Condom Vending

[pitzerwm]

Speaking of Connecticut, what took that jury days to decide that low life needed the needle? Jesus, what is this world coming to when they are caught red handed, killing and torturing these people burning the kids alive.

And Ib, do you think that if someone can't find a condom that they won't be having sex?

I don't know if I would sell them or not, but if I had a kid, you can be sure, he/she would have one available. I was married at 17 because I was an idiot and if I'd found out about sex any earlier, I might have been married at 12. How these people think that if you keep kids stupid and without the availability of protection that nothing will happen, get real. Teen pregnancy has dropped because they are getting smarter and condoms aren't behind the counter like they use to be.

 

[Red Baron]

I guess ya just have to decide what service you're providing to society. I'm providing car washes. Walgreens can provide the condoms.

It's true that not selling condoms in my vendor isn't stopping teens from having sex, but I don't need to be party to it anymore than I'm morally obligated to sell syringes in my vendor to keep addicts from getting HIV.

I don't sell condoms in my vendor because I'm a businessman and I think it would be a net bad for my business. If it was good for my business, I still wouldn't sell them because I just don't think it's a good fit. I think it's more complicated than the simple math of making 2 dollars more per week selling condoms than you could selling an additional car wash related item.

 

[robert roman]

In my mind, condoms conjure the image of a dispenser in a dirty bathroom of a truck stop or third-rate convenience store.

It sort of like building a professional car wash next door to an adult video store. Its something that is not typically done.

I believe you might impress more customers, especially women, if you offered a nice clean bathroom facility.

 

[pitzerwm]

Sounds like some of us, are too old and remember the days when you were embarrassed to buy them and they use to be behind the counter.

Obvious, none of us need them today, so we have missed that in every drug store, etc, there is a 6' shelving space where you can conveniently buy whatever your heart's desire.

IMO, the people that might need them, will buy them, the rest of the people won't even notice them. Same thing would apply to female necessities.

 

[Red Baron]

In my mind, condoms conjure the image of a dispenser in a dirty bathroom of a truck stop or third-rate convenience store.

It sort of like building a professional car wash next door to an adult video store. Its something that is not typically done.

I believe you might impress more customers, especially women, if you offered a nice clean bathroom facility.

Yep.

There was this seedy little gas station on the outskirts of Wright, Kansas when I was growing up in nearby Dodge City. It was known by guys my age for two things:
1. They'd sell you beer on Sunday, which was illegal.
2. They had a condom machine in the restroom.

They were not known for gas, good service, cleanliness...just beer and rubbers. But guys would drive the 8 miles to get beer and/or rubbers.

Even after 3 decades I still think of them as that seedy little gas station.

 

[Red Baron]

Sounds like some of us, are too old and remember the days when you were embarrassed to buy them and they use to be behind the counter.

Obvious, none of us need them today, so we have missed that in every drug store, etc, there is a 6' shelving space where you can conveniently buy whatever your heart's desire.

IMO, the people that might need them, will buy them, the rest of the people won't even notice them. Same thing would apply to female necessities.

I have a brother who (this was 25 years ago) would go grocery shopping with his wife. Since he was too embarassed to buy condoms himself, he'd wait til his wife wasn't looking, then slip a box of them under the other items in the shopping cart. Then when she was ready to check out he'd say: "I'm gonna go wait in the car."

That worked just once or twice.

 

[Jeff_L]

I checked with my boss (wife) about vending these at one of our washes, she said "no". Guess I'm done with this conversation.

 

[pitzerwm]

Of course, the wife usually has the last word, but if I had a wash now, I'd put some in and see what feedback, I would get. That would help you see your customer demographics.

Once I put on my reader board, "Save the Whales, harpoon a fat person", yeap within an hour or so got a phone call and took it down.

 

[MudMoney]

I went into the IGA grocery store to see where they were displaying the condoms.They were in a glass case,locked up.I asked the pharmacist why.She replied "we lock the case at 7 pm when we close as too many get stolen", the market stays open till 12 pm.