Replacing the old vendor, but with what?! Recommendations?

[MPW]

I have a beloved 20 year old Crane glass front spiral vendor that is growing increasingly temperamental and will probably soon be replaced. I'm limping it along for now but no longer can you find the important bits for it (several of the spirals are out of use because the motors are no longer made, mother board going out would be the end of it, etc). Since it's only a matter of time before it goes to vendor heaven I need to start considering a replacement. This one currently has 34 items in it despite one shelf being unusable. It's absurd. I DO want a large selection but I don't feel the need to continue offering weird shit just to fill the space. It looks more or less like the Mega Vendor III-- giant hulking red thing. It also needs to be a vendor that is happy to sit outside in Montana winters. So it needs to be refrigerated only so that everything doesn't freeze (I'm not wanting to offer snacks and drinks and so forth.) Everything on the lot is CoinCo and I'd like to not change that though the coin mech in this thing is a real asshole. Also not concerned with accepting anything but coins and bills. The current beast has clearly outdone itself in longevity and who knows, maybe it'll keep going for another couple of years until I can no longer convince it otherwise... but I haven't a clue what vendors are actually GOOD these days. I'm expecting that they aren't made like they used to be but I hope I'm wrong. Any recommendations are much appreciated!

 

[Waxman]

This:

Visi-Combo |

www.amsvendors.com

 

[Overachiever]

I've got an autovend plus with refrigeration / heated glass, it's been vandalized a few times so it looks a little ugly around where the bill acceptor used to be but it has a cryptopay swiper and the coin acceptor works (but disabled so no one gets anymore bright ideas). I gave up on the vending.. too much crime at my car wash.. haha. Also have a big metal cage for it. PM if interested.

 

[soapy]

I have a couple of the older large AMS vendors that SHurevend sold me about 20 years ago. I have had to replace a few boards lately on them and they just go out soon afterwards. I am biting the bullet and moving onto other vendors. I ordered a vendor from Etowah Valley and it should be here on Friday. It is not the small unit with guaranteed vend but the other midsized in the wall vendor without guaranteed vend. Over the last couple of decades I don;t think many of my customers understood the guaranteed vend concept. I have had a couple of these Max Vend type units and never had problems with them. I am in Idaho and never had a problem with the nonrefridge vendors. Plus I am like you 18 selections is more than enough 34 was just too many things stock.

 

[soonermajic]

I have a couple of the older large AMS vendors that SHurevend sold me about 20 years ago. I have had to replace a few boards lately on them and they just go out soon afterwards. I am biting the bullet and moving onto other vendors. I ordered a vendor from Etowah Valley and it should be here on Friday. It is not the small unit with guaranteed vend but the other midsized in the wall vendor without guaranteed vend. Over the last couple of decades I don;t think many of my customers understood the guaranteed vend concept. I have had a couple of these Max Vend type units and never had problems with them. I am in Idaho and never had a problem with the nonrefridge vendors. Plus I am like you 18 selections is more than enough 34 was just too many things stock.

Explain the "Guaranteed Vend"...

 

[OurTown]

Explain the "Guaranteed Vend"...

I believe it has a sensor near the bottom and cranks the spiral again if it does not sense the product drop.

 

[Eric H]

Explain the "Guaranteed Vend"...

The AMS vendors have a sensor near the bottom of the machine. If a product does NOT fall thought the sensor the machine will jog the selected coil a few times to try to dislodge an item. if that fails the machine will refund the customers money. I have 3 of these machines. the oldest being about 17-18 years old. They work great!
ShurVend is no longer in business but you can still buy a machine from an AMS distributor. The MegaVend from Kleen-rite is the same machine as ShurVend. The people at MegaVend simply copied Shurvend's design

 

[Randy]

All Shurvend did was put there name on the AMS vending. There was nothing special about the Shurvend vending machine, it was a relabeled AMS vending machine. You can't go wrong with buying a AMS vending machine.

 

[soapy]

I tried to get in touch with AMS. I left a email with them and they got back to me 3 weeks later right after I ordered one from Friday valley.

 

[Blanco]

I purchased two of these Crane vending machines and love them. They got nine inch touchscreen and customers can purchase multiple products and add them to a shopping cart then check out at the end. So far no problems mine are not refrigerated though but they do make them.

 

[MPW]

I purchased two of these Crane vending machines and love them. They got nine inch touchscreen and customers can purchase multiple products and add them to a shopping cart then check out at the end. So far no problems mine are not refrigerated though but they do make them.

How long ago did you get them? And where did you order from? Straight from Crane or a dealer?

 

[Blanco]

Probably close to a year ago. I ordered them from a local distributor. I can get you their info if you want. Was nervous how they would do in a MI winter but no problems at all.

 

[Greg Pack]

What was the rough cost on the cranes?

 

[Blanco]

The machines fully loaded w/ custom decals, a 7th tray, rain topper, and high security door was under $8k. I think around $7800.

 

[Greg Pack]

Thanks for the info Krispy

 

[mjwalsh]

The machines fully loaded w/ custom decals, a 7th tray, rain topper, and high security door was under $8k. I think around $7800.

Have you checked to see how spendy a new touchscreen is & if it is ... you can replace that part yourselves in-house? Something to consider ... customers can be more vicious than you might think. Leading one to possibly choose more vandal resistant buttons.