Newbie Vending advice please :)

[vendingUK]

Hi all!

Where to start...

I have been looking at everything about vending for about 6-8 months now and the main question I have where to start?

At first I was looking into 'Honour boxes' and they seem to be a massive it in the US but over here it seems the only companies we have are charities and we have zero suppliers for them.

I then researched mainstream vending with bulk machines which seem to be the best and safest option but a hefty start up fee.

I then researched the tower vending i.e Tubs, Hurleys and the Pringle towers etc..

I currently have a job but that could be ending around June time, so I need a new full time income. I have weekends off and one weekday each week off so what would you say works best with that time frame?

I know nothing is a quick fix as I am of course willing to commit and put the time in, but I have bills to pay like everyone so I will need to work around a full time job.

So I guess im just looking for peoples experience as to what works best?

Honour boxes: - Are they sustainable in the UK?
- Are non charity ones still around?
- Suppliers?
- Where to buy stock?
- Advice\ opinions?

Bulk Vending: - Where to start?
- Where to site?
- Where to buy reliable machines?
- Where to buy stock?
- Opinions\ advice?

Tower Vending: - Buy into a franchise or go independent?
- Is it generally worth it?
- Best strategy?
- Opinions\ advice?

I know im asking a lot here but I would just like to hear it from people based in the UK as majority of my research seems to be in the US. Please help people :)

Thanks!

Joe :)

[PGBrew]

Hi Joe,

Others will no doubt expand on a few points i have listed here:

Honor boxes, forget, TOO TIME CONSUMING to service and too relient on 'honor'. you'd need 600 to make a full time living.

You can make a good living with bulk (defined as any machine where you pour in stock) and tower vendors but you do need GOOD SITES such as pubs, clubs, play centres, shopping malls and anywhere else where there is high footfall (KIDS).

It is very unlikely that any franchise or telesales sitefinder will achieve this for you, so just get out there and find sites for YOURSELF.

I've grown to be a full full time vendor by buying up other businesses. Businesses that are worth buying are few and far between. I turn down most businesses offered to me because the sites are of such poor quality.

DIVERSIFICATION into different product areas to maximise the potential of each site.

TIME, on average it takes about 7 years to develope a full time vending business. The important factor here is to take time, learn from your mistakes, it's too late if you've invested your avaiable capital and bought 100 of the wrong type of machine!

CAPITAL, either cash up front/loan or if you are working re-invest profits to grow your business.

Any projected earnings are worthless. There is no substitute for experience, start a small trial and build on your sucesses nothing else will do.

I speak from experience of running a successful vending business since 2006 which will pay a good pension when I throw in the towel in a few years time!

Pete

Pete

[vendingUK]

Hi Pete!

Thank you so much for your response!

I have sent you a private message, if I could pick your brain please :)

Joe

[Style]

Petes has got it bang on.

Don't touch a franchise. Buy 2nd hand machines and stock form your chosen supplier. The best sites will be the ones you get yourself.

Try and get a variety of machines in sites. Ie sweets, toys, pringles, rides. My busiest site has my has 12 machines in it. All my good sites have 2 or 3 machines. It makes each visit far more profitable.

It wont be an overnight full time job. Dont even start unless you are prepared to work a full time job and spend all your days off vending for at least 2/3 years. Most people who start in our business start with great intentions and then get fed up after 6/12 months of working stupid hours then sell the round they have built to one of us.

Vending can be a great and profitable business but its not a golden ticket to become an overnight millionaire. It took me 4 years before I could leave my day job, ive now been full time vending for 6 years and its fantastic.

Andy

[vendingUK]

Hi Andy,

Thank you so much for your response! From the research I have done I can definitely see that its not an overnight job, I definitely want to be in it for the long run. I've just been trying to figure out the best way to start as my funds are fairly limited compared to what I need so im trying to find the best way to get my foot in the door and work from there, it seems towers is the best way to start!

Joe

[Siting Services]

Morning Joe

There is some good advice here. If your funds are limited just buy one tower at a time and see how it is for you. Ebay is a good place to look out for 2nd hand equipment or have a shout out here to see if anyone has an odd tower they want to sell you. Spend some time getting to know the tower, ie take it apart and understand how it works then when you are confident buy some stock or do as some do by buying the empty pots and self pack. Once you machine is all done and labelled then get out on the streets and try and get a site yourself. Just go for it.

Good luck.

Barbara

[vendingUK]

Hi Barbara,

Thank you for the advice, thats very re-assuring! I keep saying to myself that im ready to jump in but then keep backing away every time I find my information, but is there ever a right time?! The way im looking at it, is that regardless what happens in a worse case scenario I will make my money back no matter what! I think I am going to scout around for some towers, dive in and take it as it comes!

Joe :)

[Quinch]

It really depends on your financial situation now and when your job ends in June. By all means give it a go but in all honesty the chances of turning it into a full time business by June is pretty remote based on you trying to fit it in around your job now. If you are ok to be earning part time money for possibly a considerable amount of time after June then that's ok.

Another factor is how old you are and what qualifications you have, if you're fairly young with good job/career prospects then I wouldn't do it as I'm fairly confident in a few years time you could be earning a lot more working for a decent company.

As some of the above posts have said it takes a least several years to become full time for most people in vending and I suspect a lot of people in vending even after several years still do it alongside another job because the money is never quite good enough. The only quick route to making it full time would be buying someone else's round which is great if the opportunity arises or investing a lot of money at the start and buying a lot of machines but that is a BIG gamble.

[vendingUK]

Hi Quinch,

Thank you for your response, I really appreciate it. I am still going to look at getting a new full time job but try to slowly build up into vending. I am just struggling trying to find which type of vending would work best!

Thanks!

Joe

[marineklai]

Newbie vending advice:

Start small and focus on one or two types of machines, such as snacks and drinks, or coffee and tea.
Choose high-traffic locations, such as office buildings, schools, and hospitals.
Stock your machines with popular items that people are likely to buy.
Price your items competitively.
Keep your machines clean and well-maintained.
Check your machines regularly to restock and collect money.