dloiselle Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Morning all. SO I am doing the family grocery shopping last night, went to BJ's and the stopped at walmart on the way home. My machines are coming up for service, so of course, I got the calculator in my pocket checking prices. I had thought in regard to 24 oz. I am curious if they will fit in a machine that is set for 20 oz. I did the math at both locations, the 24 oz is better than $.40 cheaper per unit than I am paying for the 20 oz from Pepsi. Here is my thought. I am expanding with my machines, and the idea of the 24 oz being approximately $.50 per unit, that would give me the ability to either charge less than $1.50 per unit - don;t think I would be seriously looking at that as every place I look the price is $1.50 or more, or without question, have a much better margin, almost $1.00 gross per unit. I was considering picking some up today and trying it out, my machines are the recent 276 and a couple 501 that are bottle capable. Everything else i have are can machines. I ironically do not drink soda, LOL so I thought I would ask y'all first. Thanks everybody,!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coinvestor Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 I was considering picking some up today and trying it out, my machines are the recent 276 and a couple 501 that are bottle capable. Everything else i have are can machines. I ironically do not drink soda, LOL so I thought I would ask y'all first. Funny, its the same for me! I may drink one a week at my mother in laws since thats the norm there. I have never vended the 24 oz, but its the same diameter as the 20 oz and should work in any machine that does 20's. JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technivend Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 The diameter is the same but you need to conscious on the length. Vendo, Royal and USI should be fine but I am not so sure on the Dixie. get a couple and check the depth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dloiselle Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 Thanks guys. This could be the answer that we have all been looking for so to speak. Atleast I know I can set my machines up and save. I was absolutely amazed, almost appalled when I calculated the difference in cost. The Dixie machines should be simple enough to just reset the spacers at the rear. Awesome!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technivend Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 It will be the overall depth you would need to go 2 deep. Not the lack of being able to adjust a column. Some Dixies are deeper then others and I still don't think you can go 24 oz 2 deep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieMac Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 I did the 24 oz bottles for a while in my CB500's. They worked perfectly with no adjustments needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJT Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 The problem you run into is the lack of variety in 24oz. If you have a dual price machine then you can offer Pepsi, Mt. Dew or what you can find in 24oz at a higher price then do 20oz for the rest of the flavors at a cheaper price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dloiselle Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 That is what I was thinking. I was just blown away last night when I ran the numbers and they were coming out at just about $.50 each. I am paying $.94 for 20 oz through Pepsi. At this point in the game I will take whatever I can get. I have a 501E and a 276E that I am considering it for. I really do not want to mess to much with the pepsi machines, would hate to burn a bridge and I imagine that is just what will happen if I get caught. With my luck, I already have a bulls eye on me. then I get thinking about the other guy who had one of my spots, he had Coke products in the machine (there was only one there at the time) and they had no clue. The machines on that site are a 276E and a 501E also. Difference being, they say pepsi, mine say coke. LOL I did give them a call again on Friday - Coke that is. If they blow me off again, I am done with them. I would hate to look at it that way, but why keep wasting my time trying to get together with them. Os another note, has anyone gotten the flavor Strip CD that CHI puts out. If so, is it worth the $30.00?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 The other thing you will find with the 24oz. is that historically there have been times when availability is an issue. When the bottlers put them on sale in the stores they often sell out and then you wind up running all over town to find product to fill your machines. Or they will simply pull them for a period of time to make room on the shelves for something else. One of the things you can do is to develop contacts at the stores that you can call and get them to order some extra cases for you when you need product. Speaking from experience, eventually you will get big enough that chasing around all the deals is more hassle than its worth, but for now to get the better margins, go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJT Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Was that a typo or did you say you are paying .94 for 20oz from Pepsi? You need to have a talk with someone at Pepsi besides they current person you are dealing with. That is crazy pricing even if it for third party machines. I would be having a conversation with your rep and if he does not give you a better price then I would call for a meeting with him