I've given up hope with honor boxes. Am I wrong here?

[mission vending]

What Happened??

I just read 5 pages like a serial novel,then it just stopped!

A story of a person angry with himself for having failed in a business venture,but not adult enough to hear an entire group of people with experience...ups AND downs...are trying to tell him. Everybody else is wrong, or worse...is *lying* on purpose. It's impossible to make money in vending because I believed the one or two people who told me the truth...it's everybody else, none of whom have any vested interest in your personal problems (other than taking time from their lives to try to offer real-world experiences in hopes of helping others).

I give credit to those who tried,again and again, to drive home very obvious points (to those not bitterly lashing out at the world for their own failures)...kudos.

The most positive thing I read was the (really obvious) observation that this guy can locate! 200 accounts placed in 6 months? That's what I'm talking about!

At $10 a location, that's $2k...and I'd pay more than that.

I sure hope you (he?) switched to bulk (although I was shocked to see you poo-poo that as not being profitable enough), or started a locating biz...GO WITH WHAT YOU'RE GOOD AT!! (Lawncare?)

Old thread, I know, but still pretty wild to read. I wonder what happened...

A lot of interesting threads end this way....

[allsnax]

I feel for this guy. His main problem as I see it was his inability to adapt. Many people make mistakes starting these businesses. I did, I bought overpriced junk machines from a biz op but I learned from it and continued.

If he would have identified how to counter his diminishing returns than Im sure he would still be in business. He could have converted his high theft locations to more secure locations, he could have moved his slow selling stuff to a higher volume location while he was dialing it in etc.

I think he grew too fast and was overwhelmed and got discouraged when there were problems and gave up believing there was any way to make it work. It seems in the end he was his own problem.

[bhumphrey829]

O.K. well I guess you've all hit on my points then (especially you BobTHJ in saying that you "would not advise someone to attempt a full time honor box only business." ) There's very little profit to be made versus the actual number of hours that you put into this business. I think this is even more true when you start including other forms of vending though I guess it CAN equate into a full time living. You better be ready to work yourself to death though. Lawn care, while there's some work involved, is VASTLY more profitable and you can do it all by yourself and make even more money on a relative scale.ANYONE READING THIS ASK YOURSELF HOW MANY LAWN CARE BUSINESS OWNERS DO YOU SEE DRIVING AROUND EVERY DAY AND DO YOU EVER SEE ANYONE OUT THERE RUNNING AN HONOR BOX BUSINESS? DON'T YOU THINK THERE'S A REASON FOR THIS? Personally I don't want to feel like I'm living in the People's Republic of North Korea even if I am working for myself. If I have to work 100 or more hours a week that's not living.

I had a lawn care business and you dont think it is harder work and more hours than running an honor box route, then you must not have done your research on lawn care businesses either because same as with honor boxes, you will constantly be having to find new accounts because you will lose accounts mainly due to so many lawn care businesses that are out there, and there will always be somone that will come in and undercut your price and you will lose accounts in that manner. While I am new to the honor box business, I am not new to the lawn care business. I had a lawn care service for 8 years and worked myself to death. I only have 10 honor boxes right now but it only takes me 45 minutes to run my route, this includes service and driving time and I gross around $130 for those 45 minutes. Let's see how many yard accounts you can do in 45 minutes for $130. I'm sorry the honor box business didn't work for you but I don't think you have the right or experience to come on this forum and say that it can't be done as a full time business just because it didn't work for you.

[bhumphrey829]

Redndy I built this honor box business all by myself. Go back and read from the very beginning of this post what I did. I think anyone can tell that just based on how you wrote that last post that there is definitely an under tone of mischief going on with with you that reflects dishonesty and dishonor.

You NOT someone that other people should put their trust in

I beg to differ I would put much more trust in Redndy than I would someone like you who obviously thinks everyone on here is a liar. Now I'm not speaking for myself because I am brand new to this but I can promise you there are guys on this forum that are making more money than you ever will with your lawn care business. For one thing I don't belive you have the people skills to build a lawn care business because your negativity will stick out like a sore thumb.

[bhumphrey829]

See that's what I like about lawn care though. Once you make a very modest investment (in say a commercial lawn mower) you're ready to start making money back. I'd bet in just one good days work you'd have that thing paid off anyway. Besides that it just seems so incredibly simpler because you work a day's work and then you're done. It isn't like that at all with vending. because you've got to focus on not only servicing existing accounts but you've also got to restock everything, go to the store and buy everything (or have it delivered to you and then restock everything). With lawn care you can be a one man team and not have to worry at all about having people working for you. It seems like you would make a whole lot more money per your real hours worked.

It just seems like with lawn care you'd have a whole lot less to worry about. All you'd have to do is run your routes and do the job.

Wow you are in for a rude awakening in lawn care just as you found in the honor box. A commercial mower will cost you 4 or 5 thousand dollars (if you are talking about a true commerical mower) and if you can pay that off in one I will come work for you

looks like you have your mind set....good luck in what sounds like your next adventure. Is there a lawn care forum?

He better hope there is a lawn care forum because he is crazy if he thinks with today's economy that people aren't going to change lawn companies just because someone is cheaper if that means one more bill can get paid

[Rick]

bh, you're wasting your breath. This guy is long gone, no doubt too busy absolutely KILLING IT in the lawn care business than to visit this thread again.

[Rick]

I feel for this guy. His main problem as I see it was his inability to adapt. Many people make mistakes starting these businesses. I did, I bought overpriced junk machines from a biz op but I learned from it and continued.

If he would have identified how to counter his diminishing returns than Im sure he would still be in business. He could have converted his high theft locations to more secure locations, he could have moved his slow selling stuff to a higher volume location while he was dialing it in etc.

I think he grew too fast and was overwhelmed and got discouraged when there were problems and gave up believing there was any way to make it work. It seems in the end he was his own problem.

You're SO right allsnax! In the end, the saddest part of it all is that he was REALLY good at the most difficult part of this business...actually locating boxes. I fear thevendingbutler at the end of the day just doesn't have the mental fortitude it takes to succeed in small business, regardless of what it is.