Hi all, thinking about getting back in the game :)

[newmark]

Hi everyone,

I've just found this site, and am so glad I did! I used to have a few machines in site approx 20 years ago and back then there were no resources and it felt you were very much on your own, it seems much better now though :)

Years ago I bought a single Beaver RB16 from IPH, sited it in my local put, and one week later it was empty - so much so the coins litterally fell on the floor when I opened it up that it took so much! Needless to say, the novelty wore off but it was a good site and I ended up with 3 machines there. Over the next year I got a few more sited locally too.

Then I discovered condom vending, and had a few condom machines sited in most of the same pubs I had the beavers in.

Both did ok, nothing great - a few good sites, but a few bad ones - I think back then _ just wanted to get as many sited as I could so would site them anywhere that would have one!

Anyway, in the end I moved away from the area, sold the round, and have recently been thinking about getting back into it again. I enjoyed finding the sites and meeting people, and now I have a family and lots of bills Im wondering if I could get back into it, slowly at first, to try and sumplement my income a bit. I have some cash to get started, and really looking for any advice!

Are Beavers still the way to go, or those tower tub vending machines, or cranes, or boxing machines, or quiz machines etc etc!

All help gratefull recieved, and anyone feel free to get in touch. I'm in the Midlands/South Staffs area.

Cheers, Mark.

[Snackmore]

Mark

Welcome back to the 'wonderful' world of vending.

I would suggest in your time these were the hay days of high margins and little competition, no so now, margins are squeezed and the market is saturated with machines, certainly in decent sites. However if you are confident in walking in and site finding yourself I would say go for it. Beavers are still as popular although 20p vend (in my opinion) is a thing of the past, set them at 50p and give maximum sweets. Sweet towers are good although margins are much tighter, Pringles good when on offer. Toy machines in the right sites are a goldmine and toilet vending is still hit and miss, you have to diversify I have products from Naughty Vend which in the right site sell well and there are good margins.

Cranes are fab if you can get them sited, boxers are somewhat of a novelty and peak after a couple of months. SWP machines again good if you can get the sites.

Basically little has changed other than lots of competition and better products from when you were in the game, site finding has got so much harder but there is still a living to be made with long hours hard word sweat and worry!

Welcome back!

[Siting Services]

Hello Mark

Welcome to the Coin Op Group.

I remember IPH, we used to deal with Phil, that takes me back.

As Steve has said above, the vending market has changed and locations much tougher to find and margins squeezed. However, there is still a lot of business to be had.

If you were to start off again I would suggest a smaller vendor to begin with and one where there are more chances to get it sited as in offering sweets. Get to know the market again and see what opportunities there are in your area.

Good luck,

Barbara

[Style]

Hi Mark,

Ive heard condoms sales have gone LIMP.

As Steve says. Sweets in towers are the easiest and can get a decent return.
Pringles are a great seller. (Ive always got them at a decent price but you have to come and get them.)

Toys are the easiest to run and a great money maker but sites are harder to find.

Only buy 2nd hand machines to start.

Good luck

Andy

[newmark]

Hi all, many thanks for the warm welcome and replies!

Yes, I think I was involved in vending during a good time - most of the machines I had did well, but being young and with other things to think about, I just spent the extra money rather than growing the round, but I guess you live and learn!

While we're talking about "back in the day", does anyone remember Glo Leisure or Nationwide? They would site video games and quiz machines for you (paying loads over the odds) with promises of hundreds of pounds a week! I've been interested in this type of machine for years so knew a bit about them (but never actually sited any) but remember fondly reading the brochures for those companies wondering if the huge earnings were true! Maybe they were!

Really enjoying reading the forum - if anyone in the Midlands is on here, are there any meet ups etc?

Cheers, Mark.

[Coin Operated Group]

Which quiz machines mark? are we talking give us a break quiz machine era ??

[newmark]

Hi, yeah give us a break - and I think Trivial Pursuit and Cluedo etc were brant new around the time. I actually bought a GUAB quiz machine to site (bought via Coin Slot), but ended up keeping it in my shed for me and my friends to play, so it never made any money.

Its funny to look back at how things have changed - people can now play much better games on their phones (and win real money too on the casino sites) so no wonder takings have dropped off

Cheers, Mark.

[Coin Operated Group]

Yeh, we've got a hacked indie blue in our office. Great fun when you've had a few drinks

[Style]

I bought an EA sports Football arcade machine today. Full working order, £40 from a social club that had it in storage. Guess what my kids are getting for Christmas?

[Coin Operated Group]

Hover board ???

Lol, arcade machines still better than any console game in my opinion