NinnJinn's Vending Adventure

[antoniocinisi]

I am feeling lucky we have had this nice (er) weather over here, ice cream sales and soda have dropped a little but are still good.I expected them to drop more  I am guessing they will eventually stop on the ice cream machine while it`s really cold out.I checked the machines on the island tonite and the ice cream machine was the one that had the most in it. in that machine sometimesI  will find 5`s like I did tonite and about once a month there will be a 10.my coke machine had only a buck,which reminds me I have one in my truck out side!!the coke machine uses the most juice too and it does the worst.I may ask for a smaller machine in the fall as much as I`d hate too after what I had to go through to get this one to work right.

I have had an oportunity open up for a snack machine in a court house and I am preparing to get a new combo machine for this location.this will be my first snack account with no commission!!as long as the machine is properly maintained there are zero possibilties of  kick out for the next 4 years,most likely more since the sheriff that ok`ed it is going to run again.

when this gentleman was deputy he would take all his prisoners to mcdonalds and have cigarettes available for them for thier transport to jail.this good hearted family man got elected by a landslide,even the criminals voted for him !!he will win again,this is why this account is getting a new machine.I am banking on being there at least 8 years. the county clerk ladies will love the fact they wont have to refund money and have to get it from the other guy when he comes every 3 months. I am very excited.I hope I can figure out that type of machine pretty quickly.I am not looking forward to the price tag though.the return should be there.they have nothing to drink inside the court house!!they have to go across the street!

[NinnJinn]

I really hate being broken into.  Now I am so paranoid about another break in that I am taking the money from my machines nightly.

With shorter daylight time, it is becoming a pain.  Even though at the end of the week if you add it all together it is about the same, but it discourages me when I open the machine and there is no dollars or change in the can. or there has only been 1or 2 vends in a 24hr period of time.

I am attempting to get over the fact of losing money, and trying to have the mind set, "If I lose money, I lose money." 

I guess I will get over it with time. but I wish it would hurry up and pass so I can get back to hitting the machines weekly and pulling that small wad of ones out and filling my pockets full of quarters! 

[dogcow]

I really hate being broken into.  Now I am so paranoid about another break in that I am taking the money from my machines nightly.

With shorter daylight time, it is becoming a pain.  Even though at the end of the week if you add it all together it is about the same, but it discourages me when I open the machine and there is no dollars or change in the can. or there has only been 1or 2 vends in a 24hr period of time.

I am attempting to get over the fact of losing money, and trying to have the mind set, "If I lose money, I lose money." 

I guess I will get over it with time. but I wish it would hurry up and pass so I can get back to hitting the machines weekly and pulling that small wad of ones out and filling my pockets full of quarters! 

if you are pulling the $ nightly you are losing money in terms of gas an opportunity cost

[NinnJinn]

Exactly!  I just need to get over the "what if they come back"

[mission vending]

Exactly!  I just need to get over the "what if they come back"

Not to burst your bubble of innocence here, but its not IF its WHEN.

[NinnJinn]

*sigh*  pop goes the bubble... 

[NinnJinn]

when you do your route mission, do you expect to come upon a break in on one of your machines?

[mission vending]

No, simply because I don't do outdoor equipment anymore for that very reason. I also won't do low dollar hotel/motels.

I've had one break in in the last two + years by eliminating locations with a high potential for vandalism.

[NinnJinn]

As for stating my sales etc.  Do most of you suggest I stick to the revenue section of the forum?  Or post both here and in the revenue?

Comments anyone?

[mission vending]

Do what works for you.

[NinnJinn]

I know Steve put the revenue section up for a reason, I just don't want to upset anyone by posting here and not there or posting there and not here.

[KenP]

Ninn, I sat and read this from the beginning even tho I really need some sleep. Thanks for all the info. Since I want to do full line, reading your account has been helpful and informative.

I was very interested in 3rd party as a way to start, but now I think I should own a couple of machines to pick up any slack in reaching the minimums. I may not have known that without this.

Reading this and another thread earlier its clear outdoor vending is very, very risky.

To top it all off, you've caused me to consider a few more things before jumping in with both feet. Questions to come... If you don't post the answers first!

Thanks

[NinnJinn]

Ken,

         People like you are the reason I started this thread!  don't hesitate at all to ask questions.  Ask in open forum or send me a message if you like.  I / we are always willing to help a fellow member!

[KenP]

Ken,

         People like you are the reason I started this thread!  don't hesitate at all to ask questions.  Ask in open forum or send me a message if you like.  I / we are always willing to help a fellow member!

Well it was a great idea. I mentioned this thread to my wife today when I was explaining a few more learned things. Very handy.

[NinnJinn]

When the forum members stated that outdoor machines drop during the colder months, I never really thought that they would drop off that significantly! 

I know I need to be patient and give it time, I haven't even been in full line a year yet. 

During the colder months, I find myself not really doing much unless it snows.  Well, considering that all we have is ice, I haven't been doing diddly!  The Mrs. is always telling me to get out of the house, I guess I am getting on her last nerve or something, I dunno.  When I check my machines, I get more and more discouraged. I haven't stocked my can machine for over 2 weeks.  My bottle machines,  well we won't go there.  If I am keeping track correctly, I am going to have more expired product come the 27 of this month, than I do fresh product!

I went after the car wash location with a Monster machine hoping to increase revenue with a product that would be cheaper out of the machine than anywhere else except for wal-mart.  And the closest wal-mart is almost 20 miles away.  But now that Pepsi is competing with me, I dunno what to do.

