Finally understanding how much I don't know

[JamesCatt]

Hi,

My name is James and I have been running an AP112 and a Dixie-Narco 440 Magnum soda machine at my workplace. I bought them ($600 for both, a little beaten up on the back, but good looking from the front) from another guy who used to work here but took a business opportunity a few hours away.

Over the past year that I have owned the machines, I haven't been keeping close enough track of my spending vs income, to the effect that I made about $50 in profit for the entire length of time.

I expected some problems, a few out of date products here and there, maybe new belts for the DBA's once every few years, but I kind of started off badly by immediately buying over $300 of food from my local Sam's club to fill the machines completely, and then finding out what actually sold vs what I thought looked good at Sam's.

The pricing doesn't help either. The guy I bought the machines from bought them from a vendor who I think decided that this location wasn't profitable enough, because no-one here would pay his prices.

I have had to keep my prices pretty close to what they were before (e.g. candy 60c, chips 50c, soda 50c), as I am competing with people bringing in bags of candy to share with each other for free, and also people walking by my desk and saying that they would never pay 75c for a candy bar!

I do not have the same problems as you guys have, but I seem to have my own instead.

Hopefully I can learn some things here that will help me out.

Cheers.

[mission vending]

First, Welcome. Another full line dude around here is a good thing. This place is crawling with bulk vendors. ;D ;D ;D ;D LOL

About your pricing, go ahead and raise your prices, people say that all the time and that they will boycott the machines etc. etc. You've got to remember that you are not just selling snacks and drinks you are selling convenience as well and that is worth paying for. When they complain you've to politely explain that:

1. You deserve compensation for your time.

2. Your prices are still far less than the corner gas station.

3. You bring the product to them so they don't have to waste time going out to get something.

It's very difficult to do full line for an extended length of time with only one location, what are your plans for expansion and growth?

[JamesCatt]

I think I will definitely have to raise prices. Especially if I need to do any more maintenance work on the machines. I bought replacement belts for the bill acceptors, changed the ones on the AP (USA3 upstacker) and replaced the bill transfer part on the soda machine one (Coinco BA30B) which is meant to make it last longer, but that took over half of my profits for the year!

I think I should post a notice on the machine for a week before I do it though, to prevent sticker shock.

My Dixie Narco machine is a single price currently, but I have been asked for V8 which costs me 50c to buy, so I will need to change the machine into a multi price. Due to my lack of profits, I can't justify spending the money to replace the coin acceptor and add a control board. Luckily I am an electronics engineer, so I was thinking about modifying the coinco 3341-S to provide two prices (add a board to control power to the coinco and close or open two of the dipswitches to choose between 50c/75c) but I am running into problems trying to find the correct schematic for the whole machine. I want to be able to make the V8 out of stock unless they push a button to set the machine to 75c, then all of the 50c columns should go out of stock, I can find some manuals online, but I can never be sure that they are for my machine because I do not know the different versions.

The model number I have is: DNCB-440MC/252-8 PF2296 S/N: 1782-3002CL I have a schematic pasted onto the inner door, but I would like a copy that I can take home, and I cannot find an exact match, does anyone know where to find the right one?

I currently have no plans for growth, and I am not sure about growing at all, although I am starting to see some of the reasons (more machines means faster product turn-around so less stale product, etc.).

Also, why does the post window keep scrolling back to the top of my entry after every letter I type once I reach the bottom of the window? I can't read what I'm writing once I reach the bottom unless I stop and scroll, I also can't select any text below the bottom of the window. Or is it a feature to prevent long winded posts?