NinnJinn Vending

[NinnJinn]

Hello everyone!  I would like to welcome you to NinnJinn Vending. My goal in this thread is to share day by day ups and downs and revenues that a first time full line vendor experiences.  This is my first try at full line vending which actually sort of fell in my lap so to speak.

I originally started out in bulk for about 2yrs.  Yes, I got into the crazy Vendstar machines.  I had all 10 of my machines placed and they were bringing in about $40-$50 total/month.  The machines at the better locations started breaking down, so not knowing where to find machines except through biz ops,  I pulled my first worst revenue machine and turned it into a parts machine. Then my 2nd, 3rd etc I have 2 bulk machines still left today.  1 is my very first placement does about $3-$5/month.  I guess its a sentimental thing.  And my second and all time best machine/location which is in a flea market.  And this is how I officially got started into full line outside my home.

June 22, 2010:

  I walked into the flea market to check my machine, I saw a Pop machine for sale for $150 I asked the old man about it (which is the owner of the place)

he said "except for the bill acceptor, everything works fine, it gets cold, dispenses as it should. If you buy it today, and drag the d**n thing out of here, I will let you put it outside of the door for free for as long as you have your candy machine in here and keep it stocked with those peanuts you got.  I'm tired of seeing it, and I don't want the hassles of it."

He also told me he left it plugged in to prove that it worked, which it did.  I grabbed 2 hot cokes from the car and each selection worked just fine...

I have a Dundas soda and snack combo at home which is a big hit so why not try a real machine for the real world?

I gave him $150 cash and the 3-4  handful of peanuts that were left and wouldn't fit into the machine.  Called up my Uncle, brother, and father, and somehow got it scooted outside.

Whew, those things are fricken heavy!

Thanks to G and Mission Vending,  Figured out I had a Dixie Narco 368 for my first machine.  Several others chimed in, as to what I should put in it for starters. 

Pepsi, Coke, Mt. Dew, Diet Coke, Sierra Mist, Cherry Coke, and 16.9oz Dasani Bottled water.

Believe it or not, my top two sellers are Pepsi, and Cherry Coke.  The only reason I stocked the Cherry Coke, was so my wife would stop nagging at me. 

While I was stocking my new machine, several people asked if it was going to stay at 50cents.  I figured what the heck.  So 50cents it is.  I am still making a 50% profit of the gross price.  Which was my goal to begin with. 

It didn't have a Bill acceptor in it, but with Technivend's help he got me squared away and I pretty much stole one off of ebay.  Won the auction on June 26.  paid for it about 3-4 mins after I won it.  and I am still waiting for it to be shipped!

I didn't really know what to set the thermostat at since the old man turned it to 0 after I bought it,  So I set it on 9 thinking it wouldn't freeze due to me opening the door constantly and it being in the mid to upper 90's all week. 

Well on Monday this week I was told that the sodas were just a wee bit too cold.  So I knocked it down to 5.  then Today, I was told it wouldn't hurt for it to  be just a tid bit colder.  So I turned the thermostat to 7 and hopefully that will be perfect!

Only one key came with the machine so I was really paranoid so I took one of the locks I was using at home and installed it into my new machine.  nope... no can do.  it will not lock, no matter what I did, it would not lock for me.  So I started checking the machine everyday and pulling any and all quarters that were in the machine.  I ran across a lot of 17 locks with keys on ebay, so I snatched that up on Tuesday the 29th and got them today. Now where is that DBA?  Anyways I went through every lock and none would lock..  finally with the last lock, I slammed/ hit it in aggravation and heard the "click"  So thats good, I guess.  Tomorrow, I am going to  take a T-handle over there to see if it will fit the machine.  More peace of mind for myself anyways.

When I was setting this machine up,  Since its out in the open and there are other machines to compete with I had a goal of averaging 2 vends a day, 60 vends a month.

[whaletail116]

Nice Job, NinnJinn!  Cheers and have a great 4th of July!!