and his boss. Sam's Club usually has the 24oz bottles in stock pretty regular so you could get them from there and catch on sale when you can. Just get you some decals that say 24oz to put on the buttons and you are good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dloiselle Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Nope, no typo there. $21.95 per case, plus deposit for soda, ice tea, h-punch, $17.25 plus deposit for G-2 with a 15 case minimum order. Regardless of what I get, it works out to $300.00 on average per delivery. I can not pick them up, they are set up as delivery only. Fortunately I have a sales tax exemption or they would be over $1.00 per unit. It actually works out to be $0.96 per unit. I figured it was for the cost of the machines. I have met nothing but resistance and ignorance from Coke, the first time I called, no return call, same the second and third, then I was able to get some one on the phone and that is when I was told "they would be involved in my locations." I did call again the other day and no return cal still as of now. This is a huge reason I have been trying to find machines for sale. The 276E I just picked up, and the 501E are potentially ear marked to replace two of the 3rd party machines. The third one, the location is extremely slow, and if by the end of the month it doesn't pick up, I am going to have them pull it. I checked it last week as the schedule is going to be screwed up due to the salt ship I had previously mentioned being delayed until this week. I had the 501 ear marked along with the 145 for another location, but for almost a month now I have been getting a bit of a run around. I have to go there today and drop off some paperwork and if I meet the same resistance, I am going to politely inform the manager that I have had these two machines (501 and the 145 I refurbed) sitting waiting for the ok, and will have no choice but to try to locate them somewhere else. It has been one thing after another, first his boss was on vacation, then "we have had alot of things come up." As Popeye would have put it, I stands all I can stand and I can't stand no more." I know it is really difficult to say, "listen we had a guy offer to bring in a soda machine and a snack machine as the guys have requested, won;t cost us anything and he will maintain it, that still ok with you?" It took me about 3 seconds to type that, lol. I would just go around the guy I have been dealing with, but this is the location I contract my truck to, so outside of the vending machines, I got about $40k a year (plus working there on occasion for a friend who does alot of work there) I am stepping really cautiously. I don;t want to get all puffy chest about the machines and the delay and screw up everything else I have going on. The third party machines can easily be replaced by the two I have right now. I have a line on a couple more can machines, but the bottle machines are really tough to come across here. One of the machines I have discovered is a 276, not sure which series but the current owner tells me it is a can machine and doesn't seem to know anything else about it. It is at a laundromat that is going out of business, the dbv has a sticky note on it saying change only. SO, no idea if the dbv is bad or not. Then the other is a 360 that needs a dbv. The 276 has Coke graphics, and the 360 has Very Fine graphics. Both are $300.00. My original thought was that the price kinda sucked, but I was getting the machines there free of charge, and getting paid to put product in and take money out. However, at this point, as we still are really not very warm temp wise, it is really slow, and each week they call from North Carolina and want an order. It just ain't happening, right now. Today it is supposed to push 80 then right back to 60 tomorrow. Season historically doesn't get going here until the end of the month. Believe it or not, snow plowing contracts are valid until the 15th. Another thing I am looking at which I know you mentioned when we chatted the one day, the dust. I stopped and checked on the 276 that is located outside there yesterday, right now it is by the body shop there, and there is Black Beauty (that is the sand for sand blasting) all over the machine, including inside the delivery door. I am going to stop there later today and see about setting up a time to move it, one of the owners wants to move it by the scale house which is an awesome idea, and I just need to get it coordinated. My hand truck wont be here until this week, so I have to empty it and have one of their guys move it with a skid steer loader. Sucks to be the new guy, lol. I can see this location doing what I will consider well, as the soda machines at this point and as I mentioned it is just starting to warm up here and the R32 I placed are doing about $75 a week. It is convenient as it is 5 minutes from my house. A huge plus, it keeps me in front of them as I do alot of contracting with my truck there as well. That was the key reason I was so intent on taking it over. The price is killing me though, but I want to be in a position to tell them to pick up their machines if that is the key to getting a better price. Looking at what I pay - and I realize I am at the worse tier they have for pricing, only doing about 15 cases per month right now that I have the machines stocked. I brought in 30 last month to get everything going, all slots aren't filled in one of the machines, but I still have 8 cases in my shop and will not bring in more until they are atleast in the machines. I will deal with the 10 phone calls between today and tomorrow from North Carolina. Frustrating to say the least. I believe today that I am going to tell the lady that either they will need to call me every two weeks or I will call them when I need an order. That seems to make more sense to me. 