VendingExperts Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 I was wondering... Does anyone use a change machine on a rack? Does it boost sales, or just an expensive piece of art for your rack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GagesVending Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 I placed one near my bulk rack and I haven't noticed a bit of difference. It has made the staff happier that they aren't constantly making change, but it hasn't made me more quarters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adog Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Yeah I was curious the same thing as well. Thinking of doing it when I get a money making spot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Had a friendly competitor using some of these years ago and they were more trouble than they were worth. The changers were bought new, but were never reliable. He eventually pulled them and sold them. Problem #1: Low percentage of the quarters from change machine were actually being used in his machines. He figured people were using them for payphones or in his competition's vending/video machines. Problem #2: They were always breaking. More than once the machines just spilled the quarters out. But, the more common problem was that the machine would take the bill and not provide the quarters. Plenty of complaints came from that. But, again...I do not have first-hand experience, so who knows. Just think twice before putting a changer in shared locations or you may be providing change for the other guy's equipment with your change machine...which makes you zero money. And be sure to do your homework before buying any old changer as at least one model is not very reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GagesVending Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Had a friendly competitor using some of these years ago and they were more trouble than they were worth. The changers were bought new, but were never reliable. He eventually pulled them and sold them. Problem #1: Low percentage of the quarters from change machine were actually being used in his machines. He figured people were using them for payphones or in his competition's vending/video machines. Problem #2: They were always breaking. More than once the machines just spilled the quarters out. But, the more common problem was that the machine would take the bill and not provide the quarters. Plenty of complaints came from that. But, again...I do not have first-hand experience, so who knows. Just think twice before putting a changer in shared locations or you may be providing change for the other guy's equipment with your change machine...which makes you zero money. And be sure to do your homework before buying any old changer as at least one model is not very reliable. I can second that one, Sherlock! My bill changer is VERY unreliable! I get a service call every week to fix it. The bills get stuck in the acceptor. I wanted to pull it, but they wanted me to keep it there, even though it's a pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 I can second that one, Sherlock! My bill changer is VERY unreliable! I get a service call every week to fix it. The bills get stuck in the acceptor. I wanted to pull it, but they wanted me to keep it there, even though it's a pain. Interesting. Do you mind sharing the make/model? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VendingExperts Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share Posted May 12, 2013 I was just curious. I have a double head set up at home. Between my nephew and all his friends it has proven to be a good "free" location! However they are forever asking me for change. I have an "honor change cup" that I keep $3.00 in all the time, and they can make change as needed. My sales doubled when I started this. So in "theory" I thought it would be beneficial to have a change machine on a rack aswell, maybe not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GagesVending Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Interesting. Do you mind sharing the make/model? It's a Coffee Inns 222. I know, I should have known better, but I didn't because I bought it before I started my vending business and didn't find Vendiscuss yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 It's a Coffee Inns 222. I know, I should have known better, but I didn't because I bought it before I started my vending business and didn't find Vendiscuss yet. Hmmm....I am quite sure they were not Coffee Inns 222's my competitor was running. They looked pretty different from the Coffee Inns 222 Apparently, he was using something else. Wish I knew the make/model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Hello....looked through some of my old emails we'd exchanged and guess what I found: The make and model. His changer was the AC401 Battery Powered Changer. But, just to clarify...I have never owned these. I am just reporting what I was told by ONE vendor. And his actions seemed in line with the actions one would take when unhappy with a piece of equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GagesVending Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Hello....looked through some of my old emails we'd exchanged and guess what I found: The make and model. His changer was the AC401 Battery Powered Changer. But, just to clarify...I have never owned these. I am just reporting what I was told by ONE vendor. And his actions seemed in line with the actions one would take when unhappy with a piece of equipment. Those are neat because they don't need plugged in. A competitor of mine uses those and I know he had issues with one at least on one occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VendingExperts Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share Posted May 12, 2013 Well thanks for sharing that Sherlock, that was the exact changer I was looking at. I like that it uses a battery instead of an outlet. But I don't want it to dump out $400 in quarters, just because it decides to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogcow Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Hello....looked