[NinnJinn]

June 22- June 27 1pm  28vends for $14 gross

June 28 @ 7:30pm         16 vends for $8 gross

June 29 @3 pm                 2 vends for $1 gross   :'(

July  1    @1pm                   4 vends for $2 gross

So For the first 7 day week  total was 50 vends for a gross income of $25!!! To some that may be pitiful, but to me, that is totally awsome! considering I was shooting for about 14 vends a week.

[NinnJinn]

July 2nd @ 1:15pm  16 vends for $8

Looking around attempting to find machines for other places that I have in mind. I'm currently in the process of obtaining my LLC,  and getting my Reseller License, and all that fun stuff.

[WillisNYC]

Congrats on getting started in full line Ninn!  I started small just like you a little over a year ago.  I placed two outside machines and went on from there! 

You should check into third party vending in your area.  Coke, Pepsi and Snapple all do third party machines in my area and probably in yours too.  Contact your local rep and find out what it takes to get started.    Free machines make it much easier to be successful in this business.    Also, third party folks will mostly force you to sell 20oz products which is more profitable in my area and probably in yours...do the math. 

You are halfway to having a successful machine with your first placement which is pretty good.  My first machines only did slightly more gross than yours and they were selling $1.50 bottles!    So even though I don't consider a machine 'successful' unless it averages $50/week,  anything over $20 is definitely a keeper that you can build your business with. 

I would also check out Uncles ebook that has tons of ideas on how to start a full line vending business from scratch.  I read it before I got started and it helped out tremendously.  I also joined this forum and started reading everything I could about full line.  You are already two steps ahead of your competition by joining this forum.  So many valuable things that I learned here. 

Good luck and  keep on vending.

[NinnJinn]

Thanks for the comments and info Willis!  I appreciate it.  If time allows, I will attempt to get ahold of the bottlers and see what their 3rd party vending is all about.  Would it be alright to pm you some questions that I have?

Thanks

[NinnJinn]

Well I went to check on the machine today.  And I sold roughly 12 cherry cokes (sold out)  plus other sodas but only had enough money for 13 sales!!!  :o :o   What in the world happened!!!!  So I'm attempting to be calm while looking around for signs of a break in and on the inside freaking out! 

After what seemed like eternity of looking for signs, the old man from the flea market comes wobbling out.  And asks me if everything is alright.  I hesitated for a moment then pleaded my case..  he chuckled patted me on the shoulder and said, "its ok son"  he opened the cover that covers the changer and wallah! roughly $2.50 in nickles and $4.50 in dimes and a whole stack of quarters!!!

So I guess I can't keep track of my inventory by just counting quarters. lol  But lemme tell ya, it sure took a load of my mind!

Anyways!

Roughly 13 vends for this 24hr. period.  I am going to be leaving for wal-mart soon and am going to load up on drinks to stock the machine full that way I have a better way of keeping track of vends.  Might also rob the girls' piggy banks for dimes and nickles to fill the changer all the way up so what money is put in the machine will fall into the collection can.

No  DBA today in the mail...  I will wait until monday,  if no DBA or no proof of shipment..  I might have to start getting grumpy!

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy 4th of July!!!!!

NinnJinn

[WillisNYC]

Ninn, feel free to PM me at any time.  I am happy to help out if I can. 

Your story with the change in the machine reminds me of my early days with the route.  My wife was closely watching how much money I was bringing in and was convinced that it was always a little short of what it should be.  It took me a couple months to convince her that the 'shortage' was going into the change machine as it slowly filled up.  It takes anywhere from $20-$45 or more to fill the change up in a new machine.  I always started a new machine with the changers only half full.  Thus the initial revenue from the machine would be suppressed slightly as the change machine slowly filled up over the first few weeks or months in a slow location.    That was before I learned about taking machine readings which my wife was very happy to learn about!  Now she understands when the money doesn't exactly match the machine reading because the change in the machine can affect how much is actually collected.   

