Enjoy Charity Locations While You Can!

[T BIRD]

A friend and mentor of mine  always tells me to enjoy the charity locations I have.  He says they will not last because thats the nature of this type of location.  The best and most successful vendors in the business had/have charity spots and they say the same thing.

Well........it has been happening to me also lately.  I guess out of the 400 plus locations I have, these must be 80 charity spots.  Thats the way I started this business obviously, with a locatior placing machines using the charity rap.

Before I started buying commission routes, my top performer was an Olive Garden I had.  That location had two super 60s with candy and averaged over 90 dollars a month.  I was told to take it out yesterday.  New management is in place blah blah blah.  Same thing with Burlington Factory, and the same thing with Foot Locker.  This is all within 2 weeks.  Foot Locker was my 3rd best charity performer for a long time.

[Hillbilly]

Sucks Johnny.  Don't let it get you down.  Go find another spot.

[bostonvendor27]

Sorry to hear that T- Bird!   Judging from the collective experiences  of the vendors on this board There's no doubt that commission locations have a better shelf life then charity locs do. I think You say it best in the headline of your post "Enjoy Charity Locations While You Can" ! Even though they have a short shelf life they are able to get in the doors of some great spots and make great money! Do you think it would of been possible to get into the olive garden without a charity? Have you successfully turned any charity locations into commission?

[T BIRD]

I think they last longer if they are a local charity. The route I purchased has been in place for 10+ years , but , it is a local charity.

Thats a good point Kelly.  You are probably right.

[T BIRD]

Sorry to hear that T- Bird!   Judging from the collective experiences  of the vendors on this board There's no doubt that commission locations have a better shelf life then charity locs do. I think You say it best in the headline of your post "Enjoy Charity Locations While You Can" ! Even though they have a short shelf life they are able to get in the doors of some great spots and make great money! Do you think it would of been possible to get into the olive garden without a charity? Have you successfully turned any charity locations into commission?

I dont think it is possible to get into Olive Garden with a commission deal.  I have never heard of this company allowing machines in their lobby area.  I knew from the beginning that having a machine in the kitchen area would be temporary.  They even hid the machine one time for me when some bosses came down for a tour.  Same with Foot Locker.  They hid the machine also.  Same thing with Ruby Tuesday.  They also his my machine once.  Thats in the kitchen also right now.

[Jax Snacks]

I hear ya loud and clear T Bird!  Change is a bad thing for most charity locations - new owner, new manager, new policy, new location, even new carperting can get you booted!  I do think that charity machines hold up better in smaller towns with a local charity and of course a good rapport with the location.  I don't place charity machines in public areas any more and focus on break rooms and warehouses and a few other types I will not mention publicly.  A small footprint is always best for charity and a single head is usually best for charity.  I like to use to the puppy dog example for retaining charity locations.  When a location changes ownership, you are essentially asking the new owner to adopt your machine.  Well it is easier to adopt a small puppy (single head) than a big sheppard (8 way uturn).  It's also best to hide that puppy in the back (break room) and keep it away from the public area where the big wigs will not notice it.  But as we have seen, they still may notice it in the back room and boot it.  Or simply place them where no one seems to care, like in a warehouse or industrial area (especially the grungy ones) where no one seems to get worked up over a candy machine.

[whaletail116]

If it's not a win/win, it'll eventually become a loss.

[jmac]

I feel your pain, I recently lost 2 gravy spots, due to ownership changing. It sucks but what can you do, except go find new spots.

[bullyfrog]

I'm hoping when the time comes I'll be able to convert at least some of my charity spots over to commission.

[eddiebauervending]

Man my experience is just the opposite of this. In the last four yrs the charity locations stuck and the commission got booted or never made it in in the first place. These are the numbers I was working with.

I'd tell the owner he'd get 20 % and he'd say 20%of what and I'd say these thing do 100-150 a month( And I felt a little uneasy about saying that) and he'd be like  why we even talking about this...I have stuff to do...because its only 20 or so dollars a month and now he has (at least he thinks) something else to worry about around his store...or whatever.

But if a guy can feel like he is helping a charity by letting the machine hang out...even if it makes a mess sometimes...or it is kinda in the way sometimes...he's going..."well it's for charity and it ain't costin me anything".

