nrpick44 Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Just landed a coupe extra soda locations where I was currently only their snack provider. They want bottle machines and I have 2 501e's ready to be installed. This is my first leap into bottles instead of cans. My local Sams only sells 16.9oz. I would really like to keep from going anywhere else, but in yalls experience will a customer get upset over a 16.9 bottle instead of a 20oz? Should I sell 16.9oz bottles for only $1? Any thoughts or tips will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Just landed a coupe extra soda locations where I was currently only their snack provider. They want bottle machines and I have 2 501e's ready to be installed. This is my first leap into bottles instead of cans. My local Sams only sells 16.9oz. I would really like to keep from going anywhere else, but in yalls experience will a customer get upset over a 16.9 bottle instead of a 20oz? Should I sell 16.9oz bottles for only $1? Any thoughts or tips will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! I won't do 16.9 because, IMO, people have been conditioned to the point that if they will buy a bottle out of a vending machine that they will expect to get a 20. On the other hand a very large local vending company has gone to all 16.9 bottles in all their machines and seem to be doing OK, except for the fact that I can sell a 20 for the same price they sell a 16.9 for. (I have taken 2 accounts from them in the last year or so and the 16.9 vs the 20 became an issue because I made it an issue ) A lady I know also does 16.9 in her accounts and has done so for several years now without any problems in her accounts. She also talked it over with her accounts and got approval before doing it instead of just making the change without discussion like the large company did. So my answer would be that you probably need to have the conversation with your account and ask them which they would prefer. That being a traditional 20 or a smaller 16.9 with a lower vend price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrpick44 Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 After alittle searching I read where some are getting their 20oz from local Vistars distributors. Can anyone setup and buy from distributors like them? Is there a minimum they require you to buy? Thanks again Mission! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryChris Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 I can't answer your question regarding vendstar as I haven't ordered anything from them yet. Regarding the 20 oz vs 16.9 oz question, I was debating between 16.9, 20, and 24 oz at one point in time... I came to realize that the 24 oz were the best deal if you could sell them for at least the same cost of a 20 oz and you could *potentially* win over some customers by offering a "larger bottle." After lots of thinking and some experimentation, I have concluded this: 16.9 oz bottles are a pretty good deal to sell for $1.00 and you can get them at a lot of places and for decent prices... but they generally come in 6 packs which is a hassle to work with. You can get 24-packs at Sam's and other wholesale clubs but you have a very limited selection. 24 oz bottles are a very good deal for you and the customer in terms of bang-for-your-buck... but they fit in very few machines.. the coke bottles are slightly longer too and they barely fit in machines that claim to vend 24 oz bottles. These also have a very limited selection. 20 oz bottles are generally the most expensive bottles you can buy, but a good distributor will be able to sell you virtually any mainstream soda selection that you want. You may be able to do this with 16.9 oz bottles if you found a distributor, but I don't think a grocery store is going to special-order you a case of 16.9 oz bottles of some special flavor. I concluded that 20 oz bottles have the greatest selection and you get full 24-packs in solid plastic containers that are much easier to work with than the plastic/cardboard hybrid you get from the 16.9 and 24 oz cases. Unless you only plan on having 1 or 2 bottle accounts in the next few years, I recommend going with 20 oz... otherwise, for you 501e which will NOT vend 24 oz unless they are 1-deep, I recommend sticking with 16.9 oz for $1.00 if you can get away with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogcow Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 After alittle searching I read where some are getting their 20oz from local Vistars distributors. Can anyone setup and buy from distributors like them? Is there a minimum they require you to buy? Thanks again Mission! $1,000 min for delivery, u must have a sales tax resale certificate ,cash and carry OK in my area Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leetvend Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Vistar does not have a distribution center near me. However, I did find a good distributor for 20oz bottles. I like them better than 16.9. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDERSONVENDING Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Just landed a coupe extra soda locations where I was currently only their snack provider. They want bottle machines and I have 2 501e's ready to be installed. This is my first leap into bottles instead of cans. My local Sams only sells 16.9oz. I would really like to keep from going anywhere else, but in yalls experience will a customer get upset over a 16.9 bottle instead of a 20oz? Should I sell 16.9oz bottles for only $1? Any thoughts or tips will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! You might want to check again at sams,mine has the 28 count pack of 20 oz.