I've been calling some ads and inquiring about purchasing some existing vending routes (snack/soda). Does anyone have some advice for me? I would eventually like to vend full-time. It is my ultimate goal to have my own profitable business for my family. BTW, I am brand new to this. I just started looking at vending a week ago.

Here are the questions I have been asking the sellers:
Why are you selling?
Where are your locations?
What are the gross and net profits?
What brand and models are the machines?
How long have you had the business?
Are the commissions or charity fees?
How is your relationship with the site owners?
How often do you have to service/stock the machines?
Are there any liens against your machines or business?
Could I examine your route?
Do you have financials to back up the income claims?
What types of payments do you take for the route purchase (all cash, finance)?
What types of money do the machines accept? Coins and bills? New $5 bills?
How many employees are at the locations?
Did you create this route or purchase it from someone?
How many of your locations are good and bad?
Will you introduce me to the location owners and train me?
Did you make a profit since you owned the route?

What else should I be finding out or doing?
Also, I've found that when I ask for financials to back up income claims that they all seem to tell me, "It's a cash business..."
Is that pretty normal? One guy did tell me that I could check the computers in the machine one day and come back a week later to see the sales. Aside from that, is it normal for the sellers to have no records to prove the sales?

Thank for all the help!

Johnny Ringo

Hello,

I'm new here. I've spent that last week or so researching and reading about the vending business. I'm looking into buying an existing route to get started. Could you please tell me your opinions on this one deal?

There are two machines in one location. I was told it was a busy factory with 100+ employees. The machines are a USI for snacks and a Vendo for the drinks. The machines are about one year old and are still under warranty. There is no commission paid to have the machines at the location. The seller is asking $9000. He is allowing $3500 down and financing the rest. He said that he still owes on the machines. The seller told me that he has been vending for 20 years and that he now spends some of his time creating new locations and then selling them. The seller also said that if the location failed to perform over the next year, as long as I serviced it well, that he would find me a new location. I was told that the yearly gross is $15,000 and that the net profits were about 60% of that.

How does all this sound? Is the game for the seller to overprice, the buyer to lowball offer and then to meet in the middle?

Thanks,

Johnny Ringo

Hello,

I have been researching the vending business for the last week or so. I am beginning to get serious about entering into vending. This site has been a great resource and I greatly appreciate all the information and opinions posted here.

The main question I was hoping to get some responses to is: How has the downturn in the economy affected the vending industry?
I would love to hear the feedback of all of you experienced vending business owners out there.

Thanks,

Johnny Ringo