Underhand Tactics

[Jon123]

Jimmy this is my opinion but as gavin has just summed up the mind does boggle.

The only thing babs will tell you is what you want to hear. Not what you need to hear what you want to hear.

It took me ages to get my head around this 2 years infact, but being independent really is the way foward. If you double up on machines on site you will be getting double take. As a rule we don't like having sites with one machine on anymore and do where ever possible have 2 machines.

I really do hope you go independent because I think you have what it takes and trust me the feeling of freedom feels good.

Cheers
Jonny

[choice vending]

Jimmy u say you will do anything to protect your business fair play to you. The snack a can model seems fine to me although i dont use them myself. To truly protect your business i would look at other vending projects to run alongside your snack a can business. This has got to be healthy not to have all your eggs in one basket. All these negitive emotions cant earn you a penny

[Jimmy1361]

for god's sake it's a turn of phrase!! I have Vending Revolution on Speed Dial cos I speak to Vending Revolution a lot when i'm driving so it's easier duh

The mind boggles it really does babs on speed dial

[dorsetvending]

I will leave it for others to respond ....this is tiresome

[BigVend]

All that's needed to be said has been said on this thread and many others many times over, so I won't bother with a long speech listing all the wrongs from various firms/people (I have so many proven examples of lies/deception/inconsistencies it's laughable), however I will suggest that Jimmy you think carefully about a couple of points that many others including myself have learned at our own expense over time.

I received over 2,500 site leads from Snack A Can over about 2-3 years and had well over 1,000 sites in aggregate placed during that time, so I have a very very clear understanding of the average site quality and sales and it is quite simply crap (I was getting less than the 16 per month average that Snack A Can told me they were getting on their entire round). Of course, some small operators who only have a dozen sites can get lucky in the right area, but the simple answer is that the sites that Snack A Can target are very poor and almost always honeymoon for 2-3 months as a novelty and then go much quieter. I have many Excel spreadsheets and data-series to back this up. Of course Snack A Can will suggest you re-site aggressively, but then they make money on that of course and the reality is that constant re-siting is time-consuming, expensive and ultimately unproductive.

Since you have already worked that out, you now have independent machines, so since you are a clever chap for doing this I suggest you go through the following thought process for your independent machines:

1. Should I buy stock from the least or most expensive supplier in the market?
2. Should I buy stock that lasts the shortest or longest?
3. Should I buy stock that sells the most and has brand recognition?

If you go through this and try other suppliers, as any rationale businessman would do, then you might just find that like every other independent on here you choose to buy much cheaper stock (tubz vending, Hurleys or Sweetfix), in better selling containers (clear) and stock nuts that last 3-4 years (from Sandral and Salysol) not 6 months (that go off and result in complaints). Don't get me wrong though, there are some Snack A Can products that are unique or better and worth stocking, but they are very very few.

The other suppliers on here compete against each other for price, for siting services and for products and thats great for business.

You also need to accept that any comments made on any supplier are not an attack on their customers/franchisees, and not take it personally, anymore than an attack on Pringles pricing and availability is an attack on people who operate Pringles machines.

That said Snack A Can do fulfill a great service to the independent operators, by bringing new operators into the market who buy their machines and then have to exit later when they cannot make it work and sell their round/machines cheap. The best deal I ever did on buying a round was an Snack A Can round of 190 sited machines that cost me £6k and it was bought via Snack A Can.

Of course I expect this to get back to Snack A Can and of course they'll have an answer for it, they always do.

I will however say that I have the highest of respect for Pete and Barbara for their success, they are truly great salespeople and they have a business that makes huge profits. They are also very charming people and great fun to be with in a social context. I do however have a slight difference of opinion with Pete, he still loves and buys Ferraris, whereas I had my only Ferrari about 15 years ago and since then have generally stuck to other manufacturers.

Guy

[FlintVending]

All that's needed to be said has been said on this thread and many others many times over, so I won't bother with a long speech listing all the wrongs from various firms/people (I have so many proven examples of lies/deception/inconsistencies it's laughable), however I will suggest that Jimmy you think carefully about a couple of points that many others including myself have learned at our own expense over time.

I received over 2,500 site leads from Snack A Can over about 2-3 years and had well over 1,000 sites in aggregate placed during that time, so I have a very very clear understanding of the average site quality and sales and it is quite simply crap (I was getting less than the 16 per month average that Snack A Can told me they were getting on their entire round). Of course, some small operators who only have a dozen sites can get lucky in the right area, but the simple answer is that the sites that Snack A Can target are very poor and almost always honeymoon for 2-3 months as a novelty and then go much quieter. I have many Excel spreadsheets and data-series to back this up. Of course Snack A Can will suggest you re-site aggressively, but then they make money on that of course and the reality is that constant re-siting is time-consuming, expensive and ultimately unproductive.

