Six feet of vending space-Which would you choose?

[GreenTreeCarWash]

I have six feet of vending space. There currently is a glass front/rear load vending machine that needs to be replaced. I am thinking of removing the glass front and filling in the hole.

Then replacing the glass front with Laurel Electronic Vending Units:
1-Laurel 3 Column #899
1-Laurel (Little Trees) 5 Column units #599
2-Laurel 1 Column #399

http://www.laurelmetal.com/electronic899.php

These Laurel units will take up about the same amount of space as the broken glass front. My goal is to simplify and avoid down-time. FYI: The 6 feet of space has direct sunlight and this direct sunlight has led to the glass front needing repair/replacement.

Total Cost for these Laurel Units: $3700+/-

Good Idea or Bad Idea? Thank you for comments.

 

[Randy]

Bad Idea!! With the Laurel venders you'll only be able to sell 6 items. What brand model is the glass front vender you have now? Why not repair the glass front vender?

 

[robert roman]

When deciding what to do with a property as in developing a new wash, most folks will first determine highest and best use.

For example, in working with operators looking to expand or turnaround a business, we find fragrance sells better than shampoo in areas with a high level of ethnic diversity.

In very sunny climates, customers often complaint about streaky windows. Consequently, customers want to buy quality, not cheap window wipes.

If ambient conditions are dirty as some areas in the northeast or sandy as in Florida for example, a rug beater can be very profitable.

Because of these circumstances and others, some operators will survey their customers to determine what they actually want to buy.

For example, what happens to sales if people actually prefer glass front and you install column?

Generally speaking, it takes several weeks start-to-finish to complete a survey. 250 responses would ensure statistically valid results.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jeff_L]

I won't say bad or good, it depends on your situation. I bought a 52 column vender three+ years ago and love it for many reasons. If your main reason is because of the sun, think of these two items. If you put a laurel vendor there, the sticker on the front will soon fade and peel in the sunlight. If you replaced your glass front, you can go to Home Depot or other store and buy a film for your glass they have films for different situations, block heat, block sunlight, etc. I suggest checking that out too.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

The 6 feet of space has direct sunlight and this direct sunlight has led to the glass front needing repair/replacement.

I also get direct sunlight into my glass-front vendor. I installed a canopy over it so 80% of the time it is shaded now, that made a huge difference. Problem is not quite solved, but much better!

Laurel vending is a good company with a good product, I still sell a lot of product through my drop shelf vendors. However, Randy is right, you are limiting what you sell which is not good.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Is there really a market for cleaning rugs, at a car wash? I see them mentioned quite often and don't understand how this fits in, or are we talking about cleaning toupees? Well, that doesn't really fit in either.

 

[cwguy.com]

I think both are a bad idea! But drop vendors are by far the worse. I don't think this is an issue about money (since you want to spend $4000 or more to switch to drop vending.)? But I don't care what the problem with the vendor is... it can't cost $4000 to purchase what ever you need to fix the problem right? Plus you should always make more out of the drop vendor.

But you could purchase all those drop vendors used... I sold some of mine. Everyone it seems is going to multivend drop vendors... Well accept maybe Randy?

 

[cantbreak80]

I replaced four mechanical Laurels (including the big Little Tree vendor) with three electronic Laurels and a Crane glass front snack vendor about 6 years ago.

The vendors face south and get very hot, even in the winter. To reduce heat issues I replaced the old, faded, and too small canopy over the change/vending area and turned the GF vendor sideways…facing east.

The GF vendor has seriously outperformed the drop shelf vendors…12:1.

The GF vendor offers 8 Little Tree fragrances, cloth towels, paper towels, tire cleaner, protectants, window cleaner, Febreeze, and my car wash’s $10 and $20 debit cards.

The Laurels have been nearly trouble free…with an occasional coin jam. The Crane has had all 5 shelf wiring harnesses replaced…otherwise, it’s been marvelous. It accepts bills and all US coins, makes change, and has a “guaranteed delivery” system. Without question, I will replace it if it ever becomes irreparable. Can't say the same for the Laurels.

 

[cwguy.com]

Is there really a market for cleaning rugs, at a car wash? I see them mentioned quite often and don't understand how this fits in, or are we talking about cleaning toupees? Well, that doesn't really fit in either.

