Do bulk locations ever turn into full line locations?

[Pbuckler]

I was wondering if anyone has had a location where you placed a bulk machine and you eventually were asked to bring in a full line snack and/or soda machine? I'm curious if having a few bulk machines located could possibly open the door for a full line machine?

[Profits]

I approached a place my brother works at, and he said "the owner doesn't want bulk machines here.  He only wants full-line machines.  If you can bring those in, we'll kick out the other guy."

I declined because they only have 15 employees.

So yes, it apparently can happen.  Probably rare, though.

[alboy88]

i put a gumball machine in a location that had a snack machine already there. but every time i went back to fill my bulk machine i noticed  the big snack machine was empty.

so i asked the guy who okd my bulk machine  what was the deal with the snack machine?  he said guy only comes once every 2 months. so i told him i do full size machines also

he said hed ask his boss. so bout a week later he called and i put in a snack machine  now  the twist is the other guys items were stale out of date  plus  his didnt take dollars mine

does ,and til this day that machine is still empty    so yes if you ask you can get a location from a bulk machine....

[davekro]

If an account is easily ready to boot his current vendor with out you even pressing, he is obviously very unhappy with his current vendor.  Especially with with very small accounts (<50), it is not uncommon for the vendor to service them MUCH less often and even poorly.  Usually the reason is that account does not do enough volume for him/her to justify his time to go there (just to take out a few dollars and swap the aging (unsold) chips to newer dates.  I have had, and now do again have accounts like this.  It takes more time to swap out old product with new and try to add 'new things' to boost sales, than it does to fill a machine with normal sales volume.  I called these my dink accounts.  Their sales had dropped so much they had become more of equipment storage than selling product.  I would load only  a few deep on dated items because that is all it would sell in the 2 (or whatever) weeks until I was back.  COming to these accounts weekly is depressing too.  I call them snack 'aging' machines, not selling machines.

Like you learning they had 15 people, I walk away if I cannot see a good reason (potential sales) to take on a new account.  If I cannot project the purchase cost of the equipment being paid off in 12 months (maybe 18-24 mo. in this economy), I pass.  Even if I have available equipment, I balance if it is worth my time to service the account.

Snack aging machines are a bummer!  Unfortunately, if you are in vending now, you probably have some of these.

[agrantha]

I was wondering if anyone has had a location where you placed a bulk machine and you eventually were asked to bring in a full line snack and/or soda machine? I'm curious if having a few bulk machines located could possibly open the door for a full line machine?

Pbuckler

I have a bulk candy machine at a mom and pop car dealership.  They sell and rent cars.  Since they rent cars it is a high traffic location.  After I had been there two months the owner approached me and requested a drink/snack combo machine.  I accepted his offer only because of the bulk candy machine.  The bulk candy machine (Vendstar) did over $30.00 per month two months in a row.  So I figured a drink machine would do well.  It does $30 per week.  The guy who I purchased the combo drink machine from will be bringing me the snack part next week.  I think vending sodas is fun.  I like the profit margin.  However, I am not looking forward to selling snacks.  Checking “Good Thru” dates is another job in itself.

If your bulk machine is doing well, put a snack machine there.  If your bulk machine is not doing well, pass it up.

[Pbuckler]

All great info! I know that having a bulk machine located doesn't guarantee a full line setup in the future. However, if I can get a bulk machine located for a tenth the price of a full line then in theory I could get 10 bulks located and have a shot at maybe one location eventually adding a full line setup.  Then if I do get one full line account out of the bulk locations I'll have 10 bulks and a full line for the same price as just 1 full line located or 10 bulk machines. Obviously there are quite a few variables and unknowns here but I'm only doing this part time and don't have a deadline.  The money is more of an issue than time.

[agrantha]

Pbuckler

Just stay in the business.  The more locations you acquire the more opportunities will come.  I have only been in vending for 7 months and already two of my locations have requested extras.  One location requested an additional bulk candy machine for more variety. So now I have two triples there.  The other location requested a drink snack combo.  Just keep pushing and all that other stuff will come. 

Don’t try to grow too fast.  I have seen quite a few people join this board and are not here anymore.  Most of them begin with a blog like post that says something like, “Follow My Lead” or “I Will Be Posting My Progress”.  These are typically the vendors who are new and purchase a large existing route or hire a locator for a mass of locations.  If you grow too fast you will mismanage locations and end up with underperforming machines.  And you may run out of money.  You will then become discouraged and quit.

Bulk vending is easy and fun in my opinion.  Full line is very profitable but can be a headache at times. 

[Pbuckler]

Thanks agrantha. I will be going on year 2 next week. I started with a glass front drink machine. A few weeks ago I was asked to put in a glass front and a snack at a neighboring location. I am pretty excited and am a bit more interested in expanding now that I have a couple drink machines and a snack machine. I have seen a lot of bulk machines for sale on Craigslist and have been thinking of ways to use them to expand.

[sbishop]

Once more the answer is yes. I had a manager ask me about full line for a different location. I have also been keeping my eyes open for opportunities to offer full line to existing bulk locs

I have also has good luck the other way. I have a bank with a 3wide snack and satellite can machine. there was a triple  near the front door and it always looked the same week after week and month after month. 2 of the selections were empty and the middle had very few tab gum. One day it was gone, so I grabbed one of the 2 vendstar 3Ks that have a gumball wheel and stuck it in there. WOW, it is one of my top bulk locs now. It averages above $60 -$80 a month. I have put bulk at almost all of my full line locs

[jayhawk22]

I just recently had a location offer me the soda & snack account where I already had the bar equipment, arcade & bulk.  It is a nice hotel so I am looking forward to having every machine in the building!  So yes, it can happen.