Beware: Drew Ross / Success Wholesale Vending / Freedom With Honor

[Rick Birkey]

I found out the hard way that Drew Ross is a career criminal that has made millions from exploiting the hopes and dreams of hardworking folks.

I purchased fifteen single-head vending machines from Success Wholesale Vending (SWV) in June 2018.  According to Drew, these machines are "state of the art" and that you could take a sledge hammer to the machines and they wouldn't break.  Part of his sales pitch is that the machines have metal coin mechanisms. 

Drew told me that, based on his test routes, the conservative revenue estimate per machine per month was $100.  I've run an honor box route for about a year.  $100 per box per month for a premium location is not a far-fetched claim, so I believed him.

Additionally, locating services were included in the agreement.  He offered one location per machine, plus a "bank" of additional replacement locations, if the original location didn't meet revenue goals.  He also emphasized strongly that, if requested, they would place the machines in restaurant only locations.

Long story short - while the machines do have a metal coin mechanism, the body itself is made from a chintzy plexiglass-like material.  Trust me.  If I took a sledgehammer to these machines (which I've wanted to do many times), they would shatter immediately.  

Since these machines are a dedicated machine, meaning that they will ONLY dispense Pearson peppermint patties, my average revenue per machine per month is closer to $5 than it is to the claimed $100.  

Lastly (and perhaps my biggest disappointment of all), SWV provided me with twelve locations, beginning in September 2018.  Keep in mind that I finally received locations from SWV months after I purchased the machines.  From these twelve locations, I placed only five machines.  Five of the provided locations were non-restaurant locations so I requested replacement locations -- stating again that only wanted restaurant locations.  (I suspected then that these machines would only make money at restaurants and that seems to be the case.)  Another location I was turned away at the door and the last location I decided not to place because the owner was incredibly rude.

At the end of the day, after numerous requests for locations, Drew Ross has ghosted me, refusing to answer text messages, email, or phone calls.  The customer service guy at SWV has done the same.  The last time I spoke with him he told me to get my own locations.  

I was hoping to have a lasting relationship with Drew Ross and his companies.  I've been sorely disappointed and, unfortunately, will not do business with him again.  Instead I will join the myriad others who have been conned by him and seek legal counsel on next steps against the companies.

 

 

[Mehehe]

Another casualty of a Blue Sky Biz-op... 

Hang in there and good luck with the legal system.

[AZVendor]

As usual, if it sounds too good to be true, IT IS in every case without exception.  Unfortunately you let yourself be conned though I would bet you saw a red flag or two or something he said didn't feel right.  Ignoring those signs and greed are what get everyone in trouble.