foggie36 Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Hi folks. Brand new member here. I work as a nighttime custodian at a reasonably large real estate agent building. Tonight I saw a note posted on the vending machine in the break room. "1,000 OBO. 75-100/month." w/ some contact info. The machines are labeled as FSI Inc 3039 and 3038. The soda machine hold 6 soda cans and the snack machines holds 19. Two seperate machines attached by a cable. With no prior knowledge of this industry, I've gathered that these machines are pretty old but somewaht reliable. Is this a decent deal and how do i go about getting started in this business? Any info/cmments are appreciated. Thanks for the help!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Hi folks. Brand new member here. I work as a nighttime custodian at a reasonably large real estate agent building. Tonight I saw a note posted on the vending machine in the break room. "1,000 OBO. 75-100/month." w/ some contact info. The machines are labeled as FSI Inc 3039 and 3038. The soda machine hold 6 soda cans and the snack machines holds 19. Two seperate machines attached by a cable. With no prior knowledge of this industry, I've gathered that these machines are pretty old but somewaht reliable. Is this a decent deal and how do i go about getting started in this business? Any info/cmments are appreciated. Thanks for the help!! I have 7 or 8 of these set ups, great little workhorse machines. If they are in good condition and all works its not a bad deal, around here they will go for about the same amount. Take a good look at the umbilical cord that is the weakest part of the setup, when the machines are shaken and moved the cord can get pinched and damaged, its a easy fix if it does happen. The sign did say OBO, so 800 would be even better..... Its a small machine so having only 19 snack selections means you can manage your out of dates by paying attention to what you buy. Look for products that have a longer shelf life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Hi folks. Brand new member here. I work as a nighttime custodian at a reasonably large real estate agent building. Tonight I saw a note posted on the vending machine in the break room. "1,000 OBO. 75-100/month." w/ some contact info. The machines are labeled as FSI Inc 3039 and 3038. The soda machine hold 6 soda cans and the snack machines holds 19. Two seperate machines attached by a cable. With no prior knowledge of this industry, I've gathered that these machines are pretty old but somewaht reliable. Is this a decent deal and how do i go about getting started in this business? Any info/cmments are appreciated. Thanks for the help!! Normally we don't recommend starting out with combo machines due to their small capacity. It's hard to make any real money with these machines. But given that you work there, your cost to service should be nil. I doubt you'll net more than $40 a month with this set up (which is why the guy's selling it). The upside is that it only requires one bill validator and one coin mech to run both machines, The downside is if one goes down it takes out both machines. The price is about what I'd expect considering they're already located. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Welcome to the forum foggie36, That pair of machines is a decent setup though you would have the problems Moondog stated of trying to avoid your snacks expiring before you can sell them all. If you're willing to put up with the expiration problem then this is doable. The soda machine is cans only which helps you avoid short dates with bottles. Since you are there frequently you will be able to repair them without delay as you will see the machines each day but please realize, these are machines and you will have a long learning curve. By operating them you will quickly learn if it's enjoyable or a pain in the arse, and can then decide if you want to expand a little bit. Since you don't know anything about vending yet I will caution you that the snack could still have the old obsolete Maka bill validator in it. If that's the case you will eventually need to upgrade it. I would try to get the price down as these machines are kind of old. The only thing they have for them is they are already on location. I would also offer $700-800 and see what they say. I would also ask for the product and coin inventory in the coin mech to be included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggie36 Posted April 28, 2014 Author Share Posted April 28, 2014 Hey guys. Thanks for all the input. It definitely seems like an interesting opportunity. Im a young guy, 23, and just graduated from the Univ of Oregon. Working 2 jobs right now and saving for the future to start my own buisness. Im viewing this opportunity as a way to start learning and practicng the basic concepts of running a small business. While 700-900 dollars is a decent chunk of change for me, it would be an invaluable chance to grow and gain some real world experience. I appreciate all the feedback from this forum. One more question. The sign says 75-100/pre month Net. So is it safe to assume that if request some numbers from her, that the monthly gross should be around 150-200? