Questions for those that do toys

[MrEen]

Background info:

I work full time for a full line vendor. My boss got a call from the head honcho of one of his accounts (a school for autistic children, age range I'd guess at 10-18 with most kids at or under 16 years old) requesting a machine dispensing toys. My boss is horrible at relaying info but what I understood is he thinks they want a "gumball" machine that dispenses toys, and if we want we could also have a head that dispenses candy. My boss knows I've started  my own bulk biz and that's why he has passed this on to me but he keeps saying, "I need to give him an answer," as opposed to, "here is his number." I'm thinking I want to go ahead with this (even though I never planned on doing toys) but I have no idea what I'm doing.

Questions for the experts:

Should I go with a 25 cent or 50 cent vend (or even higher?) I get the feeling the guy at the school may have thought everything is 25 cents but have no idea if this is the case.

Now this is my biggie, what would YOU vend at this location? As it's a school, I thought maybe the eraser thingies could be a good choice (no idea what I'm referring to here, but I remember reading about it here on this forum.) I know the * Mania stuff are the best sellers, but I don't think I'll have the time to wait for a shipment if this deal goes through. And due to the kids and environment involved, I don't think the super balls would be appropriate.

Maybe a better question might be, what are your top three selling toys excluding the mania series and super balls?

Scott

P.S. I'm sorry if my post is a little scattered but it's late, it's Friday and I had to move a bunch of machines today.

[sterling]

You could print out a bunch of items you can get from AA or elsewhere and ask the principle what is appropriate or wanted.

First thoughts the key chain puzzles and erasure heads would be my first thought.

[MrEen]

sterling,

Thanks for your reply. I may try to work with your idea but right now I don't have the contact info. It feels like my boss wants to be the middleman for this and I do not trust him to relay information for me reliably. I've worked for him for over eight years so I think I have a good read on him. I guess I'm just going to have to tell him to leave it with me and I'll take care of it.

Thanks again,

Scott

[nam]

Scott,

I would talk with whoever is in charge at this school before doing anything toward equipment or product purchase. You need to ask if having candy with sugar will be a problem. More than likely you'll have kids that can't have it or even the gumballs. The machine will probably need to be located in an area where they can prevent kids that are not allowed sugar type candy to use it. You probably should also make sure it is a machine that won't be knocked over easily or possibly anchor it. Some of these kids will no doubt have behavior issues and be on alot of various medications. I would not want a machine in there that spins like a U Turn or Vendesign. Maybe a small rack secured to a wall with anchor bolts so it can't be pulled over. A single quarter vend will be easier for some to use. Some kids may actually have coins in their pockets and others will have money held for them by their provider. ( a person assigned to work with 1 to 4 kids each day depending on their needs). Skittles will probably sell well if they will allow you to place candy with sugar. They may have full line machines for sodas or larger chips, etc. but easier to control their use in a lunch room probably. Harder for the kids to sneak than from a little bulk candy machine and easier to conseal the candy or quarters. I would also not place a machine in a location like this without liability insurance. You cannot count on these kids acting or doing something that may be irrational that you can't believe they would do! I think the location might well be a good money maker but you'd just need to give it more thought than normal. Spill trays may also be an advantage as they will no doubt be spilling alot more skittles or M&M's on the floor. And they will pick them up and eat them in addition to the management not exactly happy with cleaning up anymore than they already have to do. Even the little paper cups might be a help if you could keep them on the side of a machine or something. I've given this some thought myself but have chosen to hold back from trying it as of now. Please tell me how this goes after a month or two on location.

nam

[MrEen]

nam,

I was actually thinking of not doing the candy anyway as we have a full size snack machine in the account already, but you brought up a great point about liability insurance. When I used to service the account, there were many times a group of adults were outfitted like major league umpires dealing with one kid that was acting up. I've even seen a few doors get replaced (glass as well as wood) in the past year or so. Maybe I'll need to think about this a little more.

Thanks for your thoughts,

Scott

[nam]

Scott,

Yes, some of the kids will require what they call one on one all day. In other words, most will have 3 or 4 kids for each provider but others require non stop watching to prevent them from hurting themselves or someone else. The full line machines are definetly more secure and less likely to have issues. They may hit it but not likely to really do much to it.

Those charged with watching these kids have to take special training for self defense to protect themselves but not injure the clients. I've had the training classes but you can never be prepared for some things they can do by suprise.

nam

[westlakevending]

nerds gumballs 1" and fools gold 1.1 jewlery would go good or sbob balls

[lurtsman]

I'd love to slip in a sticker/tat machine on a small rack there. Mania products get rave reviews, however I also have a challenge with waiting for them to show up. As I'm moving into more racks I'm going to set aside some money for pre-ordering a significant batch of them with some displays.

I do think this would be worth getting into for you. I'd advise you to not fill any of the heads all the way--acorn caps in particular have a way of breaking when the agitator goes past them if there is too much weight in the head. (Misvends make me sad)

[chris in md]

scott -

reading your original post, are you sure the school isn't trying to just buy a toy vending machine outright for themselves so they can offer the kids free rewards from the machine for good behavior or something?  it almost sounds like that to me.

i have an autistic son, age 11, in a mainstream school, and the teachers often reward him w/ stickers and other trinkets for good behavior or good work, but they're not asking him (or me) to pay for the stuff out of a vending machine.

- chris

[shvend]

scott

I would also make sure they are wanting a bulk toy machine first. They may be refering to a diffrent type of machine (i.e. crane machine) I would check to make sure that is what they wanted before making any purchases.

[MrEen]

Thank you all for your replies. I think Chris got this one right (but will probably never know for sure as my boss is not the best communicator.) My boss was probably motivated by MY machines sitting in HIS warehouse!

Anyway, I know an account like this would be a greater risk and at 3 doubles on the street I haven't bothered with insurance as of yet, so there's no way I'm going to touch this one no matter what.

Thanks again to those that replied, and I'd still be happy to hear what your best selling toys are from those that haven't.

Scott

[BanderSnatch]

I'd decide what I want to put in there, than tell the guy just to see what happens.

say "Ok, I'll be there Monday, I'm going to put in 'X'"

Like- "I"m going to put in a machine that sells these cute little toys for 50 cents & also a two headed candy machine for 25 cents"

or what ever it is that you would rather have there.

& to test his limits, just pretty much "Tell him what you are going to do"

Which is actually "what you want to do"

than if thats not ok, he can go- "Ohh no... thats too much, it has to be 25 cents man.."

i'd do a dollar.

The way it always goes is you are doubling your money,

If you buy 100 toys for $30 (Toys that sell for $1)

The way you split it- The location will get 30% & 30% will go to the cost of the toy leaving 40% & if you are being legitimate almost 10% is for tax, so there is only 30% left for your profit.

so what you are really doing is Doubling up your money, rather its 25 cent, 50 cent, or $1

You can probably fit 200 2" capsuled toys in a machine to dispense at $1.

So you would be doubling up your money

200 toys will cost you about $60 After expenses you wind up with $120, $60 of it pays back what you spent on the toys & the remaining $60 is your profit.

So i'd rather spend $60 & double $60

than spend $30 & double $30 (50 cent toys)

or less & less... etc.. etc..

anyway.

I get my $1 stuff from this guy www.MyTomyGacha.com

He has these cool tomy Gacha toys that you can't find anywhere anymore, those actually aren't even on the website you have to email him about it- Those tomy gacha toys are Hot bro! Unfortuantely they are going extinct.

but check out his 2" stuff, he has some really cool 2" stuff & 1" anyway.

hope this helps!