No Asset Tag = Stolen Machine?

[Curtis2000]

So I know when we try to buy a used machine off craigslist or where ever, we need call in to the local bottler and see is it is still an active asset. It is a quick easy call to the 1-800-647-2653 tech department for Coke. I do not know the Pepsi number offhand. They will tell you if they still own it and who is supposed to have it or which distributor it is linked to.

 

I have had to pass on some. After I call to check the asset ID and find it is still owned by the bottler, the usual response from the seller is I bought it from someone else (brother-in-law???) or it was left here when I bought/rented the building. Something along those lines. This is typically where I leave.

 

How do you guys feel when you see the asset tag has been removed? I have seen several that were newer machines, but someone has scraped the paper tag off on the inside or removed the metal tag on the outside. You can clearly see the residue from the sticker or the broken rivets on the outside where the plate was.

 

My feeling is on newer machines they are likely still owned by the bottler and either the "seller" or previous seller knew better and scraped the tags off.

 

How long does the bottler keep these machines and what are they doing with them that people end up with them free and clear?

 

Is there a typical end of life age? Maybe they have been completely depreciated and are considered salvage?

 

Will the bottler sell them directly to me at this point? Do they have these somewhere I can see?

 

If I find a missing one do I get a reward?

 

Where are you guys finding free and clear newer machines?

 

 

[rmorris1953]

Franchise Pepsi bottlers are free to do whatever they want with their vendors. Pepsico disposes of all assets for crushing after 7 to 10 years. They no longer will sell any vendors or equipment.

 

My suggestion would be to call the original manufacturer ie Vendo, Royal or D/N, give them S/N and ask who was the original purchaser of the equipment. If it is a bottler call and ask them.  

 

You can also do the same thing with Bill Validators or Coin Mechs. Since I have retired from pepsi I wouldn't want to get caught selling any pepsi equipment. Might cause me to loose retirement.     

[moondog]

For many years, Coke would sell off all their older machines usually in large lots to professional refurbishers who would fix any problems and clean the machines up - they would always remove the asset tags.  Your policy of calling in to verify ownership is a good one as the bottlers are very lax in keeping up with their assets.  Any newer bottler machine you see for sale is most likely a missing asset while the older ones are likely to be resales.  Apparently Coke is no longer selling their older machines but refurbishing the best ones themselves and scrapping the rest.  I've seen locations where Coke has replaced a problematic glassfront machine with an older model stack vendor they've refurbished.  Another thing to be aware of is that Coke is the number one buyer of Royal machines, especially the GIIIs and RV500s.  These machines are also sold directly to the public with slightly different programming but won't have the Coke graphics - you can't buy bottler graphics anymore so anything without the graphics is a safe bet.

[SchligVend]

I have a coke lease that is a V511e looks like its 20 years old, even is a DR pepper front, But it is still bottler owned by looking at it you would never think coke would hold on to something so dirty and old looking.

[moondog]

I have a coke lease that is a V511e looks like its 20 years old, even is a DR pepper front, But it is still bottler owned by looking at it you would never think coke would hold on to something so dirty and old looking.

If you're doing the bottler dance with the quota and all - they should really provide you a nicer, newer machine.

[SchligVend]

If you're doing the bottler dance with the quota and all - they should really provide you a nicer, newer machine.

Yeah I have only about 10 bottler machines left I was at about 18 starting this year and I have 4 that I will be switching for generic very soon I'm so tired of the BS quotas and so high costs of product,  I am only keeping a couple to statisfy those picky accounts that NEED 20oz bottles and want something nice also will use them to win bigger accounts that the big guys are doing with their fancy bottler machines.

[moondog]

Yeah I have only about 10 bottler machines left I was at about 18 starting this year and I have 4 that I will be switching for generic very soon I'm so tired of the BS quotas and so high costs of product,  I am only keeping a couple to statisfy those picky accounts that NEED 20oz bottles and want something nice also will use them to win bigger accounts that the big guys are doing with their fancy bottler machines.

If they're going to stick you with a quota and higher prices, they should give you a glassfront - not some 20 year old POS.  I'm slowly getting all my 511's sold off. too many little issues with those machines.

[AngryChris]

I only have any 3rd party equipment with 7up.  I am currently sitting on 4 but I might move up to about 7 here shortly.  I don't mind 7up at all and I would GLADLY meet their quota if I could sell enough, but I can only do what I can!  I have actually started to switch some things up.

