reason. Bringing in new locating recruits is a bit stressful and time consuming and most will get cut. As the economic times change and the vending landscape change, we all need to adapt and change as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurtsman Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 How did DK require the initial payment? I wouldn't consider someone who didn't take a form that could be charged back. (CC/paypal) When I heard there was a processing fee for a refund--that came as a result of the worker being either lazy or incompetent, I would immediately charge back. Having this option helps keep the people working for you honest. Of course, it's not something I've had to worry about with Rob or Kelly. Most people in their professions don't share the same ethical standards that those men have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted July 31, 2010 Author Share Posted July 31, 2010 Looking back I suspect that stall tactics were used so that the 45 day charge back deadline would pass. Like having to physically mail a form back and then being told that the check is in the mail. Not a lot of money lost here, so not a big deal for me really. Bottom line, if you think you are being taken for a ride, start the charge back process after 3 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ontheballvending Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I have NEVER used a Locator Service, but I do see the benefit if it will work in conjunction with your existing location placement. I spoke to Eddie Bauer today, and we are going to give him a try and see what happens. Very nice to speak to, and we are definitely on the same page. Scot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Vending Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 What I am seeing is either Eddie Bauer or Kick Start are the Top Drawer Locators. They can help you. Now, here is a really strange deal from www.usedvending.com ?? or www.4vendingtips.com etc. They e-mail me and say they have a location in Louisiana, that has 45 Employees, and 500 Customers daily. Sounds Good !! Next they tell me they need $500 placement fee, contract, etc. So far, I am just listening, and taking this in, for what it is worth. After NO CAREFUL consideration I decided to NOT ever participate in this crap, and be sure I delete or block this entity for good. We have NEVER used locators. What makes this a little funny to me, is after they go through the entire script, they tell me this is for a Coffee Vending machine placement. I know you can imagine what I told them, but I rather plainly spoke, and said hey, are you on DOPE, and what gave you the Idea that our company sells Coffee. Do we have a Starbucks Logo on our trucks. See, they come at you with a product you dont sell or vend, then they have you thinking about getting them to help you with other type of locations. SCAM IT IS This ahole also says he will locate soda / snack machines he rip me off for $300 he also gos by proffitt vending.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted August 11, 2010 Author Share Posted August 11, 2010 --- REFUND UPDATE --- Well I finally received my refund (less processing fee) 1 week after the first posting. Hmmmm. He also made good with the other vendor as well. Thank You VENDiscuss! Git-Er-Done! Case Closed. P.S. Be sure to make the appropriate updates and notations to your bulk locator directory index! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DK Locating Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Hi, this is Don at DK Locating. I can't tell you how many vendors ripped us off by refusing locations and then 3 months later our staff checks to see if the guy actually refused and guess what, their machine is there. The vendor has 8 machines, pays for 5 locations, refuses 3 and gets replacements, now he has 8 locations for the price of 5. "Oh I thought I could put the refused ones in after a month" Like there is statute of limitations."I didn't know I had to take the machine out of location to get a replacement" Well if you are leaving it on location, then it must be good. "I need to get that replacement of the replacement replaced" Yea let me spend the rest of my life and money replacing your machines for the rest of your life. Didn't check on Jax Snax guy, but we did send a location that was refused. Pay me $75 and then want a Walmart. Give me a break. Our company will replace any location no questions asked, but I'm not going to give replacements to that lazy slob vendor that doesn't take care or service his machine, which by the way is the number one reason businesses don't want to take candy machines anymore. It was the vendors that ruined the market not the locators. We all want those big dollar locations and sometimes we get them, but you all know its about the averages. DK Locating doesn't always get it right, and yea I have recommended KIckstart because he is above average, but just like every other locating company, you can satisfy some of the people some of the time, but you can't satisfy all of the people all of the time. I just had a vendor refuse 10 out of 10 locations. Gave him a full refund. I just had 5 vendors call me back to get more locations. All were very satisfied. And I get this all of the time> I don't worry about the Jaxes or the Vendors that are thieves. Hey Jax, I'm still here email me and I'll send you the rest of your money. This is the first I heard about it. 12 years of service A+ BBB Rating and zero complaints. I must be doing something right. P.S. we are too busy with our regular customers and are not taking any new orders. Happy Vending and remember service those machines and candy is food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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