10 replies to this topic

[cheesecurl]

I need to buy 5 vending machines which includes a wide assortment from candy, can soda, bottle soda, food, and a changer. From what I have read, a refurbished machine is a viable option but what do I need to look for when buying a new or refurbished machine? Need you Help!

[HooseFoose]

Cheesecurl,

Have you seen Multimax's machines? They are for medium size locations. They are very different from any other machines because they have cartridges that the candy and soda are loaded into at the warehouse. Then when you are on location, it only takes about 5 minutes to change the cartridges. All your sales info is recorded on a smart card.

Check out their website @ www.multi-max.com.

I have not had the opportunity it use them yet, but when I make another purchase of machines, that is definitely the way to go. I want the least amount of time on location possible. It is about $2,500 for a new snack/soda combo.

Sincerely,

~HooseFoose~

[danowolf]

Hoose, I called Mulitmax up and asked for a quote on a soda snack setup. I probably will purchase this machine. I will post how well it works and if there are any problems. The nice thing about the Multi Max machines is the medium size location model they built the machines for and there corrosponding price. Looking forward to seeing the machine in action.
Another cool feature is the smart card tracking built into the machines. With the pc software they offer you can track your sales and best selling products to determine how to load a machine in advance. And they offer a VIP card that you can preload with a few free drinks to give to the boss at a location. Owners and managers love to get free benefits that make them feel special and this is a nice easy way to acomplish that.

Danowolf

[coinvestor]

Cheesecurl,

Have you seen Multimax's machines? They are for medium size locations. They are very different from any other machines because they have cartridges that the candy and soda are loaded into at the warehouse. Then when you are on location, it only takes about 5 minutes to change the cartridges. All your sales info is recorded on a smart card.

Check out their website @ www.multi-max.com.

I have not had the opportunity it use them yet, but when I make another purchase of machines, that is definitely the way to go. I want the least amount of time on location possible. It is about $2,500 for a new snack/soda combo.

Sincerely,

~HooseFoose~

Hoose,
I'm starting to think you get a commission check from multi max

JD

[danowolf]

Well I called Multimax and spoke with them.
First the guy told me they really deal with people who buy 10 or more machines at a time but after talking to him he said it was ok to buy one.
It took awhile to get a quote in writing about a week.
I called back and my last phone call he informed me that the new CEO has implemented a policy that no new machines will be sold until the buyer pays 1700.00 and flys to CA. for a training course on the machines. The reason for this was many of the single machine buyers where calling the guys who handle tech support alot and asking how to do things and it was overwhelming them so they wanted buyers to be trained and self sufficient before they sell machines to them. (this is reasonable but expensive)

So to get the three parts, soda, snack, coin/smart card mech its around 2700 +1700 one time to train. 4400.00 to start plus travel expenses.
One thing to note I was never called back. I always had to initiate contact myself. I suspect that is because I was not the big fish they are looking for and I guess the thought of having one more tech support caller was not to appealing to my contact.

Now I will say this. They guy told me up front they are used to dealing with bigger buyers so I get why they really didnt want my business and behaved accordingly. I really believe that the Smart card + changer would have made a huge difference in sales but at this point I'm not sure this is worth all the trouble to get at there machines. I'm still thinking about it.

UPDATE TO MY ORIGINAL POST>>>>>>>>>
I called them again today and after pointing out that I had a quote before the new rule was implemented they would sell the one machine without requiring me to go train. So that is a good thing. I will update you on the machine performance once i get it installed.
Dan

[scottgtt]

Have you guys really thought this out. Forget all the salesman stuff, look at the heart of the matter. You have one control system that is not mainstream, when you have problems and you will just like all other brands, who do you call, your local repair guy or someone who can help you fix your own problems with cheap parts? No you call the original company you bought from and get stuck with a high bill when you could have gone mainstream. What if you have a dollar bill jam? do you lose one machine until you fix it? No, you lose all of your machines. What about capacity? The machine holds so little that even a mediocre accout will require constant service whereas a mainstream full size machine(s) would hold much more which is better for you and your account. Filling, a cartridge somewhere takes just as much time as filling the machine in person, you don't save time and can't make on the fly adjustments as easy as a normal machine. What if Doritos don't sell this week, your prefilled cartridge is filled and now you have to take the other cartridge home and unstock it just to restock another. This is a machine that benefits only one entity and that is the seller. Think twice. Good luck.

