Vend It Problems - Need Vendor Recommendation

[Red Baron]

I'm tired of fiddling with my Vend It. One day it gives away free product but when I go to fix it, it works fine. Today it's giving away free product again. With as many people here who've had problems with this vendor, I don't think I want to continue messing with it any longer. The hole in the wall is 33 x 49 - what vendor do you recommend?

 

[Eric H]

I don't know if it will fit, but you'd be a fool (IMO) to buy anything but a shurvend. There are just too many people that are happy with Jim's product and service to even look elsewhere.

 

[Back4More]

I agree with Eric. We sold a Shurvend half pint to a customer and haven't had one call back in almost a year. Sometimes you luck out and get more than you paid for.

Ron

 

[MEP001]

I don't have much direct experience with spiral vendors, but I've removed an old D/H unit and bricked up the hole in the wall because they quit making parts for it. I know someone with two Fawn vendors, and he hates them. He says they mostly work, but he said at some point he'll get tired of working on them and will throw them in the dumpster.

We're likely going to order a Shurvend around the first of next year, based mostly on the good comments (and almost complete lack of bad ones) about them.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I am going to get a hold of Jim to get a 39 selection vendor sometime in the spring. Shurvend really does seem like the only way to go.

Hopefully he can get Etowah Valleys cc system set up in it by then.

 

[MEP001]

Hopefully he can get Etowah Valleys cc system set up in it by then.

I take it they're looking to have it process wirelessly through the EV system rather than needing another phone line?

 

[Uncle Sam]

MEP001,

The e-Port we use is wireless just like Etowah's system. There is no phone line required. You can also connect the e-Port to an ethernet cable and plug it into a router with a computer that has an internet connection.

Uncle Sam

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Uncle sam: are your vendors set up to work with the ev system at this time? Last I heard, you were trying to work things out with Jim.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Bubbles,

As far as I know EV is not compatible with our vendors. Jim has promised me for years, but nothing so far!!

Uncle Sam

 

[Happycarz]

You know what they say about a Timex watch. Well the same can be said about the ShurVend. I have had them for 6 or 7 years with very few problems. And, Jim has always been available for support. If he doesn't know the answer, he finds it and calls back, within the hour. The biggest glitch I had was a circuit board that started acting up after 50,000 vends on it. I was able to replace it or upgrade it to the Sensit II system with more features, which I did. Otherwise, keep it stocked and take 3 minutes to clean the sensors every 6 month and its a no brainer.
Jim did have a lease program for them - not sure if it is still in effect - that would pay for the machine and still make a profit, in most cases. I also saw some really good deals on ShurVends in the classified section here on the forum. I wish I needed another one due to the discounted price.
Last month I installed E-Port in two machines (piece of cake.) I get daily reports of total vends per machine, segregating cash and card sales - $10.00/month and 5% of card sales. With buying on special, taking advantage of discounts and free shipping, I was able to maintain 69% gross profit on my vending last year. I'll gladly give up 5% to attract the card user.
On another note, I think Jim takes "happy pills" as he is always nice and willing to help any time I call.

 

[mac]

This entire discussion reflects pretty badly on our so called industry. Of the three companies making inwall vendors, it appears that two have dropped the ball. Shurvend stands out, but what gets me is the lack of others to make one that consistently works. Look at the gazillion vending machines out there. They are everywhere, and mostly work. It should not be that hard to do this.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I think most of the companies probably just buy candy/snack machines and sell them as car wash vending machines. I have had glassfront vendors since 1991, long before there was a Surevend. My machines are very reliable, as in not needing repairs, but I have made numerous modifications to them to get our products to dispense reliably. I would think most snack items are packaged with spiral vendors in mind while our vending items are not. I think the biggest asset for the Surevend is that Jim actually owns car washes and knows firsthand what the issues are and addresses them, where many CW distributors don't actually have washes or at least don't have glassfront vendors.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Mac,

I think you are being a little hard on this industry and what you call "the lack of interest" by other companies in building a reliable vending center. Car wash products as packaged over the years are "very hard to vend consistently" by a standard snack vending machine (which are designed to go into a lunch room or office environment) and there is no security necessary in these environments. Normal snacks, candy, sodas, CDs, etc are easy to vend compared to our car wash products.

There is real money to be made in vending, but many operators and distributors still think the ROI on the newer, more expensive, glass-fronts is not there. Manufacturers pick up that attitude and don't think there is a market to expand into.

One thing we, at ShurVend know, is that successful vending at car washes is a continuing battle of wits and turns into hard work!

Uncle Sam

 

[Red Baron]

US, I'm going to give Ginsan a chance to make my vendor work tomorrow and if it won't, I'm going to yank it out and put in a new one. My theory on these kinds of things is that when a customer get taken by a machine twice in a row, he probably won't try again.

There's no rhymre or reason to what it's doing - whether you pay with a $1, a $5 or with quarters, sometimes it shows a credit of several dollars and you can just start pressing button getting free product and the credit doesn't decrease. Model: VR2000

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Good Luck. After having dealt with Ginsan and D/H, I am going to be buying myself a nice 39 selection Shurvend in the spring. After buying a 20 year old wash, I need something in there that is reliable

 

[cantbreak80]

I replaced my vendors in April 06 with a freestanding glass–front snack vendor that I purchased from a local Crane vending machine distributor. It came with a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor, a coin hopper to provide change for overpayments, and a guaranteed product delivery system that refunds the customer’s money if the machine fails to drop the item. They set it up to accept $1 & $5 bills, $1 coins, nickels, dimes, and quarters.

I spent about an hour setting it up to vend all the common car wash items, including bottles and fragrance trees. I spent another 45 minutes securing the machine to the wall with some threaded rod, nuts and backing plates. (Maybe I’m just lucky but I’ve never been vandalized or broken into.)

I spent just over $2400 for the machine…including delivery and haul away of my old Fawn machine that drove me loco.

That Crane vendor has experienced ZERO problems in the 32 months it’s been in service while producing over $14,500 in gross revenue…nearly 60% increase over the prior 32 months.

 

[Red Baron]

In the credit where credit is due department, I just spent about 30 minutes on the phone with Dan. I think everythign is ok. It appears that much of my problems stemmed from not understandign this new-to-me vendor and the previous owner not leaving me at Operator Manual.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Back4More,

Thanks for your business with the Half-Pint. Sure sorry you didn't have to make any service calls on the vendor this past year! That's not luck, that's quality. Since you got more than you paid for, is my check in the mail?????

Uncle Sam

 

[Red Baron]

Back4More,

Thanks for your business with the Half-Pint. Sure sorry you didn't have to make any service calls on the vendor this past year! That's not luck, that's quality. Since you got more than you paid for, is my check in the mail?????

Uncle Sam

Well I gotta admit I'm surprised to see your post. I was not using you to jack up IVS, if that's what you think. In fairness to them, I'm partially at fault because I thought I had a VR1000 and that's how we were troubleshooting it - it turns out I have the VR2000, a later model.

This latest venture is costing me just north of half a million dollars and I have no business replacing equipment after I discover I can make it work. I'm sorry that I didn't end up buying a vendor from you, but I think you will agree that I didn't even hint that I'd decided to at any time. ????

 

[Uncle Sam]

Red Baron,

I'm a little confused. My post was adressed to "Back4More", who is an old customer of mine from a year ago or more, and I was just doing a "tongue in cheek" rag on him. My post was not directed at you or your communication with us. I have no problem with your resolving your vendor issues with Gin San to get the vendor to work. If you ever decide to replace the Vend-It, we'll be happy to help you.

Uncle Sam