vendgirl Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I am just starting out in this business and have a few questions! If anyone has any input that would be awesome. 1. First of all I don't know which type of machines to purchase? I was originally going to purchase combo machines, but heard those aren't as good and don't make as much profit. I am wondering if I should do just drink machines or what? Do you think it would be better to place a few drink machines at some places, or one drink and one snack machine at a couple places, or a couple big capacity combos at a few locations? 2. What brand machines do you recommend? I want something newer because I don't know how to fix very well. I plan on hiring service if ever needed (trying first though). I have about $8,000 or so to spend on the machines and I would like to buy more than one. 3. Do you recommend using a locator? If so which locator do you recommend? I have heard there are a lot of scammers here, have you heard of any that are reliable? 4. Just curious how many vends per day do you receive on each type of machine and where are those machines located? Is there any place that seems to work "wonders"? 5. Any books you have read that have helped you out in this business? 6. I am located in Southeast Wisconsin if that makes any sort of difference. Thank you very very much in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexlex Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 The first thing I would do would be to buy this book "The truth about vending" and read it. You can find it on eBay. I was able to get a copy via electronic download so if you want it today search around. It helped me immensely and worth the money. Remember "readers are leaders and leaders are readers." Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vfendman1968 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 You are in a great place to get alot of different views on what you should do when you are just starting out. $8000.00 can get a you a good group of pop and snack machines if you know where to look for the deals. I would check around your area and see if any of your local vendors are ready to sell their routes or any equipment. My email is at the bottom of the screen if you wish to send me photos of the equipment you are looking at buying and I can tell you if it is a good buy or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendgirl Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Or if anyone knows a good company that sells machines. @rexlex I will look for that book tonight! Thank you. @vfendman1968 Thank you! I will look locally here is southeast Wisconsin there isn't a ton of places. Do you know any online places? Or is shipping outrageous when ordering online? Do you recommend any specific types of machines (brands and just drink, just snack, or combo)? Thanks for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunCandy Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I would start off with single price can drinks machines, for the simple reason of being cheaper to buy and easier to fix for a beginner. Wisconsin is cold this time of year, don't know how good cold drinks would sell up there. Cold drinks in cans last ten months, compared to bottles three months. Snack machines would be good, but if you only have one, then you would have a good chance of certain chips expiring in machine and you could be eating a bunch of chips yourself . You would need at least five or more machine placed for snacks. Other vendors will chip in and give advice as well. cajun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendgirl Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 @CajunCandy Even though it's cold up here we still drink plenty lol. To be honest I wanted to stay away from can sodas. In general I'm a very modern person and like to stay up to date. For some reason cans don't appease to me, but I would do a mixed machine with cans/bottles. Thank you!! @CajunCandy I also don't mind refilling the machine a little more often Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orsd Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 @CajunCandy Even though it's cold up here we still drink plenty lol. To be honest I wanted to stay away from can sodas. In general I'm a very modern person and like to stay up to date. For some reason cans don't appease to me, but I would do a mixed machine with cans/bottles. Thank you!! @CajunCandy I also don't mind refilling the machine a little more often You'll pay for it, cans cost 30 cents sell 75 bottles cost 100 sell 150 And as for machines old dixie narco single price cost 400 newer multi price 800 Older machines are Simpler to repair too And if you want the newfangled glassfronts 1500 Also you will not want to service often see cost to service thread for more info Also the member azvendor on here is our resident tech he can guide you thru troubleshooting and send you parts for just about every damn machine made in the past 30 years Good bands are dixie narco vendo and royal vendors Also ap national crane and ams Rowe is older but built like a tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunCandy Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 @CajunCandy Even though it's cold up here we still drink plenty lol. To be honest I wanted to stay away from can sodas. In general I'm a very modern person and like to stay up to date. For some reason cans don't appease to me, but I would do a mixed machine with cans/bottles. Thank you!! @CajunCandy I also don't mind refilling the machine a little more oftenI In that case look for these machines. Royal 650, 660, 804. Dixie Narco 501E, 600E. Vendo v-max series, machines. All these machines should be muti-price machines and can do bottles and cans. With the Royal machines it is a rod that has to be moved to vend cans or bottles. Must be programmed to vend bottles and cans for depth and prices. There is also space to sales for the individual slots for the products. Dixie Narco along with Vendo has shims and rods for cans and different size bottles. That is why I was saying single price can machines to start off with and learn as you go. There is company's who sell machines set up like you need, just a little on expensive side, along with shipping. Goggle vending machines and watch what comes up. cajun PS good luck in your ventures! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendgirl Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 @orsd thank you! I'll definitly look for at least a mixed machine with cans/ bottles. Awesome I will remember to use azvendor for parts/service that's good yo know! @CajunCandy I'm going to look up the machines you just listed right now. Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendgirl Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 @cajuncandy do you know any glass front machines with cans/bottles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orsd Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 All glassfronts can do combo now you'll want to avoid the for now as they have many electronic components that can be difficult to fix If your dead set on it then get a dixie narco 5591 This is adrop machine without finicky robots Earlier 2xxx series were trouble some unless upgraded and earlier robots (5800-2/-3) were trouble some too as are vendo vues Royal visions are decent The best is the 5800-4 but be prepared to pay over 2 k for one and so aren't worth it for small accounts My original advice still stands, get a single price dixie narco full with cans and put it into a mechanics shop tiger you feet wet total investment 600 Also if you see craigslist ads post then here and we can analyze them for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendgirl Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thank you! I like to start big lol. Maybe that's not a good thing. I like the Dixie narco 5591 you mentioned. Do you think it would be better to start with that or a glass front combo machine with more composity than other ones? I really don't know what to start with (all drink, drink/snack at locations, or combos) Sorry you did say the glass front combos aren't the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orsd Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 All soda When I said combo I meant can bottle combo you were asking for Do stay away for soda snack combo In one machine If you start too big without learning the ropes first you may get I over you head I recommend one first and once you get the hang of it and you like it then you can grow fast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendgirl Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thanks! In the future do you recommend adding snack machines as well, or always sticking with soda? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orsd Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 When you have a few good larger accounts put snacks in, to avoid spoilage Also they are more work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendgirl Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thanks you definitly have good advise. I will start with all drink and work from there I'm thinking. I might start with 2 or 3 machines at different locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thank you! I like to start big lol. Maybe that's not a good thing. I like the Dixie narco 5591 you mentioned. Do you think it would be better to start with that or a glass front combo machine with more composity than other ones? I really don't know what to start with (all drink, drink/snack at locations, or combos) Sorry you did say the glass front combos aren't the best. The best accounts to get are blue collar type places and the first thing you will find when you go looking for locations is that the premium locations already have vending services. This is why we usually recommend looking for smaller blue collar locations that may not have any machines. These will not be the Grand a month account that everybody craves but with a simple soda machine, you can make some decent money if you can string enough of them together. These are not accounts where you'll be dealing with snack machines (a good thing) but they are accounts you can find to get started and make some easy money. AND spend a good week reading back through this forum - you'll find many answers to the questions you have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendgirl Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thank you moondog. Do you recommend hiring a locator? I know a lot of people seem to be very against it. Are there any really good locators out there that you know of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunCandy Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thank you moondog. Do you recommend hiring a locator? I know a lot of people seem to be very against it. Are there any really good locators out there that you know of? vendgirl, the best locator is yourself! Paying somebody to do what you can do is crazy! Know your terrain, don't be afraid to ask! If location already has machines and they look empty, ask if their happy with present vendor, one way to get your foot into the door! Remember no combo machines! I've been told no many of times, and I'm still asking! Like moondawg said look for blue collar places, they will be your best locations. cajun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendgirl Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thank you I appreciate the help! I was planning on doing it on my own. I'm thinking office buildings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thank you I appreciate the help! I was planning on doing it on my own. I'm thinking office buildings. Offices tend to be the weakest accounts - look for a tire shop or body shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orsd Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thank you I appreciate the help! I was planning on doing it on my own. I'm thinking office buildings.Like moon said blue collar is the best, people tend to want coke after busting golpher and sweating rather than sitting all dayPlus, white collar folks are more likely to bring trays of cookies and such to the break room and share or be the health nut type Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendgirl Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 What if it is an office with 150+ employees? I look back when I use a vending machine and it was only while in college and now at my job haha. So, that's why I thought those places. I will look more blue collar. Are there any "top" places you recommend? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 A white collar account with 150 regular full-time employees that all use a single breakroom can be supported by one soda and one snack very easily. In the old days we would put two sodas, one snack, one coffee and one cold food in for a location like that but times have changed and it's harder than ever to turn a profit in white collar locations now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendgirl Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 Thank you! I will be coming up with some better blue collar companies that I can use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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