gsnwag Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 I went to a local eatery today to locate a machine. I spoke with the owner who said that they had a small gumball machine vending 1" gumballs. He said that I can put a machine in his place as long as it did not cut into his machine profits. Sounds like a double edge sword. I don't see how it won't cut into his machine. He did mention that it gets warm in there also. He ask about commission, we told him that all donations and one dollar goes to charity. He said to bring a machine next week and see how it goes. Should we even do this? I know it is better than sitting up or should we try locating somewhere else. Maybe he wants to see how much we pull in and then bring up commission again. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer980 Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Can't hurt to try. If it does cut into his profits will he kick you out? At least you get a month in there and it is better then the machine at your house. Maybe try to feel out how well his machine does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsnwag Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 He said his machine pulled in $120 in 3 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurtsman Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 If he gets 120$ in 3 months, you need to get in there. If at all possible encourage him to have a slower service cycle so he won't notice a dip in profits. I feel that the goal with management is generally to apply the dilbert principles. Make it less work to leave your machine than to interfere with it, and they will accept it because most people are deathly scared of doing a true day's work. Perhaps I'm just jaded because of where I live though. (Nepotism reigns supreme. If you want a good job here, you are someone's friend/relative, or you are not seriously considered. It is scary.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer980 Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Yea you should go in there for as long as they let you stay. Don't offer gumballs and stay away from heat sensitive candy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsnwag Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 Thanks. I have 4 select u-turn. I was going to go with skittles, h/t, runts by his request, and I have gum tabs, but that might not go weell with his gumballs. Any ideas on other candy? I have PMM, but assume they will not hold up. All thoughts are appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacho Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Hot Tamales will stick together in a hot place. Make sure you spray them with Pam. I don't know how long they will last. You may have to treat them every month unless they sell out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsnwag Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 Thanks bacho. We treat them now, but we have yet to experience our hot humid weather. We have some atomic fireballs, don't know what they will do. We may try PMM, skittles, atomic fireballs, and runts and see what happens. We still have afew months before the real heat and humidity gets here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsnwag Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 What kind of non chocolate candies are good sellers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluePlate Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 I would go in there with a single head bouncy ball machine. Give him a 25-30% commision. I have an "eatery" right now it have done over $100 2 months in a row, I do expect it to drop off in the following months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 What kind of non chocolate candies are good sellers? I do know that hot tamales does not vend well in that type of machine. I have some of those and CAN NOT put them in there . For some reason the get chewed up and stuck. I would put skittle, Runts ,Reeses,Chicle gum. If you do put MM of any kind don't fill it up . Like that by the time you service it again it will be down enought that you didn't loss any candy. hope this helps betty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1375 Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Betty, I have to disagree with the Hot Tamales/U-Turn comment. I have four U-Turn machines and vend Hot Tamales in all four and have not had any problems with them at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Well good for you .............Myself and the OP live in a hot and very humid area and I can tell you I can not vend it . Believe me I been doing this for 10+ years now . But if you can more power to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Here is my .02 since I still have many U-turns as well. So here is my techie/nerdy explanation. On the underside of the base of the candy tumbler, there are three different designs that Uturn made over the years and one of them is bad for M&I and Hot Toms. So turn over the bases and inspect them. The early design looked like a kids swimming pool - just a square bottom with 4 outside walls. The 2nd design added an inside "wall" in the middle to minimize giving too much free candy that got "trapped" in this area and unfortunately the jell products also got stuck on this inside wall and would jam. So Uturn modified the design again and now currently has only a semi-wall that goes only half way into the open area so that jell products can not get stuck. I only use the 1st or 3rd design for those jelly products since I had the same problem years ago and got this info from Uturn. Also always use a spring stir and avoid filling it to the top. Try to keep the machine in a A/C climate controlled environment. There will still be some locations (especially in here the great south east) where you simply can not vend them due to extreme humidity in some locations. M&I is my second best selling candy and it would be a real shame to not be able to sell it. However, I no longer sell the Hot Tomales - just too inconsistent. Hope that helps. Jax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nepavend Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Go with toys toys toys! and stickers if you can get a flat sticker machine somehow. He can keep his single gumball all he wants if you get after the toys and lock that market down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I agree with Joe on that one. To keep with the original topic, I would do Skittles, Runts (if requested), one capsule toy and superballs. Avoid MMP if he wants a commission. M&I also sells well in the right climate. However, candy usually does not sell that well in restaurants! I would eventually replace the Runts with another capsule toy later on. Jax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurtsman Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I like the toys idea. I'm in a restaraunt and didn't have toys so I put in gumballs and candy. It did decently, which to me is a flag that toys will be strong. Ultimately he will probably complain that it is cutting into his sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markvend Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I agree with the "toys" comments and especially the balls. I think toys will help the perception that it will not cut into his profits. Also, 27mm asst balls have a good profit margin for you as an operator (and unlimited shelf life). THanks, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joebob051977 Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Absolutely do it. Once your machine is in there, it is highly unlikely that it will come out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Jax, Thanks for the tips. I guess thats why I had that troule............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nepavend Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Superballs are the second cheapest product after gumballs, and in that setting I have always sold great. Toys are more but those also sell very well and the mystery mixes and things like that are usually priced OK, about 5 cents or 20% COGs. Stickers/Tats are about the same COG as toy capsules, about 10 cents or 20% COGs. With a 50 cent vend option you will increase your revenue drastically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurtsman Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I'd consider an early check in--if the location is doing great and you want to make sure you can keep it buy some gumballs so he will not see a slump in sales. That way if sales drop later it won't be linked to your machine being there. Of course, the location might not be good enough to warrant buying his gumballs to stay in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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