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Newbie from North Fl


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Hello all!

Very recently I have been looking into starting my own vending venture. I really started to become interested in the idea of owning a vending style business when I saw the knockout vending boxing machines. At first I had my mind set on pursing those machines, I liked they way they looked and operated and it seemed like they would do really well in the right locations (not to mention the fact that there is no inventory to replenish!). But I only really had enough cash to buy one of the machines and became wary of putting all my eggs in one basket. I started looking at candy style machines and found a guy selling a lot of 20 vendstar 3000 machines for around $1500 in used condition, they all looked very good in the pictures though (the set came with extra machines for spare parts too). Looking on this site though, it seems like I would be getting ripped off just a little bit! Originally this guy was asking a few hundred more and I asked if he could go 1500 and he said sure, so I think I may have screwed myself a little bit (as far as talking him down further). Also, the reviews I have read about the VS3000 have been very mixed; love it or hate it, and a few in between. I have also been looking at OTC medicine machines, condom machines, energy and soft drink machines so It's been kind of hard to make up my mind as what direction to go in, but the VS3000 machines seem like a great way for me to get started!

I was also thinking that the VS machines would be much easier to place, and that most proprietors wouldn't want a cut of the money, or at least not a large chunk.

ANY advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

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Hello all!

Very recently I have been looking into starting my own vending venture. I really started to become interested in the idea of owning a vending style business when I saw the knockout vending boxing machines. At first I had my mind set on pursing those machines, I liked they way they looked and operated and it seemed like they would do really well in the right locations (not to mention the fact that there is no inventory to replenish!). But I only really had enough cash to buy one of the machines and became wary of putting all my eggs in one basket. I started looking at candy style machines and found a guy selling a lot of 20 vendstar 3000 machines for around $1500 in used condition, they all looked very good in the pictures though (the set came with extra machines for spare parts too). Looking on this site though, it seems like I would be getting ripped off just a little bit! Originally this guy was asking a few hundred more and I asked if he could go 1500 and he said sure, so I think I may have screwed myself a little bit (as far as talking him down further). Also, the reviews I have read about the VS3000 have been very mixed; love it or hate it, and a few in between. I have also been looking at OTC medicine machines, condom machines, energy and soft drink machines so It's been kind of hard to make up my mind as what direction to go in, but the VS3000 machines seem like a great way for me to get started!

I was also thinking that the VS machines would be much easier to place, and that most proprietors wouldn't want a cut of the money, or at least not a large chunk.

ANY advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Welcome. I am new here also and learn something each and every day. I am sure you will also.

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My advice would be to stay away from triples. Candy sales have been on the decline for years. If i were doing a start up like you i would do 4 head racks. Using .50 BB. Gum balls and two other .50 one inch toys.

What city's and towns would you vend in?

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My advice would be to stay away from triples. Candy sales have been on the decline for years. If i were doing a start up like you i would do 4 head racks. Using .50 BB. Gum balls and two other .50 one inch toys.

What city's and towns would you vend in?

I like havending's plan but in reality I vend all of that stuff out of my 1800 triples. I have found that the best machines are those in which you can find the best deals on. I look for deals on Northwesterns, A&A's, Beavers, Oak, and 1800's.

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My advice would be to stay away from triples. Candy sales have been on the decline for years. If i were doing a start up like you i would do 4 head racks. Using .50 BB. Gum balls and two other .50 one inch toys.

What city's and towns would you vend in?

Like the U-Turn Machines? I was originally looking at those style machines, but I'm just afraid that I don't have enough start up cash to buy enough to get any real momentum going. From what I've read here, The VS3000s can be had used for 45 each, so I'd probably be able to afford 40+ with money left over for candy and cleaning supplies, ect. SO I figured with 40 machines, with 3 tubes each, equals 120 dispensers/coin collectors. One .25 vend a day at each individual tube would be $30 a day, or $210 a week, or 840 - 910 in a month. I'm really pulling the one vend per tube per day thing out of my arse, so I have no idea what to expect realistically, but I thought this was a somewhat reasonable figure to go by. I do like the bigger U-Turn and rack style machines, they seem much more resilient and theft proof than the plastic VS3000s, they also have .50 - .75 vends too. The bouncy balls and 1" toys seem to have a nice profit potential.

I'm hoping to setup in south Duval county/North St.Johns county, suburban areas mostly.

