Charity Honesty Sweet Boxes Should be BANNED!

[Siting Services]

I know a lot of you already think this, but the Charity Honesty Boxes business model does not work, never has worked and should not be allowed to continue as it has now ruined many chances of us getting into sites our secure sweet towers. We trialled honesty boxes nearly 25 years ago to run alongside the bulk vendors that we used to do. We put out 100 boxes in Thetford, Norfolk and within 2 months the majority of them were out due to shortfalls. We did have just one box which was spot on all the time and this was where the owner's wife of the business acted as Tuck Box Monitor!

For anyone considering these honesty boxes, this is how it goes. First visit, ok, second visit some a little short, site pays up willingly, third visit more shortages, site getting reluctant to pay up, fourth visit nearly all stolen we are either asked to remove the box or we take it away. How is that a business model!! It DOES NOT WORK, people are not HONEST!

From a siting point of view, practically each and every phone call I make the site automatically thinks that I want to leave a box which they are all very negative about and refuse me outright. The moment I explain that it's not a box and then sell them the virtues of our Towers the sites do open up and are more welcoming.

Is it me or does anyone else think these honesty - or should I say - DISHONESTY boxes are a total waste of time and has had a very negative effect on our businesses.

In the last two years, especially the last year, many of the corporates that we used to be welcomed in have now closed the door and have put policies in place to stop anything coming into the sites based on the hassle they have experienced with the honesty boxes and it is such a shame as this is eating away at our bread and butter sites which are the backbone of the charity tower business.

To have any kind of impact, we need to start complaining to the charities that have these boxes on site and let them know how sites now perceive them - absolute nuisance - and I have had so many sites say that the operator was very aggressive when the box was short and demanded that the site foots the bill for the shortages. I strongly believe if the charities knew what impact they were having in the community by the trouble caused by these boxes they would not continue to allow them. I for one have never complained, but maybe now is the right time. Unless they are aware, they will continue.

Any comments anyone would like to share.

Kind regards,

Barbara

[Coin Operated Group]

They appear in a few of my sites from time to time, but as you say Barbara they don't stay long.

I don't mind them as its a bit of free stock.

[Siting Services]

Matt I am reporting you! Thief!!

They are also great when you have no change for the vending machine so just help yourself and walk off.

Barbara

[Style]

They are a bloody nightmare.
I took a tower out yesterday where the sales have been rubbish for a good year now because of 2/3 honesty boxes. The guy working there said to me that people prefer the ones in the boxes because you get more for your money.

My response. "People prefer them because they are FREE"

He said, "NO they are £1"

REALLY!!!!

The worst thing is you know whoever is operating them is not making any real money, at best it will only ever be a part time income yet it robs us of some good sites.

My kids love em!

Andy

[Siting Services]

The reason why these honesty boxes saturate every single site out there is that there are so many newbies who come into the market WEEKLY who are naive and believe that money can be made and that no one takes without paying. Due to the low entry level it does appeal very much to many people, especially the more mature individual who has never run a business before and they soon find out that within a couple of visits that they are losing.

Let's see who has come across the most boxes/vendors on one site. Here's mine for starters:

Small trade counter had the following:

1 x bulk vendor
1 x tower
4 x boxes on the counter
1 x collection tin

Beat that! tee hehe

Barbara

[Snackmore]

I don't think the charities care, they are getting their 'fee' upfront from the supplier.

I removed a tower from a pokey Tattoo studio today having done 12 pots in 3/4 months! They had 3 sweet boxes and 2 collection tins!

[PabloV8]

Hi Barbara,

As mentioned by another op, charities get money up front so they do not really bat an eyelid. The whole industry needs a bit of a shake up! Problem is, if we do that we are flagging up our nice little industry which itself just might suffer. Yes, it is annoying seeing all those boxes and sometimes I wonder if the vendor just might say enough is enough and turf everyone out.

I have often been to a new site with a tower only to be informed that they expected a small box, I now give some of the plus points you make in your previous post and 50/50 it works sometimes.

Regards sites that have boxes, once I have emptied the cash I then put several coins through the machine to make sure it works as intended and then give the tubs to the staff - they appreciate this and some often say "the box people give nothing but grief ", so it is all part of offering the better service. Of course this affects profits but Hey Ho, needs must sometimes.

Cheers.

[FlintVending]

The only people who make money from these boxes are the companies that franchise them and the Charities they support ( which is fine for the Charities, nothing against them)
people who purcahse these franchisees might as well tattoo the words "MUG" on there forehead.

[Shropvend]

There was a guy called newleaf on forum who did charity boxes but not heard from him in ages.
I agree with you barbara they are a nuisance, but I have found many different companies fall away over last 12 months doing this. The only one I see often is Macmillan charity box. Maybe someone should report these to watchdog and explain to the buying customer how much REAL monies go to actual charity from each purchase.
The boxes are good to buy stock with from all my excess trolley coins.

Re Lee

[Style]

Heres a bargain for someone, LOL

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SWEET-CHARITY-BOX-VENDING-BUSINESS-FOR-SALE-15-SITES-HPOOL-BORO-TS-POSTCODES-/191648104753?hash=item2c9f1e0131