FInally, filling up the changer will help you to keep track of your sales more accurately, but it is not perfect.  Find out if your machine can be used as a 'change machine' by  placing a dollar bill in the machine and hitting the coin return.  Most machines will return change and keep your dollar bill.  I have one coke machine at a service station with a car wash and lots of vacuum machines.  The machine is constantly full of dollar bills, empty of quarters and does not sell much soda.  I have been on the owner for weeks to get his damn change machine fixed because the lack of change is hurting my soda sales. 

[mission vending]

Another way to keep track is to carry a couple rolls of Q, N and dimes (petty cash) and refill the coin tubes to the same level every time you service. When you get home rebuild your petty cash fund, the remainder should correspond to the number of vends.

[coinvestor]

FInally, filling up the changer will help you to keep track of your sales more accurately, but it is not perfect.  Find out if your machine can be used as a 'change machine' by  placing a dollar bill in the machine and hitting the coin return.  Most machines will return change and keep your dollar bill.  I have one coke machine at a service station with a car wash and lots of vacuum machines.  The machine is constantly full of dollar bills, empty of quarters and does not sell much soda.  I have been on the owner for weeks to get his damn change machine fixed because the lack of change is hurting my soda sales.   

Not sure what kind of machine you have, but if you have a "force vend" option, turn it on. It will force you to make a purchase if you put money in.

JD

[mission vending]

Beat me to the punch. 

[WillisNYC]

I learn something here all the time, thanks fellas.  I knew I had a 'force vend' but never really considered when to use it.... experience is all in this business.

[NinnJinn]

12:00pm EST

I stocked the machine as full as I could get it in order to better calculate vends since last pull.

I had 10 vends worth $5 

I don't figure tomorrows pull will be much better due to the 4th of July and everyone being every where except at the flea market.  But,  I'm still making money so I guess thats all that matters.

So far I have pulled $44.50 for a total of 12 days.  Certainly more than I expected. For just starting out on my first full line machine.

If you guys calculate ROI based on gross sales, At the current rate, I will have my ROI in less than 2 months (45 days).

If you go  by net, I will have my ROI  in 3 months (90 days)!

I hope this is a good thing!

[WillisNYC]

ROI should be figured as half of gross sales if that is what your profit margin is before taxes, transportation, labor, etc.    I keep track of my COGs( Cost of Goods) and try to ensure that that number is running 1/2 of my gross sales.  If it is not, I need to adjust the sales price or find cheaper product.    If my ROI allows me to pay off a machine in 9 months or less I consider that a good location.  A three month payoff is a VERY good location using that yardstick.  As I said before, your first location is a keeper and just build from there.

[NinnJinn]

ROI should be figured as half of gross sales if that is what your profit margin is before taxes, transportation, labor, etc.     I keep track of my COGs( Cost of Goods) and try to ensure that that number is running 1/2 of my gross sales.  If it is not, I need to adjust the sales price or find cheaper product.     If my ROI allows me to pay off a machine in 9 months or less I consider that a good location.  A three month payoff is a VERY good location using that yardstick.   As I said before, your first location is a keeper and just build from there.

 

With tax I'm right at a 50% profit on goods sold.  I could lower the transportation costs,  but I would look funny and I think my girls would have a problem with me using their wagon to pull 7 cases of soda to the machine and back... 

And I always keep soda in the car if I am going anywhere.  every time we leave home or we come home, we drive past the location about 98% of the time.

[NinnJinn]

Well I managed to go 2 full days without stopping! 

So from 7-4 @ 12pm  to 7-6 @ 3:05pm

I had 42 vends for a total of $21

I am really glad I was too lazy to change out the Pepsi flavor strip and make a new oversized strip for this button!  The pepsi is linked to two columns and when I checked today, both columns were half full, So my guesstimate is, Is that if I would have put Mt. Dew in there like I really wanted to,  I would have a load of Mt. Dews and little to no pepsis!

I didn't get a full count on the drinks sold due to not having any coke, cherry coke or pepsi with me. 