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryChris Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 I'm on the fence on this one. I currently have no need for a set like that so I wouldn't even be interested. I also tend to get the snack/bottle set for $1,000 around here (newer model equipment). If I was interested in that equipment, I would offer no more than $800 if they are in good shape. I don't advise starting off with such a small account though. As people have already mentioned, expired product will be your downfall. You might want to contact a local vendor to see if they are willing to sell you some additional accounts at a reasonable price. This might help your situation, especially if you can have 3 or 4 accounts in the same area that work with your work schedule. Keep in mind that the return-on-investment in vending can be several years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawksfan9325 Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Hmm. Also, make sure this real estate firm is ok with you owning these machines, while being an employee of said company. Oftentimes this can be a conflict with management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggie36 Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 Hmm. Also, make sure this real estate firm is ok with you owning these machines, while being an employee of said company. Oftentimes this can be a conflict with management. Well, I actually dont work for the real estate company. I work for Custodial service that contracts out to other businesses. So these people at this real estate company dont even know me. I clean the account at night and dont interact with anyone from the business. The only potential conflict of interest would be with my custodial employer. I will definitely run it by them first if I get to the point where I may purchase this machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Hey guys. Thanks for all the input. It definitely seems like an interesting opportunity. Im a young guy, 23, and just graduated from the Univ of Oregon. Working 2 jobs right now and saving for the future to start my own buisness. Im viewing this opportunity as a way to start learning and practicng the basic concepts of running a small business. While 700-900 dollars is a decent chunk of change for me, it would be an invaluable chance to grow and gain some real world experience. I appreciate all the feedback from this forum. One more question. The sign says 75-100/pre month Net. So is it safe to assume that if request some numbers from her, that the monthly gross should be around 150-200? $150 to $200 a month tends to be a little high for a combo machine but apparently that's what she's saying - I suspect that this is an exaggeration based on maybe her best two months ever. Like we've already said, it's tough to make a lot of money with combo machines since they don't hold much product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDERSONVENDING Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 I have a 19 select and a bc6 coupled together that have hit 240 dollars in one week. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 I have a 19 select and a bc6 coupled together that have hit 240 dollars in one week. John How many times did you fill it that week John? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QualitySelectionsJ Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 I have a 19 select and a bc6 coupled together that have hit 240 dollars in one week. One of my genesis combos does around $180 a week, good season. It's low, but not completely empty. Crazy thing, the location (7 yrs now) wants to keep it there because of space. I'm dying to replace with a 501-e. Only reason this somewhat works is because I double up certain products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDERSONVENDING Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Believe it or not it was in a trucking company between Thanksgiving and Christmas. they were working 2 shifts 6 days a week, and I only filled once a week. That was 2 years ago. I've since switched to a 23 select with a bc6 and I'm doing 180 to 200 per week now.I stop in on Friday morning to top off Mountain Dew so its not empty when I go to service on Tuesday. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orsd Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 You should consider putting full size stuff in there Maybe at least replace the bc 6 with a dixie or vendo in the 400 and above capacity ranges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDERSONVENDING Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 This account has actually moved to a larger warehouse so now its a matter of time before I end up installing larger machines. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryChris Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 This account has actually moved to a larger warehouse so now its a matter of time before I end up installing larger machines. John Could you provide an address for this prime location so I can offer larger equipment right away? Just kidding, but you get the point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDERSONVENDING Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Could you provide an address for this prime location so I can offer larger equipment right away? Just kidding, but you get the point! Did I mention that I have a Dixie 276 at the other end of the warehouse? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko303 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 All, I am also on the market for some vending machines and am new to the biz. I was wondering if this machine can dispense energy drinks such as monster and rockstar. I work at the company I am placing these in and they are fine with me doing so I was actually encouraged to place them there for the convenience for employees. Also are they hard to maintain maintenance wise? Is it complicated to upgrade parts such as the bill acceptor? I am asking these questions because I found a guy selling these machinesfor $750 and that includes delivery. I am goinh to run some basic test once I see the machines so any information would be much appreciated. Also if anyone has any specific test that would benefit me before the purchase I would really appreciate it as well. Images have been attached of the actual machine. Thank you all for the help and take care. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojorhino Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 All, I am also on the market for some vending machines and am new to the biz. I was wondering if this machine can dispense energy drinks such as monster and rockstar. I work at the company I am placing these in and they are fine with me doing so I was actually encouraged to place them there for the convenience for employees. Also are they hard to maintain maintenance wise? Is it complicated to upgrade parts such as the bill acceptor? I am asking these questions because I found a guy selling these machinesfor $750 and that includes delivery. I am goinh to run some basic test once I see the machines so any information would be much appreciated. Also if anyone has any specific test that would benefit me before the purchase I would really appreciate it as well. Images have been attached of the actual machine. Thank you all for the help and take care. Nick Essentially all you can vend from one of these are 12oz. cans because the satellite unit is serpentine, unless you know where to find 12oz. energy drinks which I personally have not seen. Coke makes a 10.6oz water bottle that works like 12oz. cans. They are just as easy (actually easier) to maintain than 2 separate units because you only have one validator & one coin mech to worry about. The bill validator is easy to upgrade to a MEI 25XX & the Coin mech is probably already a Coinco 93XX so you would probably just need a MDB harness. Contrary to what has been posted these are not combo machines & have more capacity than a combo machine however would probably not be big enough for a large or very busy location unless you already work there (like you previously stated) & are able to fill them more than once a week. As far as tests go you could run a motor test that would make all of the motors turn so you could confirm which motors were working & which ones were not. The main snack unit has a sticker on the inside door that tells you the basic functions & programming of the machine. Bring a case of soda, $20 in singles & a bunch of change so you can test the condition of the coin mech & validator. I would also suggest having the seller put some soda in the machine & have them plug it in so you could confirm that the refrigeration works as it should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 You'll need three cans in each soda column to test them. If the columns are empty you can't even perform a computer test vend. Be prepared to remove any cans you find left in the machine as product can damage the vend motors when moving the soda machine. The machines look dirty so they will need to be cleaned up. The snack machine is not capable of using any MDB coin mech or bill validator, but the bill validator is an old, obsolete Maka that may need to be upgraded. $750 is a good price if they are working, but have them plug the soda machine two hours before you arrive so you know that it cools properly. If you need to upgrade the validator or need any other parts for these you can PM me as I do stock parts for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko303 Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Thank you Major & AZV you guys were very helpful. I have one more question and that is if I replace any parts such as the bill validator what will that require? Would it need to be programmed or flashed somehow like a board. Once again thank you both for all the help its much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojorhino Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 You'll need three cans in each soda column to test them. If the columns are empty you can't even perform a computer test vend. Be prepared to remove any cans you find left in the machine as product can damage the vend motors when moving the soda machine. The machines look dirty so they will need to be cleaned up. The snack machine is not capable of using any MDB coin mech or bill validator, but the bill validator is an old, obsolete Maka that may need to be upgraded. $750 is a good price if they are working, but have them plug the soda machine two hours before you arrive so you know that it cools properly. If you need to upgrade the validator or need any other parts for these you can PM me as I do stock parts for them. I have a 3132 with a 3038 satellite unit . . . & mine is MDB so I thought the 3039 was MDB was as well, which was incorrect Thank you Major & AZV you guys were very helpful. I have one more question and that is if I replace any parts such as the bill validator what will that require? Would it need to be programmed or flashed somehow like a board. Once again thank you both for all the help its much appreciated. According to the 3039 service manual & its addendum, the compatible coin mechs are Coinco 9302L & Mars TRC6010, so if you needed to upgrade the validator you should only need to get a MEI 2000 series or its Coinco equivalent along with the appropriate wiring harness to make it compatible with whichever coin mech the machine has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 His machine isn't a 3039 model, it's an older one with a SM3 board in it based on the yellow credit display. Nick, the coin mech replacement is a Coinco 9302L or a TRC6010 and the easiest validator upgrade is a Coinco with a interconnect harness from the new Coinco unit to the old Maka harness connectors in the machine. There is no programming needed to make this change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko303 Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Thank you both for all the help. I will be taking a trip out to where they are located today and begin my testing. Once I have the results I will make my decision. Do you guys recommend swapping the bill validator or is the validator included good enough for now? Are there down sides to having an older model? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 If the Maka validator it has now is working fine then there's no need to upgrade it yet. When it does become problematic is when you'll want to trade it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.