Start Up Costs

[nivending]

If I'm refurbing a tower putting the segments in the dish washer makes them like new. Amazing how dirty they get.

Regarding stickers what's the verdict on were to put them low down for kids or high up for adults to see.

[Style]

Labels!!!!! NOOOOOooooo!!!!!

[Siting Services]

As the pots are transparent, I don't think labels are necessary, and as has previously been mentioned, if they are paper they do get grubby very quickly and start to peel off.

We have run several thousand vendors and have never used product labels on the outside of the vendors and we have never been asked what's in the pots.

Just imagine you had one of the towers on your business premises and it looked dirty and unkempt, it's an excuse to ask for the removal of the tower. Keep it clean and away from clutter and let the products sell themselves.

Regards,

Barbara

[Central2vend]

I think labels do a good job as long as you are willing to maintain them properly. I recently bought some machines of a guy and some of the labels were 9 thick, I would imagine this didn't do much for sales as the segment felt like a mountain range.
I recently tested the label debate by putting an un labelled machine next to a labelled machine in a football club.
The labelled machine outsold the UN labelled machine by around 20 percent.
Don't ask me why but in future I will label all machines.

[Siting Services]

Good point Central2Vend and I do agree in what you say, provided you maintain them, which is what you are doing. Making the operators aware to ensure they do maintain the labels is key and as you have found out, not all maintain high standards.

The only reason that we never labelled up our towers is because we employed staff to service our vendors and they would not take the care and time needed to ensure the vendors were kept clean and tidy, so for us it was never an option and we kept the servicing role as simple as we could.

Regards,

Barbara

[Central2vend]

Barbara,
I wish the labels didn't work as I hate the things.
It never ceases to amaze me the condition of some of the machines I have bought
That have just come off site.
Good to have you on here Barbara, you make some interestin points
Joe lopez

[Siting Services]

Hi Joe

Thanks for your kind words.

Even though I no longer operate the vendors, it's still in my 'blood' and I am still very passionate about vending and very willing to share my years of experience with those who want to listen. We are heading for interesting times in the vending world and changing markets - keep your shop front clean and tidy and change the merchandising often, that draws people to look, get tempted then SPEND!

I'm with you on the amazement of the condition of vendors - the good thing is, they clean up pretty damm good and all it takes is effort.

Regards,

Barbara

[Central2vend]

Barbara, I would be interested to know you're thoughts
On healthy options for tower vending. Do you think it has a
Place in towers and if so suppliers need to respond to
This market

[Siting Services]

Hi Joe

With all the hype and Government interception you would have thought 'healthy eating options' would go down a storm, but so far, it's bombed! We introduced healthy options and worked with a leading manufacturer called Trigon Snacks a few years back. One of Trigon's brands are the Big D nuts. We devised a healthy eating range consisting of fruit and nuts and put in mixes of cranberries and yoghurt coated raisins and nuts. Market research showed there was a need and desire. Sample testing proved the customers loved the products. Got a brand name sorted and imagery (The Berry Nutty Range) and off we went. The stuff went out of date with minimal sales! We even had meetings with vending companies to find out how they have found healthy eating options and when they placed them into their large vendors, their results were the same.

People want high sugar fixes or treats to satiate their desires. If I fancied something to nibble on or had a hunger pang whilst out and about I would go looking for chocolate or crisps, the thought of an apple just doesn't do it for me.

There are opportunities for a different type of snack offering which will enable us to get back into schools, children's areas and 'healthy eating zones' that the government have put into place in many of the locations where vending machines once lived and I am sure the vendors will be used, but it has to be a complete healthy range with very long shelf life and excellent net profits.

I have been reading up about Micro Vending which offer complete healthy ranges to offices and larger footfall areas. If you read the hype, you are led to believing that it's the next big thing in vending. If you look at what Micro Vending is, it's flawed and the business model cannot work as it is based on you scanning the items and we all know how the trust boxes work don't we!

If there are a collection of products which fit the bill of long BBE dates and cheap to pack then I do believe there is a place for the healthy options for towers, then we could target so many more places, start off with healthy options then slowly, slowly introduce the odd 'naughty' line and watch the pots fly out 10 x as fast! Hopefully so fast that the site does not notice that it was 'naughty'.

It's an ongoing search and I am sure both Hurleys and tubz vending are always looking at options, but if the sums don't stack up at the end of the day, it can't be packed no matter how nice the products may be. When the vend increases from £1 to £2, that is when vending will get back to the hazy days of making good margins, I for one am very excited that it's coming, not short term but long term, then there will be more opportunities for the healthier options to be sourced, packed and pushed into the market.

Regards,

Barbara

[PabloV8]

Hi Barbara,

The £1 vend is good, the £2 vend not so sure - more people are likely to have a £1 coin than a £2, in fact cannot remember the last time i had a £2 coin in my pocket.

Besides, how can we sell say Rolo or Toblerone 3s for £2, even if you squeezed 4 items in still not worth £2.

The whole market would have to shake up before a £2 vend becomes the norm.

Would this involve a new type of machine making the current tower redundant?

Cheers

Pablo