Since you have already worked that out, you now have independent machines, so since you are a clever chap for doing this I suggest you go through the following thought process for your independent machines:

1. Should I buy stock from the least or most expensive supplier in the market?
2. Should I buy stock that lasts the shortest or longest?
3. Should I buy stock that sells the most and has brand recognition?

If you go through this and try other suppliers, as any rationale businessman would do, then you might just find that like every other independent on here you choose to buy much cheaper stock (tubz vending, Hurleys or Sweetfix), in better selling containers (clear) and stock nuts that last 3-4 years (from Sandral and Salysol) not 6 months (that go off and result in complaints). Don't get me wrong though, there are some Snack A Can products that are unique or better and worth stocking, but they are very very few.

The other suppliers on here compete against each other for price, for siting services and for products and thats great for business.

You also need to accept that any comments made on any supplier are not an attack on their customers/franchisees, and not take it personally, anymore than an attack on Pringles pricing and availability is an attack on people who operate Pringles machines.

That said Snack A Can do fulfill a great service to the independent operators, by bringing new operators into the market who buy their machines and then have to exit later when they cannot make it work and sell their round/machines cheap. The best deal I ever did on buying a round was an Snack A Can round of 190 sited machines that cost me £6k and it was bought via Snack A Can.

Of course I expect this to get back to Snack A Can and of course they'll have an answer for it, they always do.

I will however say that I have the highest of respect for Pete and Barbara for their success, they are truly great salespeople and they have a business that makes huge profits. They are also very charming people and great fun to be with in a social context. I do however have a slight difference of opinion with Pete, he still loves and buys Ferraris, whereas I had my only Ferrari about 15 years ago and since then have generally stuck to other manufacturers.

Guy

There you go Jimmy, straight from the horses mouth, as it were!
(Evening Guy! )
We DONT all hate Snack a can.
What I find personally quite low is how they take people in and make out there business model is so much more profitable for the operator than it actually is.

People like you, Jimmy!
If anyones laughing all the way to the bank its pete and babs all the way!
As Guy says Pete and Barbara are charming people and I bet they are good company socialy as well!
What you must remember Jimmy is they are very shrewd Business people who have probably made more money out of Tower vending than all the Operators on here put together.

Whether they sleep at night, id think you have to ask them that question, but id bet they have no problems nodding off, they dont seem to see the problem with what they do and its certainly not illegal!

What amazes me is that you have Babs on spped dial???
How can she possibly be more help to your Business than the IMPARTIAL operators on this forum
People like Glenn B, Noel K, Happy Dave, Pete Brew , Brian Rigby Etc.
Try making Friends on here Jimmy and get independant ASAP. will be the best thing you ever did, trust me

[Jimmy1361]

The speed dial was a sarcastic joke! Yes i do have a sense of humour, contrary to popular belief.

But with some of the comments that have been made to me, there r some people I could never have as friends.

[Rossi fan]

The speed dial was a sarcastic joke! Yes i do have a sense of humour, contrary to popular belief.

But with some of the comments that have been made to me, there r some people I could never have as friends.

Hi Jimmy,

You need to rise above your frustration and anger and ralise that despite sharp comments that have been made following your post, people on here do not hate you. To be truthful, they are trying really hard to help you make an informed decision about your business. Dont turn you back on a bunch of people, just because of this post. Try out independence on a small scale. Buy stock for independent sites elsewhere and try some other machines. Then make a decision about your involvement with Barbara.

Paul

[FlintVending]

The speed dial was a sarcastic joke! Yes i do have a sense of humour, contrary to popular belief.

But with some of the comments that have been made to me, there r some people I could never have as friends.

Hi Jimmy,

You need to rise above your frustration and anger and ralise that despite sharp comments that have been made following your post, people on here do not hate you. To be truthful, they are trying really hard to help you make an informed decision about your business. Dont turn you back on a bunch of people, just because of this post. Try out independence on a small scale. Buy stock for independent sites elsewhere and try some other machines. Then make a decision about your involvement with Barbara.

Paul

Well said Paul, the more Franchisees on here the better!
Its strange that the guys who often have the Small franchise bundles with tubz vending , Snack A Can and Hurleys often have the most to gain from this forum.
Yet, maybe because of there lack of experience they somehow feel everyone is against them and there is no place for them here???
If I have ever made anyone feel like that, I apolgise, it was not intended.

[Jimmy1361]

lack of experience they somehow feel everyone is against them and there is no place for them here???
If I have ever made anyone feel like that, I apolgise, it was not intended.

I have loads of experience in several business sectors, most of it good and some bad but lessons were learned and I won't be stung again, but vending is so cut throat, I have learned a lot more since I started in vending, I am small time (100 machines) but I knew this was never, nor did I want it ever to be full time, I have many hands in many sporrans!!!