caserri Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Please use this forum to add your reviews of locating companies. If you have had experiences with a locator, whether good or bad, we all would like to hear about it. While anyone is free to comment on a review, please do not start a thread unless you have actually used, or tried to use, the services of the locator. All positive reviews will be highlighted in pink and will be pinned at the top. If you are a representative of a locating company reviewed here and would like to respond, please do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 In light of some recent concerns about potentially slanderous words written about locators and legal threats issued, I would like to take a few moments to let all of our members know where we, as an informational, member driven forum stand on these issues. I will do what I can to minimize any slanderous comments directed towards locating companies, however, the best way to combat this behavior is for the locator to provide quality service for a fair price. As you know, we do provide a forum for operators to voice opinions and review locating companies they have used. we extend that same courtesy to the locators to rebut any comments made against them as well. It is not my intention to remove this forum as I believe the information that will be compiled here will be very valuable to vendors in their search for reputable locators. Having said that, I will not tolerate any unsubstantiated claims or hateful/vengeful remarks from any member. Your opinion on any given company's performance is welcome but please keep your personal attacks to yourself. If you have had a less than desirable experience with a locator, please just document the facts. No one, including VENDiscuss, will have any legal troubles if only honest facts are given. This forum will be closely monitored to prevent any verbal abuses from occurring. If any are found, the member who makes the post will be banned and unable to post here again. Our forum is a place to learn from others, the trade of vending. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 We have added a rating scale to the locator review section. It is a + or - number that represents how many unique positive or negative reviews the locator has been given. This rating can be found in the subtitle for each review thread. It works very much like the feedback system on ebay where a positive review adds 1 point to the rating and a negative subtracts 1. A locator is said to have an overall positive review as long as their rating is +1 or higher. If their rating falls to -1 or lower their overall review will be considered negative. A rating of 0 will result in a neutral overall review. As this section grows, this should give everyone a way to quickly see which locator is the most reputable without having to go into each thread unless they want to for further investigation. If you have used a locator and would like to submit a review please do so. Each positive review a locator gets the better their rating and the easier it will be for our membership to find quality locators. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejuanorgroup Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 I'm starting to think that all of these postings are by locators and/or their companies. I have looked everywhere for Kick Start's corporate docs and This blog shold have these locating companies that toot their own horn give some kind of credentials. This forum should regulate or at least demand a commercial disclosure of some sort and follow up with at least an investigation to see if they are even legal. Hey steve the administrator, if you are serious about "a locator review" then do a "locator review" Start by going down the list at vending connections, get the address, corpoate credentials, how long they have been in business, and if the owners have had different companies with different names, with different addresses. I personally know of three companies that have been closed, new owner, fake name, fake address, .... that would be a review. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearcutvending12 Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 awsome idea, but idk if its worth getting that much indepth u no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted March 14, 2008 Author Share Posted March 14, 2008 juanorgroup, I apologize if you feel there is no benefit to these reviews. I for one have found great benefit in it and I know it has helped more than a few vendors here on the board. Unfortunately I do not have the time to investigate each and every locating firm out there nor do I feel that it is my job to do so. I leave it up to the membership here to form their own opinions and report to everyone here what they feel and have experienced from a particular locator. If there is any information that you require from any locating firm that is represented here on the forum, I would suggest you send them a PM. I'm sure the two we have here on board would be more than happy to provide any info you seek. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejuanorgroup Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 I made tons of money betting for the Giants. No need to apologize. Its all of the other people that bet on New England that I'm worried about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted March 14, 2008 Author Share Posted March 14, 2008 I'm sure you made a killing on that game. I normally do not place money bets on the Pats one way or the other. Its a conflict of interest for me. Does that have anything to do with locator reviews or are you just taking a jab at me? