Giving KickStart a shot

[cavity]

I paid for six "toy" locations.

I got six apartment complexes.

When I questioned this, Rob informed me that he has apartment complexes that do well with toy machines because of the kids that live there.

Because of his reputation and his great customer service, I'll place the machines at the apartment complexes and see how they do.

Personally though, I'm still surprised 6-out-6 apartments...no family restaurants, theaters, party supply stores, indoor party playgrounds, children's clothing resale boutiques, pediatrics clinics, childrens clothing/toy stores, or any other of the number of children oriented business found in the four zip codes I had them target.

Same happened to me. 3 for 3 with the apt. complexes with @ 10 zip codes.  One of the three I paid extra $ for toys .  I emailed him a - what the F...?(not quite in those words, but close) email and he got me another loc for the toy location.  So....he ended up getting me an upscale dining and dancing place for adults ???  I guess I'll have to try it out.  But, why pay extra for the toy locs if we're going to get places that we can't really put toys in?  I already bought the toys, machines, wheels, diplays, and caps and still no place to put them. 

Slightly disappointed, although I did order a few more locs from him the other night. 

Maybe...hopefull... optimistic...please dear Lord (are you listening Rob?) pretty...pretty...please, I need a toy loc.  :'(  Is it possible?

[sherlock]

I paid for six "toy" locations.

I got six apartment complexes.

When I questioned this, Rob informed me that he has apartment complexes that do well with toy machines because of the kids that live there.

Because of his reputation and his great customer service, I'll place the machines at the apartment complexes and see how they do.

Personally though, I'm still surprised 6-out-6 apartments...no family restaurants, theaters, party supply stores, indoor party playgrounds, children's clothing resale boutiques, pediatrics clinics, childrens clothing/toy stores, or any other of the number of children oriented business found in the four zip codes I had them target.

Well here's the follow-up...sorry it's so wordy.

I'll give an abbreviated report on a seperate thread outlining the entire matter when I get my six toy doubles placed as a "locator review" along with my final opinons on Kickstart whenever this is over.

Here was my day -- first day placing at Kickstart located places (as mentioned on my quoted post above - all apartment complexes):

One apartment complex was a SENIOR RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

- Ummm, I'm new to vending but when I'm the youngest guy (and I'm not young) in the entire complex, I don't think my toys are going to sell very well.

No machine dropped off there.

Another complex was in BAD shape.

I don't think they have done maintenance there for years.

The buildings needed painting, the sidewalks were filled with tripping hazards, and the parking lot had really bad pot-holes.

NOTHING looked taken care of on the outiside so I wasn't gonna waste my time looking at the inside

That's not Kickstarts fault. Just the luck of the draw.

Still, NO machine dropped off there.

Had a smooth drop-off at a third apartment complex...they were expecting me.

BUT, first thing out of the managers mouth, "Do you do things like candy in those machines?"

"Candy would do so much better here than toys."

The problem: the manager only wants the double and would prefer both heads to have candy rather than toys. She doesn't even want a triple so that I could do 2 candy heads, and 1 toy.

She was pleasant about it, but I'm drive away thinking, "Hell, I just paid Kickstart for a TOY location (more expensive) and what I got was a regular candy/snack location".

I don't know what I'll be doing there.

I told the lady I'd check back with her in a week or two to see how the toys did and we'd discuss the possibility of changing things out.

The reason I'm not excited about changing things out is that I'm not interested in adding any candy/snack locations. I'm doing TOYS and I paid for TOY LOCATIONS.

Placed my machine in another of the complexes afterward and found a similar attitude.

She was not as direct requesting candy or shooting down the toys as the previous lady.

But, there was a vendstar with candy/snacks in the office and she wasn't confident there'd be a market for my toys there. She pretty much said as much, but stated she accepted the machine because she believes in my charity.

The apartment complex is pretty upscale and in a medical center.

More for single medical profesionals than families.

I left my double but don't have high hopes for that location.

Something tells me I'll be pulling it and requesting Kickstart's free-replacement.

I'm exercising my "Right of Refusal" on the senior community above and the remaining 2 apartment complexes on the list without even unloading a machine at those places.

I've decided I'm not accepting apartment complexes for toy machines.

Rob has been courteous and very service oriented, so I don't foresee any problems.

I guess I'm just a little upset about this whole thing because I was reluctant about apartment complexes to begin with and I "wasted" my day getting my machines ready for six locations and what I wound up with was only 1 location with very few kids around and what amounts to 1 CANDY location (NOT TOY).

NOT what I'd hoped for when I was loading my truck this morning.

By the way: my doubles currently have 32mm boucing balls and A&A Sticky Mix.

[candyman007]

I hear each and every one of you.

Sherlock has had his free replacement locations doubled, free of charge of course. 

Cavity, I'll take care of you too!

No more apartment buildings for Toys.  I hear it, I understand, no worries my friends. 

Regards,

Rob