I have more than 10 vendors with more than 100 machines and a couple of them close to 1000 and all the bulk is charity....and I  have been told many times that owners have told them...many times.. that they let that thing (the machine)stay because maybe it's helping some kid with cancer...or whatever the Charity.

It's a 20 second script and a yes or no to get a charity machine in and if I told you how small the kickout rate(from my customers feedback...I have no idea nationwide or in utah or whatever) is after it has been there a month you wouldn't believe me.

anyway Bros and sis's this is just my experience and I cant figure out why so many are dying to convert to commission and give a way 20% when I just have not ..in my little 4 yrs of experience..seen the big or any advantage.

Infact no big co. that so many think will be the gold mine is interested in 20.40 or even 100 bucks a month but they might have a soft spot for your charity.

And that 20 or 40 extra bucks a month would only appeal to a smaller co that everyone thinks would be a poor performer and who wants to put a machine there or give 20% of 20 bucks or who wants 20% of 20 bucks or 40 or 50 for that matter.

I know racks and such can do better than that so I am ..in my post ...talking strickly double tripple type bulk machines.

Man I got to be missing something somewhere... prob Kelly or somebody could shed some light on it for me

I ain't trying to start nothing I'm just not getting it...but I'm slow ..to many concussions LOL

[T BIRD]

I think alot depends on your area. Their are some tuff customers in NY, huh Johnny?

I guess Kelly.  I mean with charity spots, any change of management brings the possibility of getting booted ya know?  The new GM or manager wants to make their bones and show they have power I guess.......etc.

Roger Folz had thousands of charity spots all over the country using the Jerry Lewis MD charity.  He said it was very difficult to keep the numbers up in terms of not losing locations.

The one very good thing about charity locations is for new comers just getting started in the bulk vending field, it's a great way to get into the business.  Finding charity locations yourself or utilizing a locator.  Making collections, changing products, learning the nuances of the various machines out there etc.  That is how I started and I do not regret starting out with charities at all.

[alboy88]

i had a  machine at a dr bizers vision world it was  the money maker !!!  the big wigs came in  and my best location was gone, but now ive had other locations for years with charity

and not missed a beat

[havending]

A friend and mentor of mine  always tells me to enjoy the charity locations I have.  He says they will not last because thats the nature of this type of location.  The best and most successful vendors in the business had/have charity spots and they say the same thing.

Well........it has been happening to me also lately.  I guess out of the 400 plus locations I have, these must be 80 charity spots.  Thats the way I started this business obviously, with a locatior placing machines using the charity rap.

Before I started buying commission routes, my top performer was an Olive Garden I had.  That location had two super 60s with candy and averaged over 90 dollars a month.  I was told to take it out yesterday.  New management is in place blah blah blah.  Same thing with Burlington Factory, and the same thing with Foot Locker.  This is all within 2 weeks.  Foot Locker was my 3rd best charity performer for a long time.

Burlington has a comm. vending program. just to let you know.

[PnutGallery Co.]

Man my experience is just the opposite of this. In the last four yrs the charity locations stuck and the commission got booted or never made it in in the first place. These are the numbers I was working with.

I'd tell the owner he'd get 20 % and he'd say 20%of what and I'd say these thing do 100-150 a month( And I felt a little uneasy about saying that) and he'd be like  why we even talking about this...I have stuff to do...because its only 20 or so dollars a month and now he has (at least he thinks) something else to worry about around his store...or whatever.

But if a guy can feel like he is helping a charity by letting the machine hang out...even if it makes a mess sometimes...or it is kinda in the way sometimes...he's going..."well it's for charity and it ain't costin me anything".

I have more than 10 vendors with more than 100 machines and a couple of them close to 1000 and all the bulk is charity....and I  have been told many times that owners have told them...many times.. that they let that thing (the machine)stay because maybe it's helping some kid with cancer...or whatever the Charity.

It's a 20 second script and a yes or no to get a charity machine in and if I told you how small the kickout rate(from my customers feedback...I have no idea nationwide or in utah or whatever) is after it has been there a month you wouldn't believe me.

anyway Bros and sis's this is just my experience and I cant figure out why so many are dying to convert to commission and give a way 20% when I just have not ..in my little 4 yrs of experience..seen the big or any advantage.

Infact no big co. that so many think will be the gold mine is interested in 20.40 or even 100 bucks a month but they might have a soft spot for your charity.