through some of my old emails we'd exchanged and guess what I found: The make and model. His changer was the AC401 Battery Powered Changer. But, just to clarify...I have never owned these. I am just reporting what I was told by ONE vendor. And his actions seemed in line with the actions one would take when unhappy with a piece of equipment. American changers are decent I'm surprised to hear that. The first changer I got I paid 600 its 1200 new my friend and I took it apart we both could not believe they can charge so much there's maybe $300 in parts in there and that's based on retail price for the val and hopper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toad Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 I have used American changers for ten years with ZERO problems. Yes, dowcow, your correct. How can they cost so much new?? It's just a $200 hopper, simple board and dba Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havending Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 I have a few batt operated changers the work well but the batt is a pain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjacks Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 I have American Changer machines in my largest account (18 family restaurants) and it was probably the key for me getting the exclusive rights to all the locations a few years ago. The main vendor at the time refused to supply change machines and service them so they got kicked out and we got the whole pie. We also provide much better service and equipment but I think the last straw was the change machines. As a whole the machines have been pretty reliable with a few miscues here and there. I can't complain. In theory all the quarters go to my machines since there aren't any competitors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronsidney Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 I had a great idea a few years ago and shared it with a couple suppliers hoping someone would do it... They where selling those old slot machines out of vegas etc. for less than a $100 bucks if you bought a truckload(about 250 machines) that still had the coin hoppers in them as they where going to all tickets etc. I said why doesn't somebody re-program the board to give 4 tokens for a buck but give the person inserting the buck a free spin.. with that free spin they may get a jackpot like the slot machine normally gives(or alot smaller).. the slot machine would give the 4 tokens every time as soon as money was inserted, couldn't bet those, just the free credit of one per a dollar..then put some new graphics on there with the winning values..then resale them to arcades for a big profit. It could only be used with tokens because of course if it was quarters somebody would just empty it out and then cash the quarters in for more dollars etc and repeat to use the free spin credit.. So it would have to be used for tokens only.. I envisioned mostly redemption arcades using it as a changer/amusement only device instead of the tired old changer.. I told a couple big suppliers but they ignored my great idea.. of course im off topic like always, but i just thought of it while reading this thread, I have about dozen ideas a day as i ride around cause i never listen to radio but just dream up stuff like this. ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adog Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 That is a good idea Ron! I'm still waiting for you to come out with a crane though lol. With all of your equipment so affoardable I'm sure you could come up with a decent crane! I found out impulse is in my area making a huge route so I am not going to do any business with them. Need some affoardable cranes to fight back with lol! Sorry alittle off topic^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronsidney Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 That is a good idea Ron! I'm still waiting for you to come out with a crane though lol. With all of your equipment so affoardable I'm sure you could come up with a decent crane! I found out impulse is in my area making a huge route so I am not going to do any business with them. Need some affoardable cranes to fight back with lol! Sorry alittle off topic^ what area are you in?? must be cali? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VendingExperts Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share Posted May 12, 2013 With the slot machine idea, it's cool thinking; however, it would loose money. Slot machines take, take, and take, then give some back. If you used it as a change machine, it would always pay out automatically what it took in, then randomly would pay out more. If you used it to make change, but it would allow you to get a courtesy spin, just for fun, no additional payout, that would be cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adog Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Yeah Ron In Cali. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronsidney Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 With the slot machine idea, it's cool thinking; however, it would loose money. Slot machines take, take, and take, then give some back. If you used it as a change machine, it would always pay out automatically what it took in, then randomly would pay out more. If you used it to make change, but it would allow you to get a courtesy spin, just for fun, no additional payout, that would be cool! You mis read my post..I said "re-program" it to be a change machine..Tokens only,no cash value.. the "free spin credit" you would get for each dollar inserted.. YES it would pay out more than it took in..but in tokens with no cash value but only good for the locations machines play. besides that it would be "re-programmed" it would have payout of like 10% only, not the 95% or so that most casinos payout..You couldnt reuse the credits you would win with the free spin to keep spinning and playing..but as soon as a lucky patron played that free spin and say won 20 free credits it would spit out the tokens immediately,not after a "cash out" button is pushed..so each dollar would