Abandoned machine for me.

[sterling]

I was at a customers place this morning doing some lighting retrofits. They had two machines turned around with taped notes on them. Do not eat this candy it is bad. Please remove machines.  The Vendstar had no numbers or stickers on it and the gumball machine had a number but she said it was disconnected, and no one had come in a year.  She was going to throw them in the trash. I asked if I could see if any of my keys work. The vendstar lid opened but not the back. She said please take the gumball machine. I took it to my car and pulled several key rings out. The first key I tried worked!:shock: I collected the $7.25 in the machine and threw my new free machine in the truck.

I don't think I would have done it a year ago, but after a year of seeing abandoned machines and owners telling me they throw them in the trash I thought, ok if I can use a machine apparently isn't wanted, I'll take it. I did call the number to see if it really was disconnected, it was. Anyone else have experienced this or taken machines.

[dperry]

I had a couple of similarities to this:

I had one location where I was the first in there.  The first time I came in to service it, I found another gumball machine just like mine.  I tried my key in it and it worked!!!!!!? WTF???  Luckily I had a spare machine in the car with different locks and I swapped out my locks for one that didn't fit that other vending machine.

Also, I've had had this one other location for over a year.  When I first placed my machine they had an abandoned machine in the back.  So I've been coming to this location for over a year and seeing the same abandoned machine every time I come in.  So I ask, and they let me buy it for $10.  I figure the pipe stand was worth that much.  The machine was junk tho.

[Jax Snacks]

There are many opinions (some very emotional) about abandoned machines. Some feel that if you take anything, it will start a vendor war. Many full time vendors will threaten to "hit" dozens of your stuff if you do that to them. However, a professional vendor would never abandon their machines and the situation would never arise.

I deal with it on a case by case basis. I also differentiate between biz-op vendors (vendstar, Uturn, 1-800, etc.) and non-biz-op vendors (Oak, NW, AA, Beaver). I define an abandoned machine as being empty AND has not been serviced for 8 months AND has no contact (or disconnected) phone. If the location owner tells me to take it AND it is a biz-op machine, I will usually take it. I figure that this was a newbie that did not make it and really did abandon the machine. If it's a non-biz-op machine , I figure it belongs to a "professional" full time vendor and I will usually NOT take it unless it has been abandoned for years AND I don't know who the other vendor is - maybe he even died.

I will never really understand this abandoned machine phenomenon. After all, the machine will have some money in it AND it can be sold for something. The best reasoning I can think of is that they simply do not to face the reality and failure of the situation. Similar to how I don't want to open my IRA statements since I have lost most my retirement on paper - too painful to open and read it!

Jax

[Beer980]

I think I would have taken them if they really were going to throw them in the trash right then. I think I would have tried to get some type of signed release from them that they had tried to contact the owners and were throwing them out just to CYA. It does sound like they were abandoned. Karma dictates that you should never take another vendors machine but it sounds like you were saving them from an early death.

[antoniocinisi]

I am against takeing another persons machine,although I guess under certain circumstances it could be ok.

after a year of sitting empty and therefore abondoned I can relate to someone takeing a machine and makeing the biz owner happy too.

it also would make more room in case u wanted to upgrade your machines in that location.I would hate it though if the owner of the machines decides that he does want his machine back and takes mine since his is gone.

[nepavend]

I have at least one or two locations that have this, one where I am directly in front of three charity candy machines which haven't been touched in the 6 months I have been in there.  The second place I was told to take two machines sitting in the basement that they had yanked and never heard from the owners.  One was an old Adam Walsh charity, which was at least 20 years old, a NW60 with glass globe!

My rule of thumb is basically going to be is I see it empty for a long time, 6-12 months depending on the spot and condition of the machine, approach the owner of the location and ask if he knows anything about it.  if not, I'll offer to take them to clean up his business a little.  I'll try to contact the number listed also.  If they are salvageable i'll clean them up, otherwise I'll just gut them for whatever parts I can get and ditch the rest.

[dperry]

I don't know how much you can rely the machine being empty as your only guage to tell if a machine is abanonded or not.  I have a location where I have a single gumball machine selling gumballs at 2for1 that empties out every 2 months (my service cycle is 2 months).  There is also a double and a u-turn in there as well.  Everytime I come in, my machine is empty.  That's a good thing.  But if those other venders come in and see my empty machine, they may think it's abandoned and want to take it.

[lurtsman]

I don't know how much you can rely the machine being empty as your only guage to tell if a machine is abanonded or not.  I have a location where I have a single gumball machine selling gumballs at 2for1 that empties out every 2 months (my service cycle is 2 months).  There is also a double and a u-turn in there as well.  Everytime I come in, my machine is empty.  That's a good thing.  But if those other venders come in and see my empty machine, they may think it's abandoned and want to take it.

I would like to have this location.

[timberframe50]

I was talking with my local Walmart store manager about placing a machine, after the official No told me someone placed a 2 head gumball machine inside the other door without permision. First he asked if it was mine, then asked me to remove it. I checked it over and could find no information. I told him I couldn't take someones machine. I know use that door evertime I'm there and this rough machine has not moved.

[antoniocinisi]

  But if those other venders come in and see my empty machine, they may think it's abandoned and want to take it.

it should be empty for many months in a row for it to be considered abondoned

[T BIRD]

I have learned on here from long time vendors to leave what is not mine alone. Period. Too much bad karma otherwise.

[Jax Snacks]

I don't know how much you can rely the machine being empty as your only guage to tell if a machine is abanonded or not.  Everytime I come in, my machine is empty.  That's a good thing.  But if those other venders come in and see my empty machine, they may think it's abandoned and want to take it.

That is not the only criteria.  Having a valid contact phone is another criteria - which I am sure you have. 

Jax

[nepavend]

That is true Johnny, that is why I will never steal a machine outright.  That will come back to haunt whoever does something like that twofold.  My partner has a cousin who did that frequently in NJ and now has severe family and health issues.  While that may not have directly caused his issues, I'm sure the karma factor played some role in it.

But when it comes to machines that could be abandoned there is a huge gray area when the location owner wants it gone, the machine has the same 10 morsels that were there for the previous 6-12 months, and it has no number or a disconnected number on the machine, and all of these factors hit during a service of your machine. 

I also like Jax's idea of the newbies vs. pros machines.  While nothing is 100% accurate, that is another factor to consider.

A very complicated issue indeed.  I wrestle with it myself quite a bit more than I thought previously.

[Jax Snacks]

Abandoned machines can get us all kicked out - another factor to consider. I don't want to take other machines either, but sometimes we have to be proactive on this matter. Each vendor needs to form an opinion on this since we all need to deal with it at some point.

Jax

[Quarter Master]

I agree that abandoned machines have to be handeled on a one on one case at the location. I have only been approached one time (last year) and was given the machine by the store owner.He stated it hadn't been serviced "in over a year" and he was ready to throw it in the dumpster.I took the machine, but I left my business card with a full description of the machine written on the back and held it in my garage for 6 months. Their was no contact from anyone.I try to help the other guy out if I can but only if I can find out who he is. Yes, it's a touchy situation.

[Beer980]

I look at it like Jax. In a way I don't want my machine next to a dirty, empty, abandoned machine. It does elevate my machine to the better choice but I really try to distance my machine from it. If possible I move the old machine far enough away to not be associated with mine if possible. If you spend any time in this business you will come across this at one time or another. It is better for those that are new to this to decide how they will handle it before it appears in front of them. If you have a game plan on how to handle it before it happens then you will look more professional rather then stumbling for a plan right there.