mmiolan Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Hello All, I'm looking to make my first vending business experiment. I have already discuss to put snack and drink machine into an office building in my city. The building has 400 office type employees separated into 3 levels. Here are my questions? 1) How many machines to buy? 2) New, refurbish or used. 3) Since I'm in the Caribbean, I'll have to learn to repair myself or sent parts to repair. What machines models are the more maintenance free. Can somebody mention a couple of good models to research? 4) Machine Vendors, can somebody mention reputable machine dealers that I can start conversing back and forth? I appreciate all your help. Mich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Hello All, I'm looking to make my first vending business experiment. I have already discuss to put snack and drink machine into an office building in my city. The building has 400 office type employees separated into 3 levels. Here are my questions? 1) How many machines to buy? 2) New, refurbish or used. 3) Since I'm in the Caribbean, I'll have to learn to repair myself or sent parts to repair. What machines models are the more maintenance free. Can somebody mention a couple of good models to research? 4) Machine Vendors, can somebody mention reputable machine dealers that I can start conversing back and forth? I appreciate all your help. Mich Sounds like you have an interesting opportunity, I wish you success in your efforts. I would look at some good quality used machine that are 3-5 years old, DN or Royal for drink and AP or Crane for snacks. The parts should not be too much of an issue, you can get those sent UPS or FedEx if needed. You can get technical support from the manufacturers, parts suppliers or here. I would have two questions/concerns with you being in the DR. 1. Shipping costs to get the machine to the island, for one and twos that will probably be crazy expensive, possibly as much as the machine. From my little knowledge of the shipping industry I would think your best deal for shipping on a per machine basis would be to fill a 20'ft ocean freight container, but then you have to buy the machines to fill it. Tough position to be in. 2. Where and how will you be getting your product to fill the machines? I have a customer in the international freight business so if you need some more info let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmiolan Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 Thanks Mission Vending, I can get a few machines shipped in a consolidated container we do have those types of service available from Miami and NY. I have done this type of thing with other type of equipment. The snacks and soda can be sourced locally we have vendors for all types of snacks and soft drinks. I'm more worried in finding a reputable vendor that can sell me a good used or refurbish machine. If you can advise some names I can start talking with them. Thanks again Mich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogcow Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 if ur looking for someone in miami i can prob help you out i know a big full line vendor down there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Thanks Mission Vending, I can get a few machines shipped in a consolidated container we do have those types of service available from Miami and NY. I have done this type of thing with other type of equipment. The snacks and soda can be sourced locally we have vendors for all types of snacks and soft drinks. I'm more worried in finding a reputable vendor that can sell me a good used or refurbish machine. If you can advise some names I can start talking with them. Thanks again Mich Being in TX, I don't think I can help much with a source for used or refurb machines other than some of the larger companies with a significant internet presence: 1. Vendors Exchange http://www.veii.com/ 2. Betson Imperial http://www.betson.com 3. A & M equipment http://www.amequipmentsales.com/ I've bought from all of them with no problems. I think though you might be better off finding a equipment supplier near the NY or Miami market to make it easier to get it onto the container. There are several members here on TVF that live in or near those markets that might be able to provide with more info on equipment dealers in those areas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpbutler Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Im willing to come onsite and help you get set up. Do you scuba dive? John Sent from my GT-P7310 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shauna Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Im willing to come onsite and help you get set up. Do you scuba dive? John Sent from my GT-P7310 using Tapatalk Me too, me too! Well, maybe just to hang out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmiolan Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Hey , I do have my Paddy advanced licence. From where I live scuba diving is a 30 min drive to the scuba diving school. This is all good information, I will start contacting all these companies. John I will take your word. Again thanks a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpbutler Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 What island do you live on? Sent from my GT-P7310 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryChris Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Maybe I missed someone answering this but... regarding how many machines to install.... Offices generally don't generate high revenues so you really don't need too many machines for an office building even with 400 people. I would estimate that the revenue would be between $400 and $600/week and 2 vending machines could certainly be ENOUGH if this were a blue-collar location (factory, industrial complex, warehouse, etc...) but since it is an office, they may want machines in all 3 "levels" (assuming these "levels" are spread out). It's hard to give advice without seeing it... but I believe it would be a decent recommendation to tell you to install 1-2 snack machines (one main snack machine and maybe a smaller machine somewhere else if it's far away from the main vending area). and 2-3 soda machines (for the same reasons). If they want coffee, I think a location like this could justify a coffee machine... but you may want to get yourself more involved with the OCS instead. If they wanted a food machine... I would be hard pressed to put a food machine in a building even with this many people, unless it was frozen food. I don't know about your area but generally office people barely buy much food, ESPECIALLY if they are mostly white collar and if they have food places very nearby. My recommendation, if the 3 "levels" were something like one on top of another.... install a soda and snack on the first and 3rd floors and forget about the 2nd floor (unless they really want it in that 2nd floor). If the area is slightly spread out but the "main" break area is in the center of everything, just install a couple of soda machines in the main area with one 5-wide snack machine. If it takes a significant amount of walking between the break areas, I would put a soda machine in each location and a snack machine in the 2 largest or most equally spread out locations. Vending machines are supposed to be convenient, but you, as a business owner, are supposed to earn a profit, so you need to find the happy medium that makes you money and keeps them happy. I would provide OCS for this type of a location pretty much wherever and however they wanted though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmiolan Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Thanks AngryChris, In this particular Company, the break area is in the center of everything, so the advice of two sodas and the 5 wide snack would be the way to go then. Will look into the OCS..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmiolan Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 I live in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmiolan Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Have applied for quotes on all companies suggested by Mission, Please members from the MIAMI or NY City areas if can suggest a couple of vendors so I can include them in the bidding process. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmiolan Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 Just receive the first Bid from one of the suggested vendors, machines with both coin mech and bill validators, The snack machine 2300 USD Soda Machine 2100 USD Lets see what the other vendors have to offer. The bill and coin mechs are new with a 1 year warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Just receive the first Bid from one of the suggested vendors, machines with both coin mech and bill validators, The snack machine 2300 USD Soda Machine 2100 USD Lets see what the other vendors have to offer. The bill and coin mechs are new with a 1 year warranty. Do you need different bill and coin mechs for your currency or do you guys use US currency? A question worth asking, if you need different bill and coin mechs why buy one you can't use? It might be that your supplier can flash the memory for a small fee that would allow them to accept your local currency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmiolan Posted February 14, 2012 Author Share Posted February 14, 2012 Thanks Mission, The coin mechanism is for DOP Dominican pesos, and it has the ability to give change back. The bill validator has the ability to read DOP paper Dominican money. The quotation I have mention is for machines that can work with my local currency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmiolan Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 The more I read into this forum the more I see that the price you get for a machine is below the 1000 US. he price I'm getting for the machines is over 2000 USD. One of the vendors told me that the cost of the bill validator that handles Dominican pesos is around 300 US, so If they can have a machine for lets say 500 than a bill validator new for 300....just don't like the math. What's the average price for a lets say a good Dixie Narco or an AP refurbished? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 The price is a little high but it is from a reputable dealer with a warranty, that may or may not be worth paying a premium for the machine to you. Are you willing to take on the risk of having to buy additional parts like a compressor if needed? Its all about tradeoffs...... bottom line ..... Are you willing to trade cash for reducing hassle? If so how much? You don't have to answer me, but I would recommend that you ask this question to yourself and make the decision based your answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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