[coinvestor]

Have you guys really thought this out. Forget all the salesman stuff, look at the heart of the matter. You have one control system that is not mainstream, when you have problems and you will just like all other brands, who do you call, your local repair guy or someone who can help you fix your own problems with cheap parts? No you call the original company you bought from and get stuck with a high bill when you could have gone mainstream. What if you have a dollar bill jam? do you lose one machine until you fix it? No, you lose all of your machines. What about capacity? The machine holds so little that even a mediocre accout will require constant service whereas a mainstream full size machine(s) would hold much more which is better for you and your account. Filling, a cartridge somewhere takes just as much time as filling the machine in person, you don't save time and can't make on the fly adjustments as easy as a normal machine. What if Doritos don't sell this week, your prefilled cartridge is filled and now you have to take the other cartridge home and unstock it just to restock another. This is a machine that benefits only one entity and that is the seller. Think twice. Good luck.

Any real vending equipment supplier knows that machines are usually purchased one or two at a time to fill the requirments of an account. I have never been made to feel like my small equipment orders were not good enough because the supplier knows that if I'm happy I will call them the next time I get an account. The only reason to sell you ten machines at one time is because they either know that you won't be happy, or know you won't survive long enough to ever gain a new account.

Like Scott said your problems with dates will be magnified 2-3X what they would be with normal machines. FIFO is a great thing (first in first out). Your product that was aging all week in your machine will then end up back in the "warehouse" aging again for a week until you go back to service the account, so every 1 week of potential selling time your product ages 2 weeks. Your product will be aging faster and you will have to carry twice as much inventory since you have whats in the machine plus another machines worth of product.

The machines are "neat" but I would reccomend staying away from them.

JD

[For The Kids Vending]

I see these machines as being OK for a smaller office of 20-50 people, but with such a high price you'll never recoup your investment. If it takes 2-3 years to pay off the machine with its profits you'll never make money. Yes I'm new, but the rule I've heard from several places that I believe is that you want to be able to pay off the machine in one year. The price of the machine would require 75-100 person office to pay it off in a year, but the capacity of that machine seems way to low for that.

This type of machine could be the right price for a mechanic / oil change / waiting room location but the smart cards would be overkill there and just confuse people and/or get vandalized. You'd once again run into the capacity issue.

With the spoilage mentioned above - you'd have to take out the cartridge and refill / transfer the perishable stuff and reinsert the cartridge to avoid losing stuff and would probably take longer than just filling a regular machine.

[jblvending]

The word Bizop pops in my head. It just blows me away on how many are out there.I guess if I was dishonest this would be very easy money to make.Guys and Gals, just keep one thing in mind when buying any type of vending machine, at least google it and see if anyone has had problems with the machine or company, or ask the company for the last 3 persons ph# so that you can follow up on how the machines are doing, if they refuse to give out that information, there is your answer.

[danowolf]

Thank you for all the advice and concern. I am very worried myself. I know its not mainstream and that its "outside" the box and I have been kicking this around alot. And your right I figured it would take 2 years to pay off the machine not counting shrinkage and mainenance which I have to consider but the maint. is an unknown because the machines are so new. And the idea behind the machines was to service them often but fast and have a large number of accounts so I would have to take economy of scale into account and have many machines to make money.
I have called one existing customer and the manager of the bank said she and her employee's love the machine. But one reference is not enough and I would like to talk to someone who owns one first.


So I have not bought one because I am agonizing over the things you all mentioned.

[Gabe .Z.]

DON'T DO IT!!!!!! Do not buy new machines, it's a Biz-Op. Look on craigslist and Ebay for used or refurbished machines.