I would hate to throw in the towel, For the most part, I have never been a quiter.  But times like this, makes it really tempting to just walk away.

I don't have the capital or resources to have my own box truck etc, so I'm pretty much stuck on moving machines around. At the end of this year, there will no longer be any manufacturing plants what so ever within 15 miles of me, We have a few office places, but it consists of 2-3 people being employed there and usually there is only 1-2ppl there at any given time.  Pretty much the only thing keeping this small town afloat is the military base "Crane" about 25-30 miles north of here.  People do very little work and are greatly over paid!

I really had plans on building a Vending Island after the first of the year, but with the way everything is going, It makes me wonder if I would just be wasting my money?

I am not looking for a pity party. lol  I am just randomly expressing my thoughts since my wife now just rolls her eyes and walks away from me when I start to mention anything about vending, so guess what?

You guys and gals, are the lucky ones to listen to me! lol  At least I can't see you roll your eyes at me.   

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays and a Prosperous New Year with new accounts and increased revenues!

[antoniocinisi]

dont get so discouraged my friend.we all hit a slup every once in a while and it is felt even more when you dont have a lot of machines.I am in your situation as far as having a bunch of soda expiring on the 27th.I am lucky I can move it thru my restraunt though.I bought two cases of fanta grape and I have sold 3 out of the machine in almost 2 months.I am selling it off for a buck each as a "special" just to move it out,I dont like it so I cant take it home either.hang in there for another 90 days and sales will be up again.after my machine was down in order to help sales pick up again and to get people in the habit of using the machine again I taped a sign on my machine that said everything  $1.I know there will be less then a dime in profit but it may be better then tring to move it after it expires or drink it all,and you will make some money back to buy new stock.find a strategy to help you survive the 90 days and hang in there.I DONT WANT TO READ ABOUT HOW YOU CANT MAKE IT ANY MORE AND HAVE TO THROW IN THE TOWEL. rjt , anderson vending and mission may have better ideas then mine,you should start by pm ing them.

[coinvestor]

Ninn,

These ups and downs are part of being a business owner. They will not go away even as you get bigger, the problems just multiply. Instead of 2 cases of expired product its 10, or wondering if the bags will equal the bills and leave enough to pay the mortgage.

Owning a small business is like being bipolar. There are days when you wonder why anyone would buy from your vending machines and you should just throw in the towel, and the next day you are ready to vend ice to penguins. The triggers for these changes are usually small things like a customer complaint or compliment or gaining an account. The quicker you accept the fact that these cycles are normal and that each low will be followed by a high and vice versa, the quicker you can start making business decisions and not emotional ones.

JD

[RJT]

JD,

Some sound advice you gave,short simple and on point. It dosent matter if it vending or owning a carwash, barber shop, retail, or any kind of business you have good, bad, problems, home runs, etc. The ones that survive do as you have stated and keep trying to make it work.

[mission vending]

Ninn,

Owning a small business is like being bipolar.

Well said, even after 15 years I have days that make me want to throw my keys out of the truck window on the way home and forget I know anything about the inside of a vending machine. Entrepreneurs are like junkies, forever searching for that next high and desperately trying to avoid the inevitable low. You've got to learn that patience is one of your best friends and simply by staying the course and not overreacting to a problem will allow you to continue to survive and continue to grow your business.

[NinnJinn]

.I DONT WANT TO READ ABOUT HOW YOU CANT MAKE IT ANY MORE AND HAVE TO THROW IN THE TOWEL.

Thanks for the slap in the face to bring me back to reality Antonio!  Although it sucks, I'm relieved to know I am not the only one dealing with expired product!

[NinnJinn]

Antonio, JD, RJT, and Mission,

So basically running a small business or just starting out, it is normal to have ups and downs and it doesn't necessarily mean I suck as a business owner/wanna be business owner?

Thanks for the responses guys.

[antoniocinisi]

it`s not you.hang in there for another 88 days and the cash flow will come back!!

[JEREMYTINA]

Are you relying on income from your machines to support your family?  If not, then just realize you are building a future for them, that is better than the one they currently have.  Times get tough, and this is where they separate the wheat from the chaff.  Hang in there brother, goo times are coming.

On a side note, if you are relying on the incoome from your business, just remember that the Lord never gives us more than we can bear.  I don't know if you are a Christian, but if you are  perhaps this is where He wants you to be.  Hardship builds character.  Either way, Tina and I will pray for you, as we do all of those struggling to make ends meet.

[NinnJinn]

we really need a smiley banging his head on a brick wall!  I would definitely be using it right now!

I called my coke rep and left a voice mail about the car wash location.  And how we couldn't come to terms and wanted to know how much time I had to find a place and how much trouble it would be to hold off on the machine.

http://vendiscuss.com/forum/index.php?topic=11303.msg93615;topicseen#new

I was finishing up the voice mail when I had another line coming in.

It was coke letting me know that they had the machine ready and would be delivering it at 8:30 tomorrow morning.  So I told the lady about the whole ordeal and we canceled the order.  She said that they can keep the machine for 7 days before they have to send it back. (where ever that is)  But they don't operate on Sat or Sun, and they will be closed on Christmas eve.  so I have until Thursday to find a location for the machine or else I lose it and have to start the 2-3month waiting period all over again.  Sigh...

[Technivend]