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejuanorgroup Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Just a little friendly jab because of your picture. Born NY and raised in eastern CT. My wife is a pats fan and I'm a Giants. But, on the serious note, the reason I used that example is you can't always go with what everyone is saying. This business is full of self promotion, manufacturers use shills, locating companies use shills. All facts and figures that are presented in these forums are never substantiated and this whole business is plagued with dishonesty and this is why I think , it is not only important , but imperative, that you at least give the people who are trusting this venue as fact, to have access to those sources that certaintly offer nothing but... For example State's division of Corporations. Better Business Bureau. Federal Trade Commission. It takes 15 minutes at the most to investigate the legitimacy of a company or its standing as a good company. Paste and copy some of the facts on a "locator fact page"... Although this locating company is described by others, and itself, to be successful in finding profitable locations, it is advised by this forum that you thoroughly investigate its legitimacy through the BBB, FTC, and it's States Division of Corporations" Again I feel that there is just too much of a cozy relation between yourself and Kick Start Locations. Evidenced in their response to the APS inquiry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted March 14, 2008 Author Share Posted March 14, 2008 Although this locating company is described by others, and itself, to be successful in finding profitable locations, it is advised by this forum that you thoroughly investigate its legitimacy through the BBB, FTC, and it's States Division of Corporations" juanorgroup, I would be remiss if I did not ask. Do you represent a locating firm that has a less than satisfactory review here? I only ask because I have had locators who have received negative reviews approach me in much the same manner you have here, only in private. As for your comments, I would have hoped that everyone here had enough common sense to thoroughly check out any company they do business with, however, since we do not all think alike, I guess it would be prudent to include your passage above with each locator ad and review. Do I have your permission to include it? I never meant for this section to be the "be all, end all" source for confirming the legitimacy of a business. After all, that is what the entities you mentioned above are for. This section is merely designed to provide customer reviews of locating companies they have used. Nothing technical or official. Other members should take that for what its worth. I shop alot on WalMart.com and Amazon. Before I purchase any item, I usually read the customer reviews for the item. I take them for what they are worth and do not base my purchasing decision entirely on them alone. Nor do I expect WalMart to verify the legitimacy of each review. The decision is mine to make and it is my responsibility to perform my due diligence when investigating products and services. However, having said all of that, the points you make are indeed very valid and I appreciate your input. It is definitely something that I can look into. I am always looking for ways to make the community better and this presents an opportunity that I did not think of. juanorgroup wrote: Again I feel that there is just too much of a cozy relation between yourself and Kick Start Locations. As for the relationship between KickStart and myself, I do not give Robert preferential treatment. He is only 1 of 2 very reputable locators who take the time to be active in our community. His presence here, along with Rob at Ethical Locators, instills a certain amount of trust in their respective companies. The members here know them as more than just an advertisement or a phone number. They are easily accessible by PM or phone. In fact, Robert (KickStart) touts 24x7 availability on his phone line. Both of these locators also realize that our entire community, that they are a part of, is watching. A wrong step by either of them would result in their reputations being soiled rather quickly. I feel that is motivation enough for them to perform consistently and at a professional level. I will say that I have personally utilized the services of both these gentlemen and have found them both to be very professional and trustworthy. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj9088 Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 steve.. and as far as trustworthiness and professional and ultimately, doing a good job, would u put "first choice" in that category too? thanx...ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted March 14, 2008 Author Share Posted March 14, 2008 steve.. and as far as trustworthiness and professional and ultimately, doing a good job, would u put "first choice" in that category too? thanx...ed Ed, I would absolutley put First Choice in that category. I didn't mention Sonya here only because I was speaking of the locators here on the board but yes, Sonya and everyone over at First Choice, does a tremendous job. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejuanorgroup Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 First Choice. She's registerd with the State of Florida,which is more than most of the companies, but, I can't find her on the BBB. Again, why all this attention to detail. Am I up to something? Am I locating company that is ready to pounce this forum and will do so by disguising all of my telemarketers as legitimate vendors? Or am I just a regular guy that got burned by a locating company because I followed the advice of a forum such as this and got burned bad. But, since this person was not really a business, nor had any verification of what they said they were, except for a web page, there was nothing anyone could do. You can't sue thin air, fake names, non-entities or fancy web pages. Be careful out there and do your homework, thats unless you can afford to throw away your hard earned money. When they know they can get away with it, and you let them, you just add fuel to their fire by not calling them out and asking those important questions. ----Which I have not seen anybody in this "review" ask yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted March 14, 2008 Author Share Posted March 14, 2008 you just add fuel to their fire by not calling them out and asking those important questions. ----Which I have not seen anybody in this "review" ask yet. I am with you. Believe me. The reason I started this forum was to help, not hurt. While I know that we could do a lot more with this section, you have to admit, what we have started here is certainly better than nothing.What credentials would you like to see? Why don't you ask these companies to provide this info and post it here for our benefit instead of just pointing out the fact that it isn't here. I would love for members to take a pro-active stance such as that. After all, I can't do everything. Steve BTW, May I ask your name? It would be nice to be able to address you as such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill I Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 I have seen this back and forth. The locators that have done what they have promised are getting the good reviews. The ones that havent done what they promise have gone by the wayside at least in this forum. Many vendors (myself included) are starting out in this business. Ive watched and learned who the more experienced vendors use as a locator when they use one. If you have read all the reiviews of the different locators , you will see who is good and who isnt and got sent on there merry little way. But like Steve said, you dont know who is who. Sometimes its a learning experience the hard way. GOOD VENDING! