Jax Snacks Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Most charity locations usually expect candy, gum or small toys for a quarter in exchange for the small space provided at no cost. Selling products for 50 cents or more could raise an eyebrow about the charity. Most restaurant managers/owners would probably want a commission on a sticker machine. Jax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mage Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 They want commission, I'll give them commission. I thought they would be prepared for the sticker machine, and was surprised that they thought it was supposed to be candy. And as I have said, I will switch to a candy machine no problem. But I was hoping to get my sticker machines out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Most charity locations usually expect candy, gum or small toys for a quarter in exchange for the small space provided at no cost. Selling products for 50 cents or more could raise an eyebrow about the charity. Most restaurant managers/owners would probably want a commission on a sticker machine. Jax Charity locations expect to get what they are told they will be getting. If they're against stickers machines for "charity" then they just say "no". They would not have given the "OK" if they had an issue with sticker machines. It's likely that the Kickstart rep accidentally sold them on a candy machine rather than the sticker machine. That's more believable than thinking the business has a problem with amount of vend ($.50 rather than $.25) or someone using sticker machines for charity. Many businesses do so much more for charity. To them, allowing $.50 vends or sticker machines is "small-time" compared to what they do for charities they want to support. Therefore, the $.50 vends or sticker machines would pose no issues for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Well with that logic you could put anything in (such as a crane, soda or video game) and slap a charity sticker on it and all will be well! At some point, the owner will trump the decision of a manager and usually demand a commission. An entrepreneur thinks differently than a manager and will usually demand a piece of the action and many are sharp enough to see though the charity spin. The best machine for a charity is a single or double with gumballs selling for a quarter. The owner will usually not get so riled up over a smaller machine selling stuff for a quarter. The location is doing you a favor by giving you free space and their is a limit to their generosity and selling higher priced items for charity could raise an eyebrow. It's not just about placing the machine, but keeping it placed their for a long long time. Jax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Well with that logic you could put anything in (such as a crane, soda or video game) and slap a charity sticker on it and all will be well! At some point, the owner will trump the decision of a manager and usually demand a commission. An entrepreneur thinks differently than a manager and will usually demand a piece of the action and many are sharp enough to see though the charity spin. The best machine for a charity is a single or double with gumballs selling for a quarter. The owner will usually not get so riled up over a smaller machine selling stuff for a quarter. The location is doing you a favor by giving you free space and their is a limit to their generosity and selling higher priced items for charity could raise an eyebrow. It's not just about placing the machine, but keeping it placed their for a long long time. Jax Crane, Soda, and video games all take electricity, so you'd be asking for more than space in those examples. Maybe not impossible, but definitely more of a "donation" being requested from the business location. Therefore, a much harder sell, I'm sure. MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE (this may not be yours): anything only taking up unused space in a business location is a charity possibility. Whether your vends are $.25 or $.50 or even if your machines are flat vend instead of bulk. For anyone using a national charity, consider using a local charity and you may find more agreeable owners/entrepenuers. I have business owners who truly believe in my cause and more importantly I truly believe in my cause. Make it GENUINE for yourself and maybe the owners/entrepenuers will see less of that "charity spin" Jax speaks of. I don't know. My goal here is just to keep anyone from thinking you CAN NOT have charity $.50 vends or charity sticker/tattoo machines. I am proof that you can. For the record: I have not been in this biz as long as most of you here, so I can not speak of the long-term. BUT, My charity sticker/tattoo machines are all in places with hands-on owners. I deal with the owners/entrepreneurs directly (NO managers) and have never had ONE express anything close to Jax's experience. In fact, on my follow-up visits they sometimes mention their happiness at being able to help contribute to the cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Glad to see that you have found a niche that works for you. If charity sticker machines do well, then by all means, keep at it and congratulations. Just not sure if that is a sustainable model for most vendors. Particularly those in larger (rat race) metro areas where the attitude of many business owners is "what's in it for me". Jax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mage Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Well today I am going to drop off a sticker machine, see how that goes. I will also see if I hear anything from the one location I had a problem with,but if not then I will be calling tomorrow. And naturally asking if they have decided between the sticker machine or a candy machine. It is a good idea to give them a choice between the two instead of between putting a machine in or not. And if things don't work out there, then I will contact Rob, and get something else set up. I knew there would be problems here and there, but hoped it wouldn't happen at my first drop. And I do realize that sticker machines don't seem to fit the mold of regular charity machines, but why does everything have to fit a certain mold? I have read up on what I could on the charity stuff, and my mind has been working overtime. I will keep a record of the total amounts I have collected for NCCS, so I am prepared at any time to show how the machines are benefiting the charity. And I am trying to prepare for the times when a location may prefer to move toward commission. I am already servicing the location, and will use that to explain why they should just let me switch to commission instead of changing vendors. (I am trying to prepare a few counter-arguments that may make me look like the better, and potentially more honest vendor, depending on what arguments they use.) I think it will help that I am following T Bird's idea of guaranteeing 15% to the charity. (Pads my numbers, another selling point, and helps the charity more.