only get one pull of the handle only!! Most game boards (slot machine boards) are set for like 95% or so payout over life of machine...the ones i had out where 80% back in the day.. so if you was to put a $100 bill in that machine and play it, you would notice after say 5 spins you win 10 credits, then after 10 spins you win 10 credits etc etc etc.. but if you count up every win whether its a cherry for 1 credit or 3 bars for15 credits or whatever, it would be $95 before you zero out.. Thats how they pay out, not sure thing on $100 but if you check after say $100,000 it would end up with what you set it at. These days at casinos its a central computer that counts all the machines together and issues the payout..I have a friend that is over technical at Goldstrike casino in tunica and we where talking about it one day..So there is no such thing as a "machine getting ready to hit cause it hasn't hit in a while" anymore at modern casinos, thats why a lot of gamblers are flocking to the small elks lodge machines these days I dont know how to reprogram boards ,it is beyond my pay grade, but i thought it was great idea and i thought it all the way through.. That is why i offered my idea to some big distributors/manufacturers that could do it..Ive gave ideas in the past and got ripped so now i dont share my really good ideas. ron Yeah Ron In Cali. cranes are already so cheap i dont think i could do it any cheaper..The taiwanese have really perfected the cheap crane..You just need to buy more so you can get container pricing. No importer is gonna sell them unless they double their money from what i see.. I would like to make good gravel crane like Rainbow type play as the imports claws are no good for gravel. ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjacks Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 You mis read my post..I said "re-program" it to be a change machine..Tokens only,no cash value.. the "free spin credit" you would get for each dollar inserted.. YES it would pay out more than it took in..but in tokens with no cash value but only good for the locations machines play. besides that it would be "re-programmed" it would have payout of like 10% only, not the 95% or so that most casinos payout..You couldnt reuse the credits you would win with the free spin to keep spinning and playing..but as soon as a lucky patron played that free spin and say won 20 free credits it would spit out the tokens immediately,not after a "cash out" button is pushed..so each dollar would only get one pull of the handle only!! Most game boards (slot machine boards) are set for like 95% or so payout over life of machine...the ones i had out where 80% back in the day.. so if you was to put a $100 bill in that machine and play it, you would notice after say 5 spins you win 10 credits, then after 10 spins you win 10 credits etc etc etc.. but if you count up every win whether its a cherry for 1 credit or 3 bars for15 credits or whatever, it would be $95 before you zero out.. Thats how they pay out, not sure thing on $100 but if you check after say $100,000 it would end up with what you set it at. These days at casinos its a central computer that counts all the machines together and issues the payout..I have a friend that is over technical at Goldstrike casino in tunica and we where talking about it one day..So there is no such thing as a "machine getting ready to hit cause it hasn't hit in a while" anymore at modern casinos, thats why a lot of gamblers are flocking to the small elks lodge machines these days I dont know how to reprogram boards ,it is beyond my pay grade, but i thought it was great idea and i thought it all the way through.. That is why i offered my idea to some big distributors/manufacturers that could do it..Ive gave ideas in the past and got ripped so now i dont share my really good ideas. ron cranes are already so cheap i dont think i could do it any cheaper..The taiwanese have really perfected the cheap crane..You just need to buy more so you can get container pricing. No importer is gonna sell them unless they double their money from what i see.. I would like to make good gravel crane like Rainbow type play as the imports claws are no good for gravel. ron Yeah those cranes are cheap but not good by any measure. I have a couple Impulse cranes on the way as tester units to see if they are a good candidate to phase out all my cheap import cranes. I am pretty sick of constantly having to fix the junk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toad Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 You just to buy the right brand of cranes. Not all "import cranes" are created equal. Plus used equipment is so plentiful and so cheap. I can't imagine buying a new crane ever again in my life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronsidney Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 Yeah those cranes are cheap but not good by any measure. I have a couple Impulse cranes on the way as tester units to see if they are a good candidate to phase out all my cheap import cranes. I am pretty sick of constantly having to fix the junk. Impulse used to use kits from taiwan crane companies..they just built the cabinet here and assembled them.. If the kits are still made in china or taiwan it will still be the same im sorry.. a lesson i learned a while back is stick with taiwan electronics vs chinese..I have several hundred taiwan made feiloli cranes and i have hardly any problems... Just dont buy any thing made in china if you want to steer clear of junk. chinese made electronics...out of 10, 2 will fail within 1 week right off the bat,,4 more will fail within 90 days... the other 4 will be like tanks and not give you a bit of problems.. Its just a crap shoot whether you get lucky or not.. taiwanese made electronics..out of 10, 1 will fail within a week, another 1 or 2 will fail within 90 days..the others will be fine.. most of the time it will be vendor parts that fail,, like the coin mechs, or power supply...Is what really sucks is when the boards are poorly made as this just compounds the problems.. ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.