BUT, I can say there were no water or Diet cokes vended in the last two days. And there were only 2 Sierra Mists vended.

[Hillbilly]

Funny!!!  I was the same way with the gumball machines.

Maybe the Pepsi mixes better with the hard stuff?

[NinnJinn]

Maybe the Pepsi mixes better with the hard stuff?

I'm not a drinker, But I have heard things like "Coke and rum" "Jack and coke" etc...  So far for the last 12days I sell very little coke usually 1-2 cans a day at most...  But this is the honest truth!  From the last two weeks, If I hit the machine early on Sunday morning, Coke looks normal.  I hit the machine early Monday morning, I find that I have sold at least 8 Cokes in that time period.

So what i'm thinking is, I have Folks upstairs that like mixed drinks.  But since Indiana is "Dry" on Sundays,  They can't go to the local bar, so they hit my machine... 

Which is fine with me!

[spdydre]

good luck the business gets addicting

[NinnJinn]

good luck the business gets addicting

You ain't kidding! it will be 2 weeks tomorrow since my first full line machine and I already have 3 ideal locations and working on a deal to purchase another DN 368 already on location...

And of all places..............................

Another Flea Market! 

[NinnJinn]

Bad, Bad, Bad NinnJinn!

I only had 10vends in the last 2days! 

Silly me, not knowing what I was doing.  I found a manual for my coin acceptor and yesterday stopped by to see what the settings were.  Everything was to my liking except at the time, I wasn't crazy about the force vend since I didn't have a DBA in yet.  So I flipped the switch, put money in and pushed the return button.  Hey it worked!  So I closed the machine and went about my way.

Today a younger fellow stopped me at the gas station and said my machine wasn't working.  So I drove over freaking out because I don't know anything about electronics.

I put money in and pushed every single button and no product.  So I hit the return button and it gave me my change back.

So I switched it back to force vend and all works good!

Lesson learned.  "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

[Technivend]

On the option switch bank switches 5 and 6 control your escrow to vend. You must have 5 and 6 off to work correctly. This option was used mostly for cigarette machines. Keep the forced vend!

[NinnJinn]

I think that was the problem.  I flipped one, but didn't flip the other.  But yes, it is staying on forced vend.

I requested contact info through ebay for the seller on my DBA Changer.  and the number was disconnected, so I did a directory search based on the name and location and got a hold of the sellers dad.

He said that the seller (his son) was on vacation and He (the dad) saw the package and dropped it off yesterday at the post office.  He confirmed that it was in a priority flat rate box.  So based on USPS website,  I should have it tomorrow!

So if anyone drives down Cedar St. around 11am-12pm tomorrow and sees a guy hanging out around a mail box,  Its me!!!  

[NinnJinn]

1pm

22 vends for $11 in 24hrs

> No Bill acceptor >

So to blow off steam, I went to check on the machine.

I decided to go ahead and raise the price to 65 cents even though I didn't have the Bill acceptor to install.  I took out the old  price tag of 50 and printed a 65 on paper to replace it.  (mine actually looks better than the 50. lol)

I printed off some spread sheets or whatever you call them, so I can mark what I have sold and of what flavor.

Even though I thought it was a good idea and its been in the 90s and humid.  I haven't sold a single bottled water in 7days!  So, like I have been doing for the last 7 days, I shut the door, put money in and hit the bottled water button.  Yep, its working.

And in the last 5 for sure, maybe 7days, I haven't sold any diet cokes.  And have sold less than 6 Sierra Mists.

So I walked into the so called hang out area of the place where there were about 5ppl there and told them, I might be getting rid of the bottled water and said, "what would you like to see in the machine?"  Obviously the first response was "Beer"

Then they said Dr. Pepper, and maybe some kind of a red cream soda If I ever get rid of the Diet Coke..

So, now that the machine is up to 65cents, we shall see what happens.

[will.vend]

1pm

22 vends for $11 in 24hrs

if you have 22 vends in the next 24 hrs you will have $14.30 up $3.30