New Vendor Tips

[G-man422]

I'm very new myself, but wanted to just put in a simple format what I have learned in my months of bulk vending. All of this info was pretty much gathered from the great members here on vendiscuss. I just want to compile them into a quick reference for newer vendors.

Finding the Right Machine

There are a lot of great places to find machines and no one says you have to buy new. In fact, I say buy used for a better return on investment. I purchased my first two machines off of www.craigslist.com . It is a great site to find deals around in your area. When buying keep in mind what would be best for your business. Do you want to expand quickly? If so, go with singles, then buy some racks to put them on. Do you have a busy break room? Get a triple. To see what other members have to say about different machines check out the equipment review section: http://www.vendiscuss.com/forums/view_forum.php?id=19 . When buying machine keep in mind that the members here seem to agree that Northwester, and Beaver coin mechs are the two best quality mechs made.

Buying the Machine is the Easy Part

Now you have to get it out there to make some money. You have two options. (1) Hire someone to do it for you, or (2) Locate yourself. When hiring a locater, make sure they are reputable and check with past vendors who have used them. Look at the locater review section for help: http://www.vendiscuss.com/forums/view_forum.php?id=5 . If you choose to go the second route you will need to do so in a professional way. I purchased some inexpensive business cards off of www.vistaprint.com (avoid the ads at the end after checkout) and purchased some polo's that I had embroidered. Always go into a location as if they are going to say "yes", but don't be discouraged by "no's". You must be professional, calm, collected and positive!

How and When to Service the Machines

I like to make it quick with a nice smile. People are busy and don't like to be bothered. I collect from the machine, see what is needed, bring it in, fill'er up (3/4 of the way is recommended to cut down on spoilage), then clean the machine with a water squirter and cloth. I am currently on a 1 month cycle which is about normal. Always keep tools and extra parts for your machine with you. It could save you from having to pull a broken machine.

 

Tips and Useful Info

- Gumballs are good for about 1 year.

- Never put machines in direct sunlight.

- Keep good records! This will save you time and $$ down the road.

- Look into establishing an LLC and getting insurance.

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The name of the game is to have fun, make some money, and learn a lot. You will learn so much from Vendiscuss it is amazing. I encourage everyone to look through old posts, use the Search icon and always ask questions.

Happy Vending!

[mrsar66]

Where did you purchase your polos from?

I recently purchased some business cards and t-shirts from vistaprint, but i did not see any polos.

[G-man422]

Believe it or not I went to Salvation Army and got 3 polos that look like new for $3 each.  Then I took them to a local embroidery place and had them all done for a total of $15.