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Like the U-Turn Machines? I was originally looking at those style machines, but I'm just afraid that I don't have enough start up cash to buy enough to get any real momentum going. From what I've read here, The VS3000s can be had used for 45 each, so I'd probably be able to afford 40+ with money left over for candy and cleaning supplies, ect. SO I figured with 40 machines, with 3 tubes each, equals 120 dispensers/coin collectors. One .25 vend a day at each individual tube would be $30 a day, or $210 a week, or 840 - 910 in a month. I'm really pulling the one vend per tube per day thing out of my arse, so I have no idea what to expect realistically, but I thought this was a somewhat reasonable figure to go by. I do like the bigger U-Turn and rack style machines, they seem much more resilient and theft proof than the plastic VS3000s, they also have .50 - .75 vends too. The bouncy balls and 1" toys seem to have a nice profit potential.

I'm hoping to setup in south Duval county/North St.Johns county, suburban areas mostly.

I wouldn't suggest buying 40 Vendstars out of the gate. Get a couple and get them placed. Learn the business a little better. Then use you experience to make the best decisions for yourself.

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I agree if you can vend caps etc out of them and find them cheap then thats a good idea.

I've been looking online trying to find cheap and appealing candy and it's been somewhat tough.

Is there a specific company you guys use to get good bulk prices?

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I've been looking online trying to find cheap and appealing candy and it's been somewhat tough.

Is there a specific company you guys use to get good bulk prices?

When vending candy your best bet is your local sams club, you can also get runts from quill.com and they have free shipping. You can get good selection of toys from A&A, cardinal, brand

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When vending candy your best bet is your local sams club, you can also get runts from quill.com and they have free shipping. You can get good selection of toys from A&A, cardinal, brand

I had thought of calling the local sam's club and similar stores but just hadn't gotten around to it yet. quill.com had runts for like 1.5 per lb which seemed pretty good compared to what I've seen so far.

I tried searching for some well established bulk candy websites but didn't have any real luck. With shipping It'll probably just as much as Sam's Club though.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Any tips on getting my first few machines placed? I've bought a few cheap single headed .25cent gumball type machines and they'll be coming in soon (sometime next week). I think I'm going to go the refrigerated drink route, but I've already paid for these machines so I might as well get them out there drawing in some money.

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Any tips on getting my first few machines placed? I've bought a few cheap single headed .25cent gumball type machines and they'll be coming in soon (sometime next week). I think I'm going to go the refrigerated drink route, but I've already paid for these machines so I might as well get them out there drawing in some money.

Give Eddie or Rob a call, unless you want to locate them yourself. If so go over some of the older threads that have sample locating spiels to get an idea of what you might say to a potential locations and be ready to answer there questions then hit the streets till you get them things placed. By the way what was it that made you want to go with full line over bulk vending?

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Surely you have some friends or family that work in a few places where you could stick one. Call in favors and any outstanding IOU's. Where do you hang out? What businesses do you frequent? A lot of my locations have come from just casual conversation.

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Give Eddie or Rob a call, unless you want to locate them yourself. If so go over some of the older threads that have sample locating spiels to get an idea of what you might say to a potential locations and be ready to answer there questions then hit the streets till you get them things placed. By the way what was it that made you want to go with full line over bulk vending?

I really had my mind set on bulk at first. It seemed like a great way to get started; cheaper machines, better profit versus what you put into the machine, and it seemed easier to dodge commision too;). But every bulk candy machine I've seen in my area looks stagnant or neglected. I've already bought a few bulk machines so I'll put them and have fun with them, but overall I think refrigerated machines are my best shot. Plus the weather here is more suited to full line too, every other day its 95+ degrees with even more humidity.

I'ts still very early in my venture, so we'll see how things play out.

Surely you have some friends or family that work in a few places where you could stick one. Call in favors and any outstanding IOU's. Where do you hang out? What businesses do you frequent? A lot of my locations have come from just casual conversation.

Ive asked around some and I actually might be able to place a couple machines in a family members work. But for the past few weeks I've been surveying my area with my iPod or phone when I'm out, just jotting down quick notes: store names and locations and what, if any, machinery they have. It's actually been a really big help so far. The casual approach seems good for me too since I'm starting out small, but I'm just worried about being brushed off and not taken seriously. I think that if I'm a patron first, though, it'll be much easier to talk to who ever is in charge and they'd be more willing to give atleast one machine a shot.

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