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Soda or Combo Vending Machines

bigleo48

bigleo48

Active member
All,

Pepsi is being a pain with their machine (they supply the machine, I buy overpriced pop from them and collect the cash). It's basically $1/pop I vend for $2. It's not a real big money maker, about $1000/yr in sales, but just another revenue center. By comparison, my carwash vending is 10 times that! So I know if I offered pop, and snacks I could do much better! Maybe 3 or 4 times that!

So I was thinking of ditching them and getting my own machine. I have a heated waiting room (for my detail shop) with an ATM machine, so I could put it there. It's right next to the change and carwash vending.

Not knowing much about the food/vending biz and machines, I asking for your opinions on the idea, machines, anything that could point me in the right directions.

Thanks in advance!
BigLeo
 
Big Leo earlier this month I ordered one of Jim's (Shurvend) machines that will hold snacks on the top shelf, auto accessories on the middle shelves and refrigerated soda,water,energy drinks on the bottom 2 shelves.
After seeing his machines at the show I was convinced that having one machine selling everything was the way to go. Customers don't have to go to different vending machines to buy things.
The way the machine was built was worth the extra dollars.
 
It's my opinion that sodas should be viewed more as a convenience item for customers than a profit center. I've known a lot of people who have tried to make soda sales more profitable, and it's nearly impossible. Between purchasing the machine, having to purchase drinks, transport them and stock the machine, dealing with normal wear and tear or vandalism, it's really much easier to just let Coke or Pepsi service it. A little more can be made if you let them supply the machine and deliver sodas for you to stock, but it's still not much. I had the best luck just pricing the machine low, making about 10? per bottle, just to keep the customer around.
 
I have a ShurVendPlus VISI-COMBO unit that I bought from Jim (Uncle Sam). Works great, well built and great customer service. Put a large sign next to it advertizing cold pop and water. Not much profit in pop/water, here is the "but" it keeps the customers happy and gets them looking in the machine to buy some smell good or something with a higher margin. jjw
 
What about colder climates; do you keep soda and water stocked, say, Thanksgiving till Spring???
 
I asked Jim the same question and he said that I can be able to turn off the refrigeration system when it gets cold, take out the soda/water and put in additional auto accessories during the cold times.
 
If they are insulated from the summer's heat then they are insulated from the winders cold, well maybe that glass front, kills it, but regular pop machine handle it:)
 
Waxman et all,

The refrigerated vendor is insulated all the way around and the window is triple-pane glass, so they are well insulated. Follow Mustang's idea in the winter if sodas and water don't sell. Remember there are lights inside the vendor giving a off heat so freezing weather is not a problem.

Uncle Sam :)
 
I was thinking more about the decreased demand for cold drinks during Winter.

I know soda machines do have freeze protection (heaters), but that costs to run, too, and when sodas aren't selling cause everyone wants hot beverages, why bother?
 
We installed a survend combo three years ago. I have left the soda and water in the machines year round and the sales seem steady. We don't have terribly harsh winters, but it does get cold. (We're in S.E. Missouri)

JPRB
 
Hey Bigleo,
I also had many problems with Pepsi, I let them stock and collect. The machine was continually ripping people off. They were paying me a 20% commission, then went up on their price, then eliminated my commission.

I found a good used 12 selection can machine for $700. I buy the products on sale and vend for .60 as a customer convience, with only one bill jam in 6 months.
 
dclark;

overall, how has having your own $700 machine worked out for you?

Is it merely convenience for customers or do you feel at a nice low price point (which I would do, btw) you are able to profit at least somewhat?

Thanks!
 
Hey Wax,
I buy my sodas when they are on sale apx $.30 each. I sell 4 to 5 cases a month. I also put in a larger variety carrying both Coke and Pepsi products. We have Fruit Punch and Lipton tea if you do not want carbonated.
I think our low price shows our customers we are trying to give them the best value possible, which is what our reputation is built on. NOT the cheapest, but the BEST wash at the best price. AND NO FREE VACs thats cheap and shows a sign of desperation. FREE air for your tires, your life may depend on it.
 
Pop machine

I bought a used coke machine off ebay from a local seller and he delivered and set it up for me. I paid less than $1000.
I stock up on pop whenever it goes on sale especially coke, I will buy 20 cases if it's a great price.
I buy water at costo...great profit it only costs abot .16 cents each.
I price everything at $1.00

On very hot days I will open the machine and pass out free waters to my customers....priceless.

The machine pays for over and over every year, I usually sell 1500 to 2000 pop a year.

I also was looking into the sure vend unit for my other wash.
Visi-Combo ShurVend (refrigerated) Hole-in-the-Wall
I don't have the greatest vending selection at that wash and no pop machine so I was thinking of taking the plunge on one. It might take a few years to start making a return, but if you had to borrow the money to put it in you would be making a return right away.
 
I have one visi-combo , I bought it at the april show, and have two on order.
The increase in sales over the drop shelf is outstanding. I am financing the 3rd
machine. I would have bought a used soda machine except the visi-combo has the credit card option, and i find many that will buy a towel, armorall and soda and use a $5 bill. I bought it with the dollar coin dispenser, for as little as they are in circulation they find it to be a novelty. I vend tokens for the bays and they buy them with their CC. I believe they like to see the product before they buy it, something the drop shelf hides. I think the number of choices helps to sell alot more products also. I should have picked up on the visual sales years ago, as i have a spiral vendor at my smallest wash and vending sales would outdo the bigger washes on a consistent basis. I always thought the demographics (Bigger spenders) was the reason. This weekend for two days i sold $107 from the visi-combo. My comparable wash did $38 with the drop shelf with 16 selections. i would almost consider adding the 51 selection machine next to the visicombo to even sell more. Has anyone tried this
john
 
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