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medic2230 Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Yeah it's nice too that Coke just went up on prices. I've got my bill I need to pay too. I don't know if it's the same there but I've placed below the minimum order plenty of times. Granted it's only been by a few cases and they said I needed to place my minimum to keep the machine, I told them to come get em, I can replace their machine in no time with a pepsi machine. They haven't picked up my machine yet. I just told them that I'm not selling enough product to support that minimum and I'm not going to store it. Never know one day they might show up. A machine has been in this location for 10 yrs too so that may have something to do with them letting me slide by on the minimum at times. The way I figure it if they do decide to come get it profits go up due to not ordering from them . Mine is a Dixie 501 and They are always for sale in Atlanta, so it's not a big deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dloiselle Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Yeah it's nice too that Coke just went up on prices. I've got my bill I need to pay too. I don't know if it's the same there but I've placed below the minimum order plenty of times. Granted it's only been by a few cases and they said I needed to place my minimum to keep the machine, I told them to come get em, I can replace their machine in no time with a pepsi machine. They haven't picked up my machine yet. I just told them that I'm not selling enough product to support that minimum and I'm not going to store it. Never know one day they might show up. A machine has been in this location for 10 yrs too so that may have something to do with them letting me slide by on the minimum at times. The way I figure it if they do decide to come get it profits go up due to not ordering from them . Mine is a Dixie 501 and They are always for sale in Atlanta, so it's not a big deal. I am struggling a bit with everything here. When I first started this a few months back, I might as well been on board with a biz op, cause that;s how bad I got screwed. But, it is what it is. Sometimes I think I would have been better off staying working for someone else. (22 years as a paramedic up here until PTSD struck). The location I have the third party machines at was a stroke of luck. I have a location that a table top is at, (DEAD DOG!!!) and he threw me the referral. I went in hoping for the snack end, and walked out with the snack and three soda machines, a 501 inside for the mechanics along with a snack, and currently have a 276 E outside for the truck drivers, yard guys and contractors that come in. I suddenly found myself behind the 8 ball, no soda machines. I fell into the third party deal, and truthfully was willing to take whatever I could get. They told me a 15 case minimum order for delivery, but no time frame etc. I jumped on it. The key reason I wanted everything to come through their, I contract to this company primarily with my dump truck and it is a will call set up, and even if I am there filling machines, it keeps me in front of them. I am steadily buying more machines, as I mentioned the bottle machines are hard to come by. I went through Craigslist this am, basically, all of NY, Western Ct, VT, Western MA, and Northern PA, nothing available. NYC is a situation all it's own, might as well be another Country. Their pricing is way out of wack for what I could support here, The ROI would be an eternity. I recently picked up a 501E, 276E and a 440. I am confirming the delivery and set up of the 440 today (current Coke Location they have continuously dropped the ball on), going to try once more on the location I have been working on for the 501E and 145 I refurbed, and then I actually have a couple options on the 276 E, but they aren't going to be big producers. In the back of my mind so to speak, I am still hoping someone at Coke up here will pull their head out of their a$ and call me back. Before I step up with Pepsi and tell them they are killing me and need to meet me somewhere in the middle so to speak, I want to have my ducks in a row. Two third party machines are where I work primarily, and the third is at a different plant that I am actually starting to pull product from and put into other machines. I got a lead on a can 276 with questionable dbv, or a 360 that needs a dbv, that I can put in there is there is a all or nothing response form the company. I had several machines that I could have moved on, but after posting on here about the machines, some of the guys with a ton more knowledge and experience than I have gave me some info about them, and I decided to move onto better pastures. Most if not all the soda machines were old Rockola can machines, which I understand were a awesome machine in their day, however, essentially came to an end in the early to mid 90's and now parts are somewhat obsolete. There were also several combos, which I have now come to believe were Seaga 3500's, but needed to be refurbed, and also were all can. So given my situation with a request primarily for bottles, it didn't make sense. Now the headache, while trying to feed my ever seemingly exponential home food requirement (I got a 16 yo son that eats like a horse, lol) I started pricing different aspects at BJ's and Walmart the other night, and found the 24 oz pepsi to be roughly $.40 cheaper per unit than