Dirty Trick to steal a location

[sterling]

Eight months ago I got a call from a location that said please move your machine we need the room for something else. I said sure no problem and came and took the machine out. Not a super performer but a little below average and on my way home so I liked it.

Well today I happened to be in front of that restaurant for the first time since. THEY HAD A MACHINE IN THE SPOT.  I kind of laughed thinking oh well they wanted to put their machine in. So I went in and found the person I orginally placed the machine with. I asked him if it was his machine. He said, "no that is yours". :shock: It seems that it is possible that some vendor called me to have me move my machine so he could  put his there instead!!!!!! The restaurant guy didn't know who's machine it is if it isn't mine. He said he may just take that out of there and for me to come back. Has anybody else been tricked like this. It is certaintly underhanded. I'll say it's clever at least. Needless to say I will always wait to talk tot the person I placed a machine with before pulling them from now on.

 

[antoniocinisi]

INcredible. clever too.

don`t you wish you could see his face when his machine gets the boot?

If it was my restaurant I`d hide it and tell the other guy that the owner cam and picked it up.

then call him the next day and tell him it`s back.

[davidsurvz]

Wow, I haven't heard of this one. I have heard of several cut throat ways that competitors have manipulated machines and locations but that is the first time I've heard of that. Some people are just scumbags.

[markvend]

Have you seen this guys machines other places? He should get the boot for that.

Mark

[sterling]

Actually the same day I saw this guys machines in 2 or 3 other places! No phone # or contact information just the same ugly machine.

[nepavend]

Its good that it worked out for you.  That is some interesting guerilla tactics, certainly not a very good way to keep locations.  Although it has some humor in it, I certainly wouldn't condone this sort of behavior.

[Jax Snacks]

Had a competitor that tried that once. He called and claimed to be the owner (using his name) and requested that I remove the machine - no reason was given. I was suspicious since the caller ID was anonymous. I checked with the location manager a few days later and said the owner would never call us since he lives is in another city and does not actively manage the business.

A new U-turn vendor recently arrived and was vending an unusual amount of candy (like 14 MMP or 24 Skittles for a quarter).  Well it wiped this guy out and he was ticked off. So he got info from the front desk concerning the owner's name and posted a note on the Uturn requesting that the machine be removed and then he called me as well. The manager saw the note and was furious and had both of his machines removed! They were sitting in her office when I arrived to tell her the story. In the end the good guys won and the bad guy got the boot. Wish they all ended that way.

Always verify evictions with the management and go in person to talk with them about it.  Sometimes you can salvage the location, talk them out of it and save it - or in this case, verify that the request is authentic.  As I said earlier (and will continue to say), there is a lot of sleaziness in the vending business.

Jax