And that 20 or 40 extra bucks a month would only appeal to a smaller co that everyone thinks would be a poor performer and who wants to put a machine there or give 20% of 20 bucks or who wants 20% of 20 bucks or 40 or 50 for that matter.

I know racks and such can do better than that so I am ..in my post ...talking strickly double tripple type bulk machines.

Man I got to be missing something somewhere... prob Kelly or somebody could shed some light on it for me

I ain't trying to start nothing I'm just not getting it...but I'm slow ..to many concussions LOL

I was thinking the same thing about a couple restaurants that a friend owns. Super succesful with all the family driving their Mercedes. I am thinking they will not be the least bit impressed with making a $20 commission every month and that the charity may be a better sales pitch.

[JEREMYTINA]

I was thinking the same thing about a couple restaurants that a friend owns. Super succesful with all the family driving their Mercedes. I am thinking they will not be the least bit impressed with making a $20 commission every month and that the charity may be a better sales pitch.

Charity definitely has it's place, but from my limited experience in the last year, I have been converting high volume charity locations to commission spots by adding more equipment. If I place a rack, it's definitely going to be commission every time.

[agrantha]

Johnny

Simple statistics will tell you that if you have so many of anything that you are going to loose a few, so why are you killing charity because you lost two or three locations? You have over 400 locations. What made you think that there is a slight possibility that you would keep them all? Whether commission or charity, if you have a crap load of locations you are going to loose some.

[Jax Snacks]

Some areas of the country probably work better for charity than others. In a competitive dog-eat-dog rat-race place like New York City, I would think that charity machines would not hold up as well. Especially when ownership or management turns over.

Of course you can lose any location (commission or charity) at any time for any stupid reason. But I found that charity locations are much more volatile - particularly in the public places like restaurants, retail and hotels. But they seem to hold up better in factories, warehouses and break rooms.

[*Jessica*]

I'm going to BUMP this post and ask this question:

Wouldn't all of this bumping be prevented if you had locked up the location(s) in question with a long term contract??? Isn't that what long term contracts are for? I mean hell, if commission or charity bulk machines can get the boot this easy, then why bother with the contracts?

Someone please give me some insight??

[treadmill]

I'm going to BUMP this post and ask this question:

Wouldn't all of this bumping be prevented if you had locked up the location(s) in question with a long term contract??? Isn't that what long term contracts are for? I mean hell, if commission or charity bulk machines can get the boot this easy, then why bother with the contracts?

Someone please give me some insight??

Contract my dear are not worth the paper they are written on, especially bulk vending.

[allsnax]

For commission rack accounts, for most locations, I think its best to pitch 'no contract', business owners dont want to sign contracts. If their making money and their customers are happy & using your machines, all is good.

In charity vending, the name charity says it all. The owner is letting you use space. Many locators pitch it as a fundraiser and owners sometimes think it is a temporary thing.

In all bulk vending your going to lose accounts, its part of the game. Businesses close, Managers change etc. I think that if your going to do bulk you really need to get comfortable with sales and locating aspect of the business because its a big part of it. As you grow locating will slow down but it will never completly stop.

[Fast Track Amusements]

I have pushed many competitive "Charity" machines out by offering commission. Businesses are in the business of making money and offering them a portion of the take is a good way to keep your machines out of your garage.

[treadmill]

I guess it all right then if you are gonna give them 4-5 dollars a month. I guess that will keep them in business for another month.

[Toad]

You cake take somebody to "Gumball court"

[allsnax]

I have pushed many competitive "Charity" machines out by offering commission. Businesses are in the business of making money and offering them a portion of the take is a good way to keep your machines out of your garage.

It is true that most business owners are interested in making money. For a guy running his own resturaunt, commission might be the best way to go. But there are some businesses that have a large interest in giving back to the community and see the chariy vending model as a good way to show that. In my area a large tire chain, new car dealers & a pizza chain plus others. With these businesses the charity bulk vending model has its place.

[dogcow]

I'm going to BUMP this post and ask this question:

Wouldn't all of this bumping be prevented if you had locked up the location(s) in question with a long term contract??? Isn't that what long term contracts are for? I mean hell, if commission or charity bulk machines can get the boot this easy, then why bother with the contracts?

Someone please give me some insight??

to prove u own the equipment and scare away other vendors. contract are only valid so far as someone is willing to enforce it, do you think its worth to sue someone over a vending contract? even for a location doing 10k a year, not IMO