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooldini Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 I support my local Humane Society the only bad part is that there are really no charity papers or anything to show a business if they ask. I do have phone numbers that they can call to verify I do donate monthly under my business name. My town seems to love the local stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mage Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Mage you should try to support a local charity. I think that sets better with the location owners. Just my opinion. I have thought about that, and am planning on looking into it. But that is something I may do at a later date. Fighting cancer is an issue I can support though, so NCCS is good for that reason. Although I do know of some local cancer groups that I started to learn about during a cancer walk I took part in last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mage Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 And here is an update on the bakery location. Met with the owner, who didn't know what a sticker machine was. (He never saw one before.) He didn't think he had the room, and in this case I agreed with him. The only real place I could have put it was in the middle of the room where people would be standing in line. He barely had room for what he already had there. Even a candy machine would not have worked. I admit I didn't argue too hard here, not just because of the lack of space. But the fact that he closes at 2 pm, and that even if I did place a machine there, it looked like I would have to remove it in less then a year because he keeled over. He looked like he was in his 80's. Not sure how long that business was going to be running. I did shake his hand, and thank him for his time, and willingness to support me and NCCS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavity Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 I support my local Humane Society the only bad part is that there are really no charity papers or anything to show a business if they ask. I do have phone numbers that they can call to verify I do donate monthly under my business name. My town seems to love the local stuff. Ask the H.S. for some sort of "donation/support" letter so you can present it to your locations. They should have a form letter or be able to whip one up for you. Copy it and give to your charity stops. It will show the loc. your gratitude for hosting the machine and they will be much less likely to kick it out. Some of the stores will even put it up on the wall. You can even go all out and buy a $2 frame to put it in. They really like that! Now they feel connected and there's no way you'll lose that loc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooldini Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Thats a good idea I will look into that thanks alot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amc-vending Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 I did my 1st pull (1 week) from my KS Location (apt complex). When I dropped it off it looked like it would be a really good location - lots of kids coming into the office after school waiting for thier parents to get home. Also all of the kids was estatic about the new candy machine. I gave the office manager $2.00 in quarters to pass out to the kids (with parents permission) After 1 week I went back to check on it - boy was I bummed there was only .75 cents in the coin box Hopefully it will get better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPVendCo. Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 I did my 1st pull (1 week) from my KS Location (apt complex). When I dropped it off it looked like it would be a really good location - lots of kids coming into the office after school waiting for thier parents to get home. Also all of the kids was estatic about the new candy machine. I gave the office manager $2.00 in quarters to pass out to the kids (with parents permission) After 1 week I went back to check on it - boy was I bummed there was only .75 cents in the coin box Hopefully it will get better. negative 1.25 new record low for a placement!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candyman007 Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Haha, ok, ok, let's not broadcast that too much! -$1.25 oh dear. Kids + Excitement + $2 in Quarters. Hmm.. Can anyone think of an alternate problem of why it's not doing well? Regards, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antoniocinisi Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 give it LIL TIME Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amc-vending Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 I plan on giving it at least 3 months or more as I do on all locations. - esp with summer coming up - it should do lots better. I saw they had a soda machine outside by the pool area. - I told them I did soda and snack machines also. She said they need a snack machine and she would check with the office manager about putting one in there. so it should turn out to be a good location given time. I had figured there would be more in there the 1st time with all of the kiddos there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Is it a low income apartment? How much staff is on site? Does it have amenities like a pool, club house and workout room? How many prospects do they get in one day? An apartment with less than 7 employees, NO amenities or grungy/slummy looking are usually not worth the trouble. Jax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amc-vending Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 there is as far as I can tell 2 staff plus several maintence personal. they do have pool, club house etc on site. apt complex is not in a bad area and looked well maintained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 It sounds like it is too small or the demographics don't have any money. You can still have decent looking low income apartments in nicer areas. Jax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amc-vending Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 very true, IF and thats a big if , I would put a small snack machine. rather have a blue collar place with at least 100 people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPVendCo. Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Haha, ok, ok, let's not broadcast that too much! -$1.25 oh dear. Kids + Excitement + $2 in Quarters. Hmm.. Can anyone think of an alternate problem of why it's not doing well? i was just bustin his chops!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mage Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Update: My first sticker location is still giving me the runaround instead of just coming to a decision. The bakery was relocated, and unfortunately again they were expecting a candy machine, not a sticker machine. Apparently they had refused the sticker machine, but were sold on the candy machine. I just wish I knew that before I went there. But I did put a candy machine in there, and it is in the same shopping center as my Papa Johns location. Speaking of which, I serviced the Papa Johns location after 2 weeks, plus an extra weekend, and took $11.50 out of the machine. Not as high as I had hoped, but I definitely won't complain about these numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurtsman Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 If the papa J is front of house, have you put toys in it yet? Toys/GB is your best set line up for a triple in the front of a pizza location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mage Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 More of a pick up/delivery location. They have like 2 tables in there, each with 2 chairs. Not sure that would be good for toys. Not to mention the fact that I seriously doubt these machines I have will ever be able to vend toys. Anyway, just not ready for toys yet. I will get there. Just starting the flat vending, and want to get a handle on that first. I am trying to keep my focus narrow right now. I think I have a handle on candy, so I am learning flat, and as I begin to feel that I have a good handle on that, then I will think of toys. (Maybe balls first.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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