What vending products do you offer?

[Greg Pack]

Anyone here not vending at a carwash? Considering the ordering, stocking, loss, and markup I'm not sure I'll replace my vendor when it dies.

 

[Main Street Carwash]

It is such a negligible piece of revenue that it is maybe more trouble than it is worth. I do it mostly for customer convenience.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

It is such a negligible piece of revenue that it is maybe more trouble than it is worth. I do it mostly for customer convenience.

I concur...

 

[Greg Pack]

It is such a negligible piece of revenue that it is maybe more trouble than it is worth. I do it mostly for customer convenience.

Yeah, vending sales are just a little over 1% of my gross.

 

[soonermajic]

good idea here by Jerry

 

[soonermajic]

how bout that smellycharms website. Anybody use their products yet?

 

[MEP001]

Those are mainly for full service/detailers. The individual product isn't packaged at all..

 

[Waxman]

I know vending is a small piece of the total car wash revenue. However, it is profitable. I believe if you price items properly, market it properly, rotate stock, offer a good selection, and eliminate doggy selling items it is worthwhile.

I think of my vending as a little store and I have fun with it.

I have a AMS 51 selection vendor, a 5 column mechanical vendor for trees and a 3 selection electronic vendor.

I'd like to buy a soda machine.

Whale of a wash is a genius at this, btw. I learned alot of what I know from him.

 

[OurTown]

I know vending is a small piece of the total car wash revenue. However, it is profitable. I believe if you price items properly, market it properly, rotate stock, offer a good selection, and eliminate doggy selling items it is worthwhile.

I think of my vending as a little store and I have fun with it.

I have a AMS 51 selection vendor, a 5 column mechanical vendor for trees and a 3 selection electronic vendor.

I'd like to buy a soda machine.

Whale of a wash is a genius at this, btw. I learned alot of what I know from him.

Do you sell 59 different items? That would take up a lot of space for stock. The only other real issue with vending is that it can take a lot of time to keep track of it.

 

[MEP001]

Do you sell 59 different items? That would take up a lot of space for stock. The only other real issue with vending is that it can take a lot of time to keep track of it.

It does take time and space, but how much profit does it take for it to be worthwhile? I know guys who make $200 a week on vending from a good spiral vendor. They have refrigerated units and sell 16 oz. sodas from the bottom shelf.

 

[2Biz]

I have 4 drop shelfs and 2 pop machines (Bottles and Cans) that do extremely well. Sometimes they out perform the bays! My vending nets appr 60-70%....So when you are in business to make money, you have to keep all options open and do what works.


Speaking of drop shelfs...I have Wild Cherry, Black Ice, New Car Scent, Leather, and Blackberry Clove in my 5 column Little Trees Vender. The Blackberry Clove is out performing Black Ice, believe it or not! But the Leather isn't doing as good as I anticipated. I'm thinking of replacing it....What other scents are high sellers in your area?

 

[soonermajic]

If your vending is 70%, then something is bad wrong.

 

[Waxman]

The Copper Canyon is a good one; very popular with customers.

 

[2Biz]

If your vending is 70%, then something is bad wrong.

I guess I don't know what you mean? Maybe I wasn't clear. If I spend $100 for vending supplies, pop, etc....I Gross about $300 - Clear $200....Here in Southern Ohio, We have had one of the hottest, Most Humid, and Wettest Summers I can ever remember. All three combined has really put a damper on car washing this summer. Thankfully the pop machines ALWAYS pull their weight!

 

[2Biz]

The Copper Canyon is a good one; very popular with customers.

Thanks! Next time I place an order with KR, I will give it a try....The Name sounds Catchy....

 

[MEP001]

I guess I don't know what you mean? Maybe I wasn't clear. If I spend $100 for vending supplies, pop, etc....I Gross about $300 - Clear $200....Here in Southern Ohio, We have had one of the hottest, Most Humid, and Wettest Summers I can ever remember. All three combined has really put a damper on car washing this summer. Thankfully the pop machines ALWAYS pull their weight!

He thought your vending was 70% of your income.

 

[Bandit]

Smelly Charms do not sell in my glass front vendor - package is design for an in-store format. I am discounting to get rid of them. Little Trees has better design and strong scent, customers know it and buy it as preferred product. $1.25 all vending products here.

 

[Main Street Carwash]

I am about to order the 4000 fresheners for $600 from smelly charms for give aways. Are you saying the scent is weak or what? Please enlighten me.

 

[Bandit]

I am about to order the 4000 fresheners for $600 from smelly charms for give aways. Are you saying the scent is weak or what? Please enlighten me.

To clarify, we vend 12 assorted Smelly Charms fresheners from our large glass front vendor. We vend 4 Little Trees freshner's from the same vendor, Black Ice, Vanilla, Coconut, Jasmine. We sell 5 to 1 more of the Little Trees to the Smelly Charms.

Here is what I think:

1) Smelly Charms are conducive to an open in store display, where people can view description of the scents - not just stare thru a vendor and try to decipher what scent all the cute images represent.
2) I have had 2 customers mention Little Trees have stronger scent.
3) FYI: We vend Little Trees at $1.25 each and discounted the Smelly Charms to get rid of them at 50c - still they move slow.

To recap - Little Trees seems to be a strong, scent based product, Smelly Charms are a cutsey item that may confuse customers looking at them thru a vending machine. As an indoor retail display product - maybe they would sell better.

Hope that helps.