I am paying for the 20 oz through Pepsi.!!!!! My thought was change the machines I own over to handle 24oz, see a huge increase in margin. Now I am up against do I step up with giving Pepsi an ultimatum so to speak, and then back to the drawing board of trying to find more machines and put my current locations ready to accept off, or sit mouth closed (tough one for me) bide my time until summer or atleast warmer weather starts here, if need be buy some machines from a distributor and tell Pepsi to come and get their machines. Another gigantic factor, I do not want any payments on this venture, so that also is a huge weight factor. I want to make sure i have all my ducks in a row before I get a testosterone rush. LOL I can't get anyone from Coke to return a phone call, so at this point I find myself between a rock and a hard place. I have thoought about picking up a six pack of 16.9 oz, mission, technivend and RJT already gave me the info on 24 oz, head that route with my machines, and hope for the best. Life would be much simpler if Coke believe in customer service up here. 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medic2230 Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 I'm only dealing in cans so it's much easier to find machines here. When Coke calls from North Carolina if they miss me they usually won't call back till the next month. Last time it was 6 weeks before they called again. I'm paying $11.25 a case for the main line products and I can't remember what the lower selling products cost, not much less. Figuring in the $.65 price I manage to make $7.11 off the drinks I purchase from coke. The margin is much better when I buy the products on sale around town and get 2 cases for the cost of one from coke. I'm sticking with the cans cause if they get more where the machine is they won't buy as often and profits go down. lol I am blessed that I have a 5 case minimum setup with them so if I ever did want to go to bottles it may work out pretty good for me. I'm sure that would change though if I went to bottles. Really at this point I don't want to deal with bottles and the lower profits they would bring in the location. I understand where your coming from though with Coke not calling you back. I haven't tried to get another machine from them so I don't know what they like with that aspect right now. It kinda sucks being that I have to travel at least 2 hours one way to get a machine so I haven't taken the jump to expand yet. It's going to be coming though and I've been looking for the equipment to move the machines myself. I almost jumped the other day on a 501 for $350 obo fully working with dbv. I should have gone to get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btuck32 Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 I run cans. Bottles look better, but it's a pain getting them at a good price. Around here I can often get them at $6 for a 24 pack. I only have a few machines so this is still an option for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dloiselle Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 I'm only dealing in cans so it's much easier to find machines here. When Coke calls from North Carolina if they miss me they usually won't call back till the next month. Last time it was 6 weeks before they called again. I'm paying $11.25 a case for the main line products and I can't remember what the lower selling products cost, not much less. Figuring in the $.65 price I manage to make $7.11 off the drinks I purchase from coke. The margin is much better when I buy the products on sale around town and get 2 cases for the cost of one from coke. I'm sticking with the cans cause if they get more where the machine is they won't buy as often and profits go down. lol I am blessed that I have a 5 case minimum setup with them so if I ever did want to go to bottles it may work out pretty good for me. I'm sure that would change though if I went to bottles. Really at this point I don't want to deal with bottles and the lower profits they would bring in the location. I understand where your coming from though with Coke not calling you back. I haven't tried to get another machine from them so I don't know what they like with that aspect right now. It kinda sucks being that I have to travel at least 2 hours one way to get a machine so I haven't taken the jump to expand yet. It's going to be coming though and I've been looking for the equipment to move the machines myself. I almost jumped the other day on a 501 for $350 obo fully working with dbv. I should have gone to get it. Definitely a much nicer margin on the cans. Tough part is getting people to switch to the cans, even with about 1/2 the price vs. bottles. I just got back form dropping off the 440 I bought the other day, going to get stock tonight at either Walmat, Price Chopper, BJ's or Sam's and fill it in the am. All of my machines out at this point are all can, then the third party ones are all bottles form Pepsi. My 501E is both actually. It has one can slot, then the 276 E is bottle and I just tentatively agreed on another 276 for 300 but I need to see it and verify it is all up to speed. I am hoping it is a 276E that is just set up for cans. I am liking the soda aspect much more than snacks, less concern for spoils, better margins and easy to place. I have a 145 at the location I dropped the 440 off at, and I had put a request list on the side so the employees could let me know what they wanted in it, most products I am doing 75-80%. I get a request for lower prices. I pulled the request list and threw it out. Almost told wrote on it then to go to Stewart's, (local