Those people usually make a huge mess... Plus if they don't like how the cleaning job went or they figure out the item weighs more when you add water they are going to leave it!

I know what I'm going to invent for the self serve industry! A grill cleaning station! Or a nasty refrigerator station!

 

[slash007]

I currently have 7 drop shelf vendors and one 5 columns little tree vendor. I have room to add a few more or possibly a mulit vendor but it would have to be stand-alone. Are there any good stand-alone multi-vendors that you guys recommend? I wish I could put a multi-vendor that goes in the wall and is filled from the inside, but there is no way to do it.

 

[MEP001]

We opened with 8 electronic drop-shelf vendors, and at one point I thought about ordering two more, a 5-column for little trees and a 3-column for armor All. A basic 52-selection vendor is about the same price, and I figure if the vending sales increase only 20% that the vendor would pay for itself in three years. Seems worth it.

 

[cwguy.com]

You can mount it in the wall and load from the outside?

 

[JMMUSTANG]

I wouldn't hesitate in buying the refrigerated vender from Shurvend again.
http://www.shurvendplus.com/product/visicombo.htm
On top of having a large selection of auto products you can sell plastic bottle or cans of water and gaterade, etc.
I have one with the security cage and can tell you I sell a lot of water, gaterade, tea and soda.

 

[cellardale@aol.com]

I agree with the shurvend suggestion. More choices mean more happy consumers. I can go much longer with out having to worry about out of stocks or money jammed, etc.

 

[Kevin James]

We use the AMS Slim Gem vending machines. http://www.amsvendors.com/vendors.aspx The last one we bought we paid $1699 delivered. Shop around there are a lot of vending machine companies that are willing to deal.

 

[slash007]

I like the shurvend for the security since it will be outdoors and unattended. I spoke to them an got pricing on the iG4 and on the Visi-Combo. Does anyone have experience with either and how do you like it? I tried a soda machine and it didn't sell much so I am not really sold on adding cold products, so I would lean towards the iG4

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Ice Mountain water 4.95 for 35 bottles at Sams.
.14 cents cost each sells for $1.00. Nice markup.
Because it's refrigerated you can also carry candy, snacks, 5 hour energy drinks etc. Not just soda.
I would have them design(size) one shelf soley for Little Trees and other similiar air scents.

 

[slash007]

It would be nice to have, but the cost is $8500 shipped. That would take a long time to recoup. The smaller machine is just under $6k shipped.

 

[Jeff_L]

It would be nice to have, but the cost is $8500 shipped. That would take a long time to recoup. The smaller machine is just under $6k shipped.

What type of timeframe do you use for an ROI? In this business I typically use a 3yr timeline. If I project I'll be in the black with the purchase within three years, then I feel it's a good investment. I bought my ShurVend under this notion, and I was in the black at about the two year mark. No, I did not factor in the electricity costs for keeping the drinks cold, but if I did, I'm sure I was still in the black before my 3yr mark. Hard to say how much impact this might of had for customers on their time spent washing their cars in the self serve.

Unscientifically - I know in the back of my mind when I see someone in the self serve bay, credit card in use (count up method), holding a soda in one hand and the wand in the other, they're probably spending more time washing because they're a little more relaxed and not worried about the accumulation of charges.

Happy washing...

 

[Uncle Sam]

GreenTreeCarWash

You state you only have 6 feet of vending space with an old multivendor Rear Load that doesn't work. That leads me to think this is an old vending center probably near the bill changer. I respectfully ask you to "think outside the box" in planning your next move in vending. You do not mention where the vacuum islands are with respect to this "vending space" so you need to forget where your vending is now and focus on the vacuum island area. There you should have lots of space to set up a vending center. Without "going commercial" in this post (Jackson) I respectfully suggest you install a high security 32-selection vendor out in the middle of your vacuums at the end of the center vacuum island. It will be very visible and very secure after it is bolted down to a concrete pad. This should give you an increased vending sales volume that you will be very pleased with. Rather than 6-8 selections you will have 32 selections in a 36" X 36" footprint. You can accept bills, coins, tokens and credit cards with these new multi-vendors at a price 25% more than you planned for just 4 drop shelf vendors.

Uncle Sam