Service station location

[john2010]

I was looking to get some feedback on a service station location that wants

me to install a outdoor coke machine.  It is a typical station with four pumps

on a busy road with two service bays.  They had a machine in the past but

the owner says he took it out because he is getting older and does not want

to deal with it anymore.  My thoughts were it is going to be seasonal since

I am in MA.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[RJT]

I wouldnt do it because they are prone to break ins and vandalism. They usually dont justify the risk involved. If I am going to up the risk on a machine it is going to be in a high volume location like a rest stop. If you are referring to using a third party machine then that would be up to you but I am going to guess the volume is going to be low.

[BorderJerry]

Here is a guy who specializes in service station soda vending:

http://vendiscuss.com/forum/index.php?topic=6341.0

Jerry

[Sparta_Automation]

I have two machines at one gas station...and it does very well during the summer months (avg $990 a month in sales), but winter months that dropped to about $400 a month.  This is a pretty busy station, that has about 16 pumps.

I would certainly put another outside hasp and puck lock on the machines as well as an armored bezel for the DBV....

But I find that it was worth it for me.

Travis

[RJT]

Sparta, those are solid numbers and would be worth the risk. Do you tend to have much vandalism?

We have never had much luck with service stations. I just had one picked up the other day for low volume. I wouldn’t normally even do them but I was trying to help the guy out because he was a brand new store owner and he was not getting anywhere with Coke and Pepsi. Most the service station in this area has contracts with the bottlers like most stand alone drink locations.

[john2010]

The station is in a decent area and I don't expect much vandalism.  You

mentioned that you pulled a machine because of low volume.  Can I ask

what that location was doing in volume in terms of total monthly sales?

Thanks for the input.

[RJT]

It was a Coke bottle machine at a “convenient store” at a lake. It was across the street from a camp ground owned by the store. We were lucky to get it to do 4 cases a month at $1.50 vend price. Like I said, I normally dont even do these because of low volume and vandalism. I was trying to help the guy out but decided to pull it after 3 months of low sales.

Those numbers Sparta gave are pretty solid numbers. You do have to take into account that his numbers are based on two machine at the location. So even at $900 a month gross that is $450.00 per machine. Still not bad for stand alone drink vendors.

One thing about vending is even with your best educated guess at what a location will do, sometimes they surprise you and will do better than expect or worse then expected.

You could always try it and if it dosent work out just find a new location for it.

[john2010]

Thanks for the advice.  I think I might give it a try and like you said if it does

not work after a couple months just move it. 

[RJT]

Thanks for the advice.  I think I might give it a try and like you said if it does

not work after a couple months just move it. 

Sounds like a plan, let us know how it goes. Good luck on your new location....

[Sparta_Automation]

We don't have an issue with vandalism (at least not yet), but then again, this gas station literally shares an access road with the Washington State Patrol....so maybe that has something to do with it 

Also, this is a high traffic location.  This station sees around 1200 cars a day.  We had originally hoped for more sales based upon this rate, but we are happy with what we got!

Travis

[alboy88]

i would do it maybe get a bottler to provide machine that way if it gets tore up its not your dime

[WillisNYC]

I have 18 outside service stations in New Jersey that I run.  The 'poor' ones do $30/week in winter and $60 in summer.  I have 4 of those.  The good ones do $200-250/week in summer and I have 3 of those.  The rest fall in the middle and average $50/wk in winter and $100 in summer.   In the past year I have had 4 machines vandalized in 2 locations that only have 20 hour per day coverage.   Each location is in 'good' neighborhoods with lighting, etc after dark by the station.  Each machine had a sledgehammer blow that knocked out the dba and the thieves reached inside to take the bills.  Repair costs were around $100 per machine.  I hope this helps.

[NinnJinn]

  In the past year I have had 4 machines vandalized in 2 locations that only have 20 hour per day coverage.   Each location is in 'good' neighborhoods with lighting, etc after dark by the station.  Each machine had a sledgehammer blow that knocked out the dba and the thieves reached inside to take the bills.  Repair costs were around $100 per machine.  I hope this helps.

With reports like that, It makes me not want DBA  in my machines.  But, With prices over a dollar per vend, its either take the chance with a DBA  or drag it home.

[john2010]

I installed an electrical outlet at the location yesterday and will be installing

the machine the end of this week or begining of next.  It will be vending 20oz.

bottles at $1.50 per bottle.  I would be very happy with those numbers Willis

even at the lower or middle range.  I bought a used Dixie Narco machine in

good condition for $800.00.  Hopefully I can get my money back in eight

months or so with no vandalism.  I am in MA. do you mind me asking Willis

what you are charging on average for your sodas.

Thanks everone  for the input. 

[WillisNYC]

All my outside locations cept one sell 20oz sodas for $1.50.  The other sells them for $1.75.  Used to have one at $1.25 but I finally got him to $1.50 too.