Ethical question

[timberframe50]

I was placing a machine the other day and noticed my competition did not have a business sticker on his machine. This town requires a sticker on every machine, if they are caught without it the business owner is responsible to purchase the sticker and pay the fines. So the poll question is;

Ignore the situation vote yes

tell the business owner vote no.

Thanks for your votes, remember voting is anonymous.

 

[dperry]

It's karma, dude. What goes around usually comes back around. You may be all square yourself with the legalities your city requires, but there may be some other areas where you are deficient. Some other competetor may use those deficiencies as leverage against you some time.

I would say that you shouldn't squeal unless this guy is doing some dirty dealings against you already. Then he's fair game.

[nam]

Ditto on what Darry said in his post. What goes around comes around. No Squeal without really good reason.

nam

[timberframe50]

Kelly I doubt if you are this far north, but you never know. I moving futher south with every placement.

Darry & Nam thanks for your comments.

And thanks to those who voted.

[lurtsman]

Haven't finished reading the thread.

In your post, you say "yes" is keep silent. In the poll question it says "too squeal or not", in which case yes would mean to say something.

Karma. Don't touch it. It's not a big deal, and it will make you look like a complete gopher to the business owner if you say something. It will also make the other vendor upset, and karma would dictate he would remember your name, and whenever he saw your machines in the future he'd put a little bit of super glue in the coin mechs. If he really wants vengeance though, he'll try to get you audited also. Even if they find nothing, it will be a huge hurdle. There is no reason to start a situation.

Orson scott card writes about the "Ender" solution to problems. That is to be patient for as long as you can, and absorb as much as you can politely. However when you must fight back to make sure you hit so hard that there is never an opportunity for retaliation.

[Jax Snacks]

Forget the karma, you could easily start a vending war! You just don't know the personality of the other vendor and how they will react. Most seasoned vendors are smart enough to figure out which competitor caused the problem. You may find super glue in your locks on the next servicing, just to name one type of retaliation.

So like everyone else has said, don't do it!

Jax

[the buzzing]

Super glue in the lock, sounds like the voice of a seasoned vendor! (LOL) I'm with Jax Snacks burn it!

[dperry]

Orson scott card writes about the "Ender" solution to problems. That is to be patient for as long as you can, and absorb as much as you can politely. However when you must fight back to make sure you hit so hard that there is never an opportunity for retaliation.

I love that book.

[Beer980]

How much are the stickers? Our city has the same rule but it does not apply for any machine placed outside city limits in the county. Our cost is $3 each machine.

[timberframe50]

These are $5 each, It is woithin the city limits.

[Jax Snacks]

Those sticker laws are rarely enforced. The gumball police are too busy dealing with real criminals - or at least we hope so!

Jax

[nam]

Jax is right again. I go in and out of alot of different towns and they all can have their little rules. In some towns where they are supposed to have the stickers you can look around and find them with and without stickers. Funny thing is even when they are required go into a Walmart and see if the stickers are on those machines. Usally not on the machines, out of date or stickers from other areas! I usually look around on some machines myself before I start placing. If I see almost all machines have stickers I'm gonna buy stickers or just go to another town and avoid that one. The only time you'd have an issue is probably if some other vendor wanted to turn you in which is what this thread is about.

nam

[Jax Snacks]

Even if a competitor "turns you in", who is actually going to come out to the location and actually do something - and what will they really do if they do come out??!! There is no gumball police! I think that most of these local licensing programs for bulk machines are essentially on an unwritten honor system. A certain percentage of vendors will pay them (especially the larger corp vendors) and so it's some extra gravy for the city or county.

I sometimes wonder if these local governments will start "cracking down" on improperly licensed vending machines due to the revenue shortfall most local government entities are experiencing. But I would guess that the cost of policing these "illegal" machines would grossly exceed the cost of the license fees and fines collected.

Jax

[the buzzing]

I agree with you Jax. If the Police won't arrested someone having a warrant two cities over, then I doubt they're busting our machines.

[Beer980]

That is why I don't bother to get the stickers. Only the big rack guys have them, no one else does.

[shvend]

I agree also with everyone else just leave it alone because you may open a can of worms that you really don't want to mess with.

[joebob051977]

Try to finding the contact info on the machine and call the vendor yourself to let him know. Who knows you might be able to score a deal on some vending machines while you're at it.

[sharleeruby]

live and let live dont sweat the small stuff and its all small stuff keep pluggin away at your placements and breath easier get your quarters and whistle while you work it keeps people wondering