Who are the Biz Ops?

[thenwho]

Hi guys,

As I read through the forum, I get so much info. Seems like there is an idea of avoiding the Biz Ops.

I have few questions:

1. Are these the Biz Op Players:

a. Uturn

b. Vendstar

c. Eagle

2. What are the other Biz Ops' players?

3. I seem to see some good rating on products that I think it is a Biz Ops, (E.g UTurn, Vendstar). Can someone clear my confusion:

- Are the Biz Ops bad because of their expensive packaging but their machines are good?

OR

- Are the Biz Ops to be avoided completely

4. Assuming the biz ops package are not very good in general, but their machines are good then what are the biz ops provider that supply good equipments? And what are their pros and cons?

[lurtsman]

1. Eagle is not a biz-op. A and B are correct.

2. Buzzbites previously had a biz op. However it was not a part of the company that makes the food, and to the best of my knowledge they were blind to what was happening.

3. With things like vendstar, they produce a mediocre machine and then sell it through aggressive marketing. They will charge (for instance) $300 for the machine. Since many people are suckered in by false marketing, they find themselves with machines that they don't know how to operate. These machines are often resold for far less. If you can buy this machine for 25-75$, it may be a good deal. The machines are not great, but they work. They won't last as long as a northwestern would, and they won't stand up to the same kind of abuse. However, if you can buy a triple for $50, it will provide a very fast payback period. That makes it a profitable purchase for you. The problem with biz-op machines (generally) is just the obscene price for a machine that is mediocre quality at best. Mediocre machines are okay, just don't over-pay for them. Paying new prices even for high quality machines can lower your return on investment, paying even higher prices for mediocre machines ruins it.

4. Don't plan to buy from a company that does biz-op. They specialize in ripping people off. If you're buying biz-op machines from someone else, get enough of them that you can keep one at home for parts, that way you never have to deal with the company.

5. Adding onto that, IMO buzzbite machines are not worth the work, even at a great price. High quality machines come from:

Northwestern

oak

eagle

beaver

There may be others I'm not including, but those 4 are solid. There is a great deal of diversity in forum opinions about which machines are best, however you are not likely to hear any of those four regarded as "trash".

6. Though it wasn't asked, here is an example of a machine that some people will disagree on.

The Seaga Millenia. (Seaga is the brand, Millenia is the model) This machine has excellent curb appeal--it looks great just sitting there. However, Seaga charges too much forparts, and tries to force people to call them so that it requires hanging up on them. I spoke to them once about getting a new coin mech, he wanted $30 and didn't know jack about the quality of their parts. He didn't understand what "drop through" meant. I don't expect someone outside the industry to know, but if he is making his living off selling me parts, he better know. I don't speak to them now. Further the machines don't have a good way to get the coins out. They can not be twisted to sit higher and allow space for your hand to scoop out the coins. If your machine did poorly, it adds insult to injury because your machine is holding extra candy and heavy when you lift it with one hand while clawing blindly underneath. (My solution is called "block of wood", lift the machine, put in a block of wood, then scoop the quarters) When you can improve on the functionality of a machine by adding a chewed up piece of 2 by 4, the machine does not impress me. However, there are some very accomplished vendors on the forum who have far more respect for this kind of machine than I do, and I've only shared my view. I don't meant to turn this thread into a "is the millenia junk" thread, only trying to give an example of a contested item since it is the topic that followed naturally for your next question .

Welcome to the forums.

[thenwho]

Hi Lurtsman,

Thanx for the short but clear and complete share of your thoughts.

Being in Indonesia, I will take your advise to focus on manufacturers who been long time in the industry and probably still for long time in the future

I am going to find out from this forum, which manufacturer (Among those that almost none think is trash) that:

1. Has the biggest population / market share

2. Has service parts that can be purchased from people outside the manufacturer (OEM) due to its popularity

3. Has ability to develop for foreign currency (My big concern)

4. Easy to replace coin mechanism. (For me to buy used and by the coin mechs from them) to grow quickly in my country

[lurtsman]

Congratulations on taking up vending from Indonesia. We have a vendor here who operates south of the USA border. (I forget where exactly) I know he went with northwestern as his big goal, and I think he got them converted to his currency, I don't know if it will work for yours, but he'd be a good person to talk to. I'm sure if he sees this, he will chime in.