 

Because I don't go through Pepsi or Coke directly, I don't have to deal with their shenanigans... but there is a catch.  The place where I get my 20 oz bottles is a place that has to deal with the quota stuff, so some things kind of get passed on down to me anyway.  I "help" them by buying through them, which keeps their numbers up a little (I am a drop in the bucket) but it also keeps MY costs down since they keep their lower pricing.  I try to focus on cans because I get those way cheaper at Sam's Club and grocery stores when on sale.

 

Here's a tricky situation.  I have an account with a DN 368 with an SII board in it and it is 7up-owned. The customers told me that they had been frustrated with the machine for a while because it would always do weird things, such as give you WHATEVER selection it wanted to... regardless of which button you pressed.  That told me it was a board-related issue.  I took the old bulbs out and they did tell me that it has had the "best run ever" since doing so.  They said they couldn't believe that old bulbs could cause problems but we will see if the machine stays consistent.  If this machine acts up, I am going to ask 7up to pick the thing up because well... why would I want to be pressured to meet the quota of ANOTHER machine when this machine might need some $$ put into it anyway?  I could easily cancel the account but no one needs to know that.  This account was free.

[rmorris1953]

Ah those pesky bulbs..... That is the first thing I check..... I have a friend that bought case of led F-64 T 12's at a trade show and he sells them to me for 50 bucks. You only need one and they wire right into the power plug where the ballast plugs in. Yea no wiring they are fantastic. Don't know what they cost and he can't remember what he paid.

[allen watson]

So a friend of mine had a large number of bottler owned machines for a long time. Over time he replaced them with refurbished ones. Eventually all the bottlers equipment ends up on his storage lot (sand dune) and he calls them to come and get them. Well, they end up sitting on the storage lot for a couple years when out of the blue he gets a call. The bottler says they are sending a truck to pick up the equipment. When the truck arrives, the driver looks at the lot (sand dune) and says, "we don't want THAT stuff", backs out and leaves. He never gets another call or letter or anything stating that they are abandoned by the bottler. In my opinion, it would be tough to prove that he owns them down the road. After all they still have the "owner" tag on them and my friend has no bill of sale. Anyone else have this happen?

[rmorris1953]

I know know Pepsi will do a asset verification where service techs will go out and verify some vendors on the street. They will also ask vendors to verify the assets. If he sees a vendor with foreign product in it and it has no asset 1 simple call with S/N he can find out if it is theirs.

 

Before good computer programs these vendors would just drop out of the system but things have changed a lot in the last 10 years. Anything less then 10 years old there is a good chance it belongs to a bottler. Will they prosecute or pick it up? I don't know  Just make sure you get a bill of sale to cover yourself. 

 

Sales people are very slow about picking up vendors. It goes against their numbers and it takes forever to get them picked up. Not right but it happens all the time. Until they are picked up it will go against the case count.

[FrCorey]

bulbs?

something is not grounded and sending static back to the cpu board.

thus scrambling the logic sometimes.

[mission vending]

For many years, Coke would sell off all their older machines usually in large lots to professional refurbishers who would fix any problems and clean the machines up - they would always remove the asset tags.  Your policy of calling in to verify ownership is a good one as the bottlers are very lax in keeping up with their assets.  Any newer bottler machine you see for sale is most likely a missing asset while the older ones are likely to be resales.  Apparently Coke is no longer selling their older machines but refurbishing the best ones themselves and scrapping the rest.  I've seen locations where Coke has replaced a problematic glassfront machine with an older model stack vendor they've refurbished.  Another thing to be aware of is that Coke is the number one buyer of Royal machines, especially the GIIIs and RV500s.  These machines are also sold directly to the public with slightly different programming but won't have the Coke graphics - you can't buy bottler graphics anymore so anything without the graphics is a safe bet.

 

 

Not necessarily, the front is easily changed.... Long story short, do what you can to verify ownership and walk away from those that you do that belong to someone else. If can't be verified then I would say do it BUT pay with a check so you can show that you bought it AND get a Bill of Sale with the sellers name and address on it. So if the worst case ever happens you can prove that you bought it in good faith and can show the who and where you got it.

 

bulbs?

something is not grounded and sending static back to the cpu board.

thus scrambling the logic sometimes.

 

 

RF feedback from bulbs can easily cause wierd problems like coin mechs jackpotting and random dispensing. I have seen it many times, take out the bulb and the problem goes away.