convenient store), they would be paying 1.29 for a candy bar etc. instead of $.90. My buddy said boy your prices are on the lower side of what I have seen, always got to be an golpher in every crowd. I am supposed to hear on the other location today, secretary id going to talk to the big boss. He had given her the ok to get machines there when she started about a year ago, the manager I deal with is really busy we both mentioned that. She is going to send me an email later, got my fingers crossed on that. Got to verify the home I have in mind for the 276E I have in the shop and then they are all out. I need to stop buying machines and build some cash back up. I just bought a dolly from VE; it was 575 with shipping. Cheaper than I could find on the net, and made for moving vending machines. I have to pick up a pallet jack from my buddy, try to figure out why it won't build pressure. Nothing available here locally, the girl I usually deal with pt me on the phone with a salesman that has had his own route for 30 years and he recommended the 72". He said the only draw back is you can't make 90 degree turns, no big deal as long as I don't get squished. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicglide Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 I'm only dealing in cans so it's much easier to find machines here. When Coke calls from North Carolina if they miss me they usually won't call back till the next month. Last time it was 6 weeks before they called again. I'm paying $11.25 a case for the main line products and I can't remember what the lower selling products cost, not much less. Figuring in the $.65 price I manage to make $7.11 off the drinks I purchase from coke. The margin is much better when I buy the products on sale around town and get 2 cases for the cost of one from coke. I'm sticking with the cans cause if they get more where the machine is they won't buy as often and profits go down. lol I am blessed that I have a 5 case minimum setup with them so if I ever did want to go to bottles it may work out pretty good for me. I'm sure that would change though if I went to bottles. Really at this point I don't want to deal with bottles and the lower profits they would bring in the location. I understand where your coming from though with Coke not calling you back. I haven't tried to get another machine from them so I don't know what they like with that aspect right now. It kinda sucks being that I have to travel at least 2 hours one way to get a machine so I haven't taken the jump to expand yet. It's going to be coming though and I've been looking for the equipment to move the machines myself. I almost jumped the other day on a 501 for $350 obo fully working with dbv. I should have gone to get it. HOLY C--P! Your paying $11.25 a case for coke. It sells for $4.98-$6.98 a case here for 24 cans. I'm selling for .75 and doing pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medic2230 Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 HOLY C--P! Your paying $11.25 a case for coke. It sells for $4.98-$6.98 a case here for 24 cans. I'm selling for .75 and doing pretty good. It sells like that here too. But if you have a 3rd party machine from Coke you have a minimum you have to buy from them a month to keep the machine. That is the price buying a case of Coke from Coke. I have to buy 5 cases a month from them to keep the machine. The rest I buy elsewhere and fill it up with them and make a profit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dloiselle Posted April 14, 2011 Author Share Posted April 14, 2011 coke here form Coke, $9.70 a case. They finally called me back the other day, only took 12 phone calls and 10 weeks. 20 oz they are about $1.00 a case cheaper than Pepsi until you hit 125 cases, but they require a minimum of Dasani of I believe 25 or 50 cases. That is a whole lot of water. But once you hit 125, the price per unit drops to $0.79 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinnJinn Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 coke here form Coke, $9.70 a case. They finally called me back the other day, only took 12 phone calls and 10 weeks. 20 oz they are about $1.00 a case cheaper than Pepsi until you hit 125 cases, but they require a minimum of Dasani of I believe 25 or 50 cases. That is a whole lot of water. But once you hit 125, the price per unit drops to $0.79 If you have the space, go ahead and get the Dasani Water. it has a VERY long shelf life. The shortest shelf life I have ever gotten from coke was like 10-11MONTHS! During the hot summer months, you would be amazed at how many bottled waters you will go through! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dloiselle Posted April 15, 2011 Author Share Posted April 15, 2011 If you have the space, go ahead and get the Dasani Water. it has a VERY long shelf life. The shortest shelf life I have ever gotten from coke was like 10-11MONTHS! During the hot summer months, you would be amazed at how many bottled waters you will go through! That would be nice, I could relax a little bit. I haven;t ordered anyhting from Pepsi in a few weeks, can;t keep shelling out $300 without having some place to put it, and though it was absolutely gorgeous here the other day, been really cool again the past few days, 50 degrees. I emailed the coke rep earlier, he was going to forward me the 2011 prices and also req a credit app. Figure I got an account with Pepsi, might as well have on with Coke also. Now just have to hope it doesn;t take 10 weeks to here back from him. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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