lowcountry Dan Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Hi everyone. I have had a tough year in the candy business. I have lost 8 locations, but I am replacing them. The thing that is bothering me is I used to have about 10-15% of machines that did really well every month, about $40.00 - $50.00. Now those are almost non existent. What I am left with is most locations doing about $12.00 - $15.00 per month, I think that most of these locations should be doing $20.00 or more per month. They seem to be perfectly good, but just don't do that well. I have a theory, I think that traffic is down for all businesses, so my business suffers too. Right now, I have no spending money. I never go out to eat or to the movies or anything. Now think how many millions, yes millions, of Americans are just like me. It may be that times are just that hard now, os less money being spent on everything My other theory is that candy is just not very popular anymore. That is why I am thinking about toy and / or drink machines in the mix. I could get more candy machines, but doing $12.00 per month is just not going to be worth it. I want to fine tune my route where I can average $25.00 on each per month, but it seems very difficult get locations that produce that these days. Thanks for reading. Any tips or advice is appreciated. Yes, the economy stinks. However, we each have to find a way to make a living in it. lowcountry Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLM Vending Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 what kind of candy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treadmill Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 This is the slow season. Things will pick back up in the fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowcountry Dan Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 JLM, my standard issue is PMM's, Skittles, and /or Mike and Ikes. Reeses Pieces. Treadmill, this is my season now. This is a tourist and beach town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Vending Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I too am in a tourist town and people dont buy as much candy in the summer because they are out doors more rain will increase business in some cases and for a single head 12-15 isnt bad. You need to get more machines out to make more money not hope for a few great accounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowcountry Dan Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 Action, I should have mentioned I have triple head machines. I may put singles in some of my weaker locations. I saw a gumball machine next to mine at car dealership and it seemed to do fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate9303 Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Interesting to hear someone say that this is the slow season. I never would have thought that (just started in the bulk business). It's hopeful to think of sales getting better in the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLM Vending Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I remember last year business was actually real slow in the summer. Then all of a sudden business exploded. I guess it isn't a coincidence thing after all. It's a seasonal thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Vending Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 ussually august does more than june and toys do more in the summer in a tourist town than you will with candy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havending Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Time for racks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerformaVending Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Summer is definitely down for me as well, but my toy sales are on the rise, and have been each week so far from my big toy setups, and "mostly" up from my smaller 1" cap setups. Add some toys to your candy- a little diversity in your products will make your business stronger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowcountry Dan Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 Thanks for the thoughts and responses. If I can take each machine from $12.00 per month to $20.00. That times 50 machines will give me an extra $400.00 gross per month. If I can increase sales by $5.00 on each, it will give me an extra $250.00 gross. I hope I can achieve this goal. Then it will be easier for me to start adding some toy machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havending Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Business is great in the summer for us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Thanks for the thoughts and responses. If I can take each machine from $12.00 per month to $20.00. That times 50 machines will give me an extra $400.00 gross per month. If I can increase sales by $5.00 on each, it will give me an extra $250.00 gross. I hope I can achieve this goal. Then it will be easier for me to start adding some toy machines. How do you plan to increase sales on these machines? You mentioned going from candy to toys. But, you also mentioned replacing locations. Just wondering if you had a specific game-plan for the existing machines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowcountry Dan Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 About 10% or so of my locations need to be relocated, I think. I'll take my chances that I can get a better spot. As far as increasing sales, I have thought of using higher profit items like gumballs. Another idea is put a single head machine where say only PMMs sell well. I have some locations that only sell one item regularly. Perhaps just placing a gumball machine instead of a triple head at some locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainMan Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 My business (small as it is) has seen about a 30% drop in business over the last year or so. I even pulled a couple of machines. Better sitting in the garage than replacing candy that has gone stale. Things will pick up in the fall, but the economy has to get better before I expect to see any real improvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdendy Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 My business (small as it is) has seen about a 30% drop in business over the last year or so. I even pulled a couple of machines. Better sitting in the garage than replacing candy that has gone stale. Things will pick up in the fall, but the economy has to get better before I expect to see any real improvement. You sir got a like just for that awesome avatar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 My business (small as it is) has seen about a 30% drop in business over the last year or so. I even pulled a couple of machines. Better sitting in the garage than replacing candy that has gone stale. Things will pick up in the fall, but the economy has to get better before I expect to see any real improvement. Welcome back Mountain Man! Love seeing the Charters come home. Sent using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepherdsflock Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Candy has been doing okay for me. Not spectacular, but well enough that I'm not complaining. I find that swapping product once in a while for something different can spur sales for a short time. Most of your customers tend to be repeat customers, usually employees of the location; and they get bored with the same old things everyday. Just last month I tried cashews for the first time (I was kind of scared because the cost of goods is ridiculous) and they've been a runaway hit at my factory break room location. My profit margin is significantly lower on them than the candy they replaced, but I'm not throwing two thirds of them away like I did the candy that wasn't selling and spoiled. I experienced the same thing when I replaced the PMMs that were going stale with Boston Baked Beans. It turns out one of the factory workers loved them when he was a kid and hadn't seen them in years and he buys about $20/month out of my machine by himself. He personally thanked me for stocking them. You just never know what surprise hit you'll stumble upon if you rotate products periodically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
addam111 Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 i have mixed turnouts i have 2 routes in regular towns that are down %60 But my beach route is up %250 So idk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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