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbishop Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 A vending buddy of mine is landing accounts left and right with 16.9 @ $1.25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcron Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I would agree with AngryChris. Sams has a VERY limited selection. I was lucky enough to get a deal with a local larger vendor who kindly allows me to buy my 20 oz products from him at cost. That way I can get my hands on anything he can and hopefully my purchases go to helping him increase his case count. Hopefully he benefits in some way too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snack dude Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 You might want to check again at sams,mine has the 28 count pack of 20 oz. John The sams here in the cincinnati area carried coke and diet coke in 20 oz for a short period and I think all of us vendors kept cleaning them out and cut back on their orders directly from coke and it was over real fast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryChris Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 The sams here in the cincinnati area carried coke and diet coke in 20 oz for a short period and I think all of us vendors kept cleaning them out and cut back on their orders directly from coke and it was over real fast I am absolutely certain that if Sam's Club was making profits selling those 20 oz bottles, they would absolutely NOT cut back on their orders... if anything, they would increase them. I mean, I would argue that most of their sales come from businesses and not households. If anything, I bet Coke cut back on what they would sell to Sam's Club to prevent their own customers from buying their 2 biggest sellers (coke and diet coke) from Sam's Club. I have talked to several convenient store owners and drive-thrus that shop at Sam's Club and they have told me that coke often requires that they buy cases of 20 oz bottles for anywhere between $20 and $26 per case!!!! It's absurd! This is almost certainly a coca-cola issue and not sam's club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrpick44 Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 I called my local Vistar and they sell Coke 20oz for $19.25. While it would be easier to go with 16.9oz short term, I believe long term going with 20oz from the get go will pay off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snack dude Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 I am absolutely certain that if Sam's Club was making profits selling those 20 oz bottles, they would absolutely NOT cut back on their orders... if anything, they would increase them. I mean, I would argue that most of their sales come from businesses and not households. If anything, I bet Coke cut back on what they would sell to Sam's Club to prevent their own customers from buying their 2 biggest sellers (coke and diet coke) from Sam's Club. I have talked to several convenient store owners and drive-thrus that shop at Sam's Club and they have told me that coke often requires that they buy cases of 20 oz bottles for anywhere between $20 and $26 per case!!!! It's absurd! This is almost certainly a coca-cola issue and not sam's club. Sorry Chris I did not write or word that correctly. When I said they cut back their orders from coke I meant the vendors not sams. I agree sams would sell 20 oz bottles all day long if the bottlers would let them. My point was that nobody would call for a coke order if I could pull up in my truck and fire 80 cases of 20 oz in it. I have a friend that owns a store and while he does pay over $20 a case, my understanding is the bottlers will take them back if they go out of date and thats why it cost more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 You might want to check again at sams,mine has the 28 count pack of 20 oz.John I was beginning to wonder if my Sam's was the only one that carries 20oz. Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mike Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 After alittle searching I read where some are getting their 20oz from local Vistars distributors. Can anyone setup and buy from distributors like them? Is there a minimum they require you to buy? Thanks again Mission! 50 case minimum here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDERSONVENDING Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 50 case minimum here. 1 case minimum here not delivered.I have to go get it John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryChris Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Sorry Chris I did not write or word that correctly. When I said they cut back their orders from coke I meant the vendors not sams. I agree sams would sell 20 oz bottles all day long if the bottlers would let them. My point was that nobody would call for a coke order if I could pull up in my truck and fire 80 cases of 20 oz in it. I have a friend that owns a store and while he does pay over $20 a case, my understanding is the bottlers will take them back if they go out of date and thats why it cost more. Ah, so we are in agreement then I guess. My mistake for not understanding. Honestly though, I really think coca-cola cares more about preventing the c-stores and drive-thrus from getting those great deals on 20 oz rather than us full-line vendors.... because they know we can order super large quantities of stuff at decent prices while the c-stores cannot order enough product to get a great deal (due to limited space). I do think coke will take back expired product (assuming you abide by your contract with them), but if Pepsi finds out you are buying your 20 oz somewhere else, they might take your coolers away!!! Coca-cola might too... but coca-cola doesn't seem to be in a hurry to take a cooler away from any customers. Pepsi might take it tomorrow! I can't blame them though... you get a "free" cooler as long as you buy directly from them... it's no different than getting a "free" vending machine if you buy directly from them. Btw, I have not seen 20 oz bottles of coca-cola and/or pepsi at Sam's Club here in Dayton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snack dude Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Ah, so we are in agreement then I guess. My mistake for not understanding. Honestly though, I really think coca-cola cares more about preventing the c-stores and drive-thrus from getting those great deals on 20 oz rather than us full-line vendors.... because they know we can order super large quantities of stuff at decent prices while the c-stores cannot order enough product to get a great deal (due to limited space). I do think coke will take back expired product (assuming you abide by your contract with them), but if Pepsi finds out you are buying your 20 oz somewhere else, they might take your coolers away!!! Coca-cola might too... but coca-cola doesn't seem to be in a hurry to take a cooler away from any customers. Pepsi might take it tomorrow! I can't blame them though... you get a "free" cooler as long as you buy directly from them... it's no different than getting a "free" vending machine if you buy directly from them. Btw, I have not seen 20 oz bottles of coca-cola and/or pepsi at Sam's Club here in Dayton. It didnt last long here in cincy and it was only coke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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