Empty machines, customers want them gone

[ffd95]

Greetings all,

Been away for a while but working on building my business up.  I have quite a few locations where I have machines along with another companies machines.  The company has no info on The machines, just an 800 number that no longer is working at the vending company.  

I have customers wanting me to replace their machines.  I will gladly place another of mine at that location, but they want me to remove the empty one.  I took one out, and have it stored with my other machines, because it is a great location, but want some others opinions who have been in the business longer.  I also have a location who has some machines, and I know the owner of that company passed away.  I've tried contacting the company, or find out if anyone is even further being the business.  So what to do with those machines?  Thank you!

[gumball guy]

13 hours ago, ffd95 said:

Greetings all,

Been away for a while but working on building my business up.  I have quite a few locations where I have machines along with another companies machines.  The company has no info on The machines, just an 800 number that no longer is working at the vending company.  

I have customers wanting me to replace their machines.  I will gladly place another of mine at that location, but they want me to remove the empty one.  I took one out, and have it stored with my other machines, because it is a great location, but want some others opinions who have been in the business longer.  I also have a location who has some machines, and I know the owner of that company passed away.  I've tried contacting the company, or find out if anyone is even further being the business.  So what to do with those machines?  Thank you!

Time for a rant......

     The advent of warehouse clubs like Sam's and biz op vending scams have led to an explosion of wanna be entrepreneurs in the vending industry over the last 20 years. They go gangbusters for a while flooding markets with junky equipment then figure out that vending is real work and not a get rich quick endeavor for the lazy. Next thing you know you have neglected equipment everywhere giving the bulk vending industry another unwanted black eye. Very frustrating. Add to that alot of old Fordway (generally Lions Club, Kiwanis sponsored) equipment on the streets where the owners have become unable to manage it properly or have passed away. Different reason....same result. Regardless of the reason, poor servicing or abandonment of equipment makes life tougher for responsible vendors and gracious business owners who allow us to place machines in their businesses. Old product in the machines becomes a liability issue for all parties involved and leads corporations to adopt "no vending" policies across the board. As an example, I had a large car dealership location that I had been in for years. I shared the location with an old Fordway double that had not been serviced since Nixon was in office and another triple owned by some louse who had tons of abandoned machines over a 200 mile radius. Some customer, who was either blind or just had a death wish bought some candy out of the Fordway machine and chipped his tooth. Long story short we all get shown the door. Frustrating but I can understand the dealerships position on it. They benefit ZERO from allowing these charity machines in the building and they are nothing but a liability especially when they are not being serviced adequately. Poor service by one or more vendors is really everyone's problem. Before I move on I will say that I still see plenty of newbies coming in here with aspirations of getting a vending business of some kind up and running. I wish you luck and all the vendors in here will try to guide you to success but I ask one thing in return.......if you decide the vending industry is not for you, please do the responsible thing and make arrangements to pick up your equipment or sell (or give) your equipment to another reputable vendor. Whatever you do please don't abandon it.  Rant over.

     When it comes to abandoned equipment my general rule is not to touch it. These days I will bring it to a location's attention (reference the story above) if I notice it isn't being serviced or if the candy is looking inedible. I will also attempt to call the vendor if there is a number on the machine. If there is no number I will suggest that the location put it somewhere were the vendor will need to ask to find it. That way they the location can address the lapse in service with the vendor or just tell them to take the machine and leave. Either way I try to remove myself from directly handling another vendor's machine. Doing that helps me to avoid any kind of conflict with another vendor or possible accusations of theft. Bottom line it just isn't worth the risk. If you feel you must remove the machine perhaps due to an ultimatum by the business owner then I would try to call/mail the machine owner if the info is available and warehouse it for at least a year before I cracked it open.

 

 

[SSVEND]

23 hours ago, gumball guy said:

Time for a rant......

     The advent of warehouse clubs like Sam's and biz op vending scams have led to an explosion of wanna be entrepreneurs in the vending industry over the last 20 years. They go gangbusters for a while flooding markets with junky equipment then figure out that vending is real work and not a get rich quick endeavor for the lazy. Next thing you know you have neglected equipment everywhere giving the bulk vending industry another unwanted black eye. Very frustrating. Add to that alot of old Fordway (generally Lions Club, Kiwanis sponsored) equipment on the streets where the owners have become unable to manage it properly or have passed away. Different reason....same result. Regardless of the reason, poor servicing or abandonment of equipment makes life tougher for responsible vendors and gracious business owners who allow us to place machines in their businesses. Old product in the machines becomes a liability issue for all parties involved and leads corporations to adopt "no vending" policies across the board. As an example, I had a large car dealership location that I had been in for years. I shared the location with an old Fordway double that had not been serviced since Nixon was in office and another triple owned by some louse who had tons of abandoned machines over a 200 mile radius. Some customer, who was either blind or just had a death wish bought some candy out of the Fordway machine and chipped his tooth. Long story short we all get shown the door. Frustrating but I can understand the dealerships position on it. They benefit ZERO from allowing these charity machines in the building and they are nothing but a liability especially when they are not being serviced adequately. Poor service by one or more vendors is really everyone's problem. Before I move on I will say that I still see plenty of newbies coming in here with aspirations of getting a vending business of some kind up and running. I wish you luck and all the vendors in here will try to guide you to success but I ask one thing in return.......if you decide the vending industry is not for you, please do the responsible thing and make arrangements to pick up your equipment or sell (or give) your equipment to another reputable vendor. Whatever you do please don't abandon it.  Rant over.

     When it comes to abandoned equipment my general rule is not to touch it. These days I will bring it to a location's attention (reference the story above) if I notice it isn't being serviced or if the candy is looking inedible. I will also attempt to call the vendor if there is a number on the machine. If there is no number I will suggest that the location put it somewhere were the vendor will need to ask to find it. That way they the location can address the lapse in service with the vendor or just tell them to take the machine and leave. Either way I try to remove myself from directly handling another vendor's machine. Doing that helps me to avoid any kind of conflict with another vendor or possible accusations of theft. Bottom line it just isn't worth the risk. If you feel you must remove the machine perhaps due to an ultimatum by the business owner then I would try to call/mail the machine owner if the info is available and warehouse it for at least a year before I cracked it open.

 

 

You hit the nail on the head. In my 17 years doing this I have seen MANY come and go. Most just leaving their equipment there. It truly has given the industry a bad name. I can't tell you how many locations I have tried to get in my years only to be told "No, I had some before and the guy never came around to fill them" I am a damn good locator and 9 out of 10 times you can't convince them that you're different.