6 replies to this topic

[railtrailed]

Okay, let me start out by telling you about my vending background. As a kid in summer camp I made extra money by selling candy at about triple markup to kids at camp (I bought the candy at a store 2 blocks away in Manhattan, a bodega). Fast forward to August 2010 when I actually bought my first machine, a double head Seaga. After 1 year I have 3 bulk candy machines in a pizza place, a dry cleaners, and a chinese restaurant and 7 Soda machines, 2 of which are doing quite poorly at the moment, I will be looking to move them somewhere soon (I did just get a new account as some of you know at a gas station but I am putting a new machine in there).

Here finally is my question, as the above obviously points out I do engage in other activities to pay for life, I am a realtor and emergency organ transporter. After just having finished transporting a box of bones a few weeks ago I realized I was in the neighborhood of 1 of my machines (at a cemetery -- that is true, I have a machine at a cemetery). I was leaving a parking lot and noticed a guy unloading some snacks out of the back of a van so I pulled alongside. I asked him if he knew where the nearest Stop n Shop was since they sometimes have killer deals on Soda. He told me where it was and I asked him if he too was a vendor, he answered yes. I then asked him if he too took advantage of deep sales at supermarkets and he said no since he buys 800-1000 cases a week delivered to him from a warehouse. I was absolutely blown away. I know there are many people out there who make more money than me at vending but this guy has to be at the very pinnacle(I should have gotten his number). By the way he mentioned he does have some people who work for him, though he obviously does too.

As I was driving home I did some rough math in my head and at the low end 800 cases would bring him $19,200 a week in revenue and at the high end $24,000 assuming all 12oz cans sold at 1.00(which is probably not accurate so his soda revenue alone could reach toward $30,000 a week); this does not even take into account his snack business. Rounding down to $20,000 and assuming his business sees a 40 percent drop in revenue during the winter months this is roughly about $885,000 in revenue a year just off soda. Also a rough estimate, he would need about 650-900 machines to generate this revenue. Is this possible?

I am not saying this is a bad thing, this guy is obviously a killer, a giant monster in the vending world. I hope to ascend to a fifth of his height However, at such a point why not buy 40 or 50 buildings, collect the rent and sail around the world a few dozen times?

Do you guys think this was BS or what?

[dogcow]

well who knows if those projections are right but certainly that could be true...

you have to keep in mind gross revenue is a small part of the story. you have payroll, commissions, equipment, warehouse, debt possibly, and of course taxes. with payroll and taxes being the biggest.

the more money you bring in the higher your expenses go

[RJT]

For some vending operation 800 to 1000 cases a week is a low number.......

However, if he is a one man show then those numbers are good for that situation but not unheard of. I last did a consulting job for a one man show doing those case counts exact.

[vend1ng]

Okay, let me start out by telling you about my vending background. As a kid in summer camp I made extra money by selling candy at about triple markup to kids at camp (I bought the candy at a store 2 blocks away in Manhattan, a bodega). Fast forward to August 2010 when I actually bought my first machine, a double head Seaga. After 1 year I have 3 bulk candy machines in a pizza place, a dry cleaners, and a chinese restaurant and 7 Soda machines, 2 of which are doing quite poorly at the moment, I will be looking to move them somewhere soon (I did just get a new account as some of you know at a gas station but I am putting a new machine in there).

Here finally is my question, as the above obviously points out I do engage in other activities to pay for life, I am a realtor and emergency organ transporter. After just having finished transporting a box of bones a few weeks ago I realized I was in the neighborhood of 1 of my machines (at a cemetery -- that is true, I have a machine at a cemetery). I was leaving a parking lot and noticed a guy unloading some snacks out of the back of a van so I pulled alongside. I asked him if he knew where the nearest Stop n Shop was since they sometimes have killer deals on Soda. He told me where it was and I asked him if he too was a vendor, he answered yes. I then asked him if he too took advantage of deep sales at supermarkets and he said no since he buys 800-1000 cases a week delivered to him from a warehouse. I was absolutely blown away. I know there are many people out there who make more money than me at vending but this guy has to be at the very pinnacle(I should have gotten his number). By the way he mentioned he does have some people who work for him, though he obviously does too.

As I was driving home I did some rough math in my head and at the low end 800 cases would bring him $19,200 a week in revenue and at the high end $24,000 assuming all 12oz cans sold at 1.00(which is probably not accurate so his soda revenue alone could reach toward $30,000 a week); this does not even take into account his snack business. Rounding down to $20,000 and assuming his business sees a 40 percent drop in revenue during the winter months this is roughly about $885,000 in revenue a year just off soda. Also a rough estimate, he would need about 650-900 machines to generate this revenue. Is this possible?

I am not saying this is a bad thing, this guy is obviously a killer, a giant monster in the vending world. I hope to ascend to a fifth of his height However, at such a point why not buy 40 or 50 buildings, collect the rent and sail around the world a few dozen times?

Do you guys think this was BS or what?

I'm calling BS on a 1 man show! Even though its possible there is no way 1 person could keep up. How big was his arms? Thats 175 - 200 cases a day thats 3500 - 4400 lbs a van won't handle it thats a total reload twice every day. Even if he could do a prfered 10 cases per machine thats 18-20 machines a day for pop only with each machine alotted 1 hr actual and support thats 18-20 hours a day and thats not counting snacks. Just a thought.
Vend1ng

[dogcow]

I'm calling BS on a 1 man show! Even though its possible there is no way 1 person could keep up. How big was his arms? Thats 175 - 200 cases a day thats 3500 - 4400 lbs a van won't handle it thats a total reload twice every day. Even if he could do a prfered 10 cases per machine thats 18-20 machines a day for pop only with each machine alotted 1 hr actual and support thats 18-20 hours a day and thats not counting snacks. Just a thought.
Vend1ng

he says the guy has people who works for him

[vend1ng]

he says the guy has people who works for him

I stand corrected ..... Still call bs on 1 man show LOL ..... Lets see 200 cases a day. I want my route people to do 15 machines a day I'm lucky if they do 12 they average 9. Lets assume its pop and snack 4 snack 5 pop and the pop does 7 cases each thats 35 cases he would need 6.5 routes a day he wouldn't have time to fill machines he would be busy taking care of all the other problems. Like employees! Even though it is feasible and there are companies that do 800-1000 cases a week the owner wouldn't be out filling machines. I still stand on the BS. but we can still dream of a perfect world. Just a thought.
Vend1ng

[RJT]

Vend1ng,

Did you read my post? I did a consulting job for a one man show that was doing those numbers. He did it all himeself with no help. Did he stay busy? Yep, but he still did it himself. Keep in mind if he had 800 cases delivered he did not put out every single one out that week until his warehouse was empty. The 800 case a week was an average and he obviously keep some of that in inventory in his warehouse. He had a standing order of around 800 cases (give or take) he got from the bottling companies each week.

So no BS it can and does happen, even with one man shows......