coke machine at wash

[carwash27]

We have had problems with coke taking care of machine and commisssion checks. we are looking at buying our own machine and stocking it ourselves. we are looking for info on price points for cans?bottles? is it better to have cans or bottles? is a machine worth the hassle? we are a stand alone wash-does it make sense to have one? will it cost more than it is worth?

thanx for your comments.

 

[under pressure]

Buy your own machine, only if you can get a good deal on one. And despense cans much higher profit margin in my opinion. Yes its worth the hassle, it should not take much to maintain a good used machine, basically just keep it full, if you dont think it is worth it just sell the unit off, but I think if you get one you will keep it.

 

[MEP001]

If you're doing it for a profit, buying your own machine is the way to go, but it's a greater risk to you. You can get Coke to supply the machine with the agreement that you'll buy the sodas from them - you'll make less money but you'll have control over stocking and you'll know you will get what's coming to you.

 

[pitzerwm]

If you get one, and IMO is another reason to have your own. (they almost never fail and if you get a good used one the cost is low) Add graint hasp and locks to the door, so the crooks don't even consider breaking into them, also add it into your alarm system, so that if they do, that will be the only thing that they break into.

I had a "Coke" machine first and without telling them I alarmed it and soon caught one of their drivers making an "unscheduled" stop.

 

[Uncle Sam]

carwash27,

Why just drinks in a vendor. Why not all your car wash products vending plus the cokes and drinks all in one secure and weatherproof place. Gift cards, token packs, and token note packs can be vended too.

Uncle Sam

 

[Randy]

Coke machines!!! I can tell you horror stories for hours about Coke/pop machines. Been there and done that, never again. At one time we had Coke machines at every wash. It didn’t take long before they were all broken in to, once there were broken into they were trash. Coke pulled the machines so we went to Pepsi. Pepsi brought out a new machine on a Friday afternoon. We took bets on how long it would last. It had a big sign on the front “Not in Service needs to be filled” the power cord was taped to the front of the machine. We planned on powering it up on Monday. Saturday morning it was broken into and trashed beyond repair. Needless to say Pepsi came and got there machine and wouldn’t bring another one.

 

[captain cw]

I had a whole Pepsi machine stolen from a wash. They had to have used a tommy lift. Those things are VERY heavy. Got tired of Coke and Pepsi never servicing their units. Had them all pulled. I'm debating buying a unit for my new wash to put next to a ice machine. We'll see.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I think the available deals may vary by local and what the local distributer offers.

FWIW I am willingto pay a little more for product, buying direct from the truck since they provide and service the machine for free. Their is a tradeoff between paying extra cost for the product vs time and effort of going to the store to get product.

Depending on locale their may or may not be a vandalism issue. I have one location of 3 I Pepsi / Coke have given up on for this reason. At another theu provided the "High Security' Layered locking system set up.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

I would just buy a refr. machine with a security cage from Uncle Sam.
That way you can buy your product from Sam's or Costco.
Fill your machine with whatever you want plus sell auto accessories, candy bars, etc.
My customers love it. I even have seen on the cameras customers purchasing items after we're closed.

 

[Waxman]

Bought a 51 selection combo machine from Uncle Sam.

Great purchase. Get the security cage. My vending is now better than the auto section at walmart.

I vend sodas, trees, armorall, towels, even hotwheels cars!

great selection for the customer.

why mess with just a soda machine when you can have so much mre.?

mine takes credit cards too.

you can bundle products, get creative, find quirky items that fit your customers needs, buy regulars a spin on the vending machine; they love it.

 

[Faceonglass]

I have an old refrigerator plugged in with a coffee can to put money in, works great!!

To be serious, I had the same problem a few others have mentioned with people breaking into mine. So I just got rid of it. I have never had anyone try to break into my other vending units, just that damn pop machine.

 

[Ghetto Wash]

Coke stopped paying me commissions so I told them to come get their machine. I purchased a used one on craigslist for $300 and sold $1000 worth of cokes last year with about a 70% profit (not counting electric and stocking time). Annual commissions prior to purchasing my own machine were about $100 per year. Worked out for me. If someone breaks into it......big deal, it was only $300 and has already paid for itself. I did put an American style lock on it though.

Now if If I could get them to stop breaking into my air/water machine!?!?!?!?

 

[pgrzes]

I have 2 Pepsi Machines. They maintain them whenever I call them. I fill them, I set the price I keep all the cash. They tried a few times to get into them, One got flipped I called and got a new machine. I feel that with this deal its would no way be worth owning my own machine. I buy the product at the same place I would if it was my own machine.

 

[starion]

Kind of late replying to this subject, but here has been my experience FWIW...

We found someone who sold us 3 machines in various states of repair for $400. We scrounged parts from 2 to make 1 good one. Sold the remaining two for scrap after filling a box with some usable spare parts.

Loaded it up with about $60 from Sam's club at about .25 per can. 5 columns. Vending them for 75 cents, could probably get a buck.

We have people who do nothing but pull up to buy soda. Kids will buy soda while parents are washing in the self-serves.

Never been vandalized (it's been almost a year now). Haven't made my $400 back yet on it, and it's probably costing me more in electricity than I care to know.

We did bolt the machine to concrete, the thing weighs a ton fully loaded, and they would have to rip the bottom of the machine out trying to steal it outright. All for maybe $40 worth of soda and change.

Plus we'll have a hi-res picture of them doing it, all the while the siren will be going off and the police on the way because it's alarmed as well.

Our soda machine isn't a moneymaker, it's a venus flytrap.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

and it's probably costing me more in electricity than I care to know.

Actually, forum member PaulLovesJamie measured the power used on his machine in PA. He found that it cost about a dollar a day to power it.

 

[bigleo48]

I have 2 Pepsi Machines. They maintain them whenever I call them. I fill them, I set the price I keep all the cash. They tried a few times to get into them, One got flipped I called and got a new machine. I feel that with this deal its would no way be worth owning my own machine. I buy the product at the same place I would if it was my own machine.

I had that, but had to buy from Pepsi. Minimum $700 order, paid $1 per pop/water and sold for $2. Didn't do any business and got complaints from customers for charging $2 for water. Told pepsi to come get the machine.

Got a Vendo machine from ebay for $600 (delivered). Buy my pop cans when on sale, costs about 25cents per pop (less for water), sell for a dollar. Did about $1200 in sales last year so machine is paid for. Gave it to my daughter, she now buys the pop and takes care of the machine and makes the money. $1k a year for a kid with less than 1 hr's work per month. Good pocket money and teaches her how retail works.

Big

 

[Greg Pack]

I have had both soda machines and refrigerated vendors.

As mentioned, when it's all said and done and you factor in electricity costs, special trips to get the drinks, etc, there's very little profit (if any) left.