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv Gum Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 Juanorgroup, I don’t understand what your expectations of this site are! What do you expect here? A congressional hearing? We are simply sharing experiences with gumball machine locators and not reviewing Supreme Court justices! Where else have you seen this much information on locators (for free I might add)? Certainly not the Vending Connection Yellow Pages – which does absolutely no background checks on locators. As far as shill reviewers, they are certainly out there – but they are fairly easy to identify if you are reasonably intelligent. When you see a review by a newer ID that you have never seen before or has just joined the group, then that should be a big red flag. It sounds like you are implying that there is some sort of collusion or conspiracy of all the members here to falsely promote good locators and unfairly criticize the bad ones. If you believe that then you need to have your paranoid head examined. If you read the back posts, you will see that many members have been posting for some time now and should have earned some credibility by now. Many are just simply trying to build a vending business. As far as getting burned by locators, let me tell you a few facts. Fact #1, there is no such thing as a risk free transaction in any business. What do you want? Governments guarantee or FDIC insurance? Fact #2, the way to minimize your risk in vending is to simply start with a small order (like 3 locations for $100 or so) and then evaluate the results. Why would you ever do a large order with any locator or vending supplier (like Vendstar or U-Turn) when you don’t have to? As the late great Ronald Reagan once said, “Trust but Verifyâ€. The beauty of the vending business is that you can really take it for a test drive (like say, 5 machines) before dropping any serious cash into it. It sounds like you simply did not do your homework (and got burned) or are unwilling to take a calculated risk or don’t want to risk a measly $100 to test out a locator. Business is tough - it involves risk, capital and sound decision making – just to name a few. If you can’t handle that, then go get a government job. What is your real motivation for posting here? You are either a disgruntled locator, clueless want-a-be vendor or paranoid head case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antoniocinisi Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 is there any locator in paticular that I should use for springfield Ilinois? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill I Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 Hey neighbor, I live 100 miles south of you by the way. Try using Kickstarters or Midwest Distribution. I havent used KS but I have used Midwest. Marjorie and her girls are awesome. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antoniocinisi Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 I am in beardstown actually,you? Antonio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill I Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 Im in Ofallon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antoniocinisi Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 a friend of mine is from there!!small world huh! Bill I wrote: Im in Ofallon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejuanorgroup Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Luv Gum You should have probably contributed something of intelligence and not had gone the route of derogatory comments or statements that are contradictory. I feel that, again, most of these forums have an exchange of ideas that bring about solutions and change. And even sometimes have a positive outcome. However, with the participation of the likes of you, no intelligent conversation can ever occur, thus leaving only you, and only you, satisfied that you seemed to have won your imaginary battle. This was a conversation that had taken an eleven reply to a twenty reply until you had stepped in. You are like the person who enters a conversation, and can't talk without spitting on everyone, so everyone walks away. I refuse to repeat myself because I just think you don't get it and never will. You're just not as smart as you think you are. "if you are reasonably intelligent." "If you believe that then you need to have your paranoid head examined." Fact #1, there is no such thing as a risk free transaction in any business. What do you want? Governments guarantee or FDIC insurance? (sounds risk free to me) As the late great Ronald Reagan once said, “Trust but Verifyâ€." ("verify" ) "If you can’t handle that, then go get a government job. What is your real motivation for posting here? You are either a disgruntled locator, clueless want-a-be vendor or paranoid head case." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrash Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 juanorgroup clueless want-a-be vendor Hey I used to be clueless before I found Vendiscuss it has done nothing but help me cause I asked questions, talked to people in live chat,I also have a new vendor starting out and we try to help each other (LURKER), Caserri (Steve) has also been a big help. Hey i think that is the reason for this forum is to help people that don't have any expierence running vending machine's or information. Also if you check on here there is alot of info on Vendiscuss that might help a person just starting out. Since you no so much why don't you try to help people instead of cutting them down that is what this site is about. OH Yea I have used 2 of the locators on here and they are very good. I also agree with Luv Gum. JR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flipside Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Who are the two you used Thrash? I think i'm going with Ethical myself, but need more ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris harris Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I recently used kickstart, Rob went over and above providing me with three great loctions when I only purchased two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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