Ok, well I haven't made a post in a long time, but you can bet I have been expanding my business.
I'm going to tell you the truth though. I have put the actual vending machine business on the side burner for a little bit.
Now, MY NEW VENTURE. Talk about exciting. Check it out now http://www.kickstartlocations.com
Of course, I started my own locating firm because I saw what a mess the industry was in. So Now I have my website that I have fervently been working on. I think I have a great business model and I got my largest order yesterday! 17 Locations!
Also, check out my new blog, it talks about the locating business. http://bulkspots.blogspot.com
If anyone wants to talk to me directly just shoot me an email.
RobertNPatterson@gmail.com
Yours Truly,
Candyman ;)
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
CANDYMAN BLOG HAS OFFICIAL MOVED TO HTTP://WWW.KICKSTARTVENDING.COM/FORUM
The candyman blog has moved to http://www.kickstartvending.com/forum
My candyman blog is setup in that forum. There are also several other bulk vending bloggers as well!
Please come over and join in on the fun.
HTTP://WWW.KICKSTARTVENDING.COM/FORUM
My candyman blog is setup in that forum. There are also several other bulk vending bloggers as well!
Please come over and join in on the fun.
HTTP://WWW.KICKSTARTVENDING.COM/FORUM
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
driving, driving, and oh my god, driving
Well, to start the day I decided to get some more machines. If you have ever been to Naples you would know that there is really NOTHING south of us. What I'm saying is, 99% of the time you go North on the highway instead of South. Of course today I forgot that I was heading to Miami (south) and started going north. An HOUR into my trip I realized my mistake...
Another hour back tracking, and then 2 more hours to Gumball Machine Warehouse and I still wasn't done! I couldn't believe it. I could have basically been there and back in that amount of time.
Anyway, during all this I'm getting emails from Alan and Frank on my blackberry. Alan was missing 3 double plates for his machines from GMW that I sold him but I took care of that and they were shipped out to him today! Rush order baby. Chris, from Great Lake Locators had managed to piss Frank off I guess. So not only is Chris emailing me but so is Frank, not that I mind, it was just funny. So I call Chris and he talks for about half an hour about the situation between him and Frank. And then after all that 2 hours later he calls me and says everything is fine with Frank, what a day.
In the beginning of the day Chris was so aggravated with all the comments about him on the forum that he said take the deal off. Then after talking to Frank he calls me back and says let's put the deal back up on the site, what did you say Frank? So I talked to him for a few minutes and worked out a new deal. I think it's better personally.
I also talked to another locator about locating machines for my new website. I am going to offer two solutions for locations. #1 is telemarketing. #2 is in person locating. Obviously the in person locating is going to be more expensive but I think I have worked out a real fair deal with the guy who is going to do the in person locating.
Here is how it will work. 15 machines or fewer = telemarketing. 15 or more machines = in person locating. What do you guys think? Are you willing to pay a premium for in person locating? Personally I am willing to pay that premium.
So I bought 15 machines today from GMW (Gumball Machine Warehouse.) I also bought some Mike & Ikes and Chicles and a few more gumballs.
I have one machine at my home and 15 in the car and 6 locations that need machines. So after those 6 are placed I'll still have 10 left which I think I'm going to contract to my new on site locator.
Rob
Another hour back tracking, and then 2 more hours to Gumball Machine Warehouse and I still wasn't done! I couldn't believe it. I could have basically been there and back in that amount of time.
Anyway, during all this I'm getting emails from Alan and Frank on my blackberry. Alan was missing 3 double plates for his machines from GMW that I sold him but I took care of that and they were shipped out to him today! Rush order baby. Chris, from Great Lake Locators had managed to piss Frank off I guess. So not only is Chris emailing me but so is Frank, not that I mind, it was just funny. So I call Chris and he talks for about half an hour about the situation between him and Frank. And then after all that 2 hours later he calls me and says everything is fine with Frank, what a day.
In the beginning of the day Chris was so aggravated with all the comments about him on the forum that he said take the deal off. Then after talking to Frank he calls me back and says let's put the deal back up on the site, what did you say Frank? So I talked to him for a few minutes and worked out a new deal. I think it's better personally.
I also talked to another locator about locating machines for my new website. I am going to offer two solutions for locations. #1 is telemarketing. #2 is in person locating. Obviously the in person locating is going to be more expensive but I think I have worked out a real fair deal with the guy who is going to do the in person locating.
Here is how it will work. 15 machines or fewer = telemarketing. 15 or more machines = in person locating. What do you guys think? Are you willing to pay a premium for in person locating? Personally I am willing to pay that premium.
So I bought 15 machines today from GMW (Gumball Machine Warehouse.) I also bought some Mike & Ikes and Chicles and a few more gumballs.
I have one machine at my home and 15 in the car and 6 locations that need machines. So after those 6 are placed I'll still have 10 left which I think I'm going to contract to my new on site locator.
Rob
Monday, August 20, 2007
The new locator - read
Well shit, this guy that I found on craigslist started locating for me today. I met him at 8:00AM and at 10:30AM he called me with 10 locations. I was like shit, 10 locations, 2 hours, $300. Damn, so anyway, I only had 7 machines but we dropped them off and now I don't know what to do.
I have 3 more locations to drop off that he found and 3 locations that my tele-locator found and no more machines. I can't believe how fast this guy places machines. He said he does on average 30 - 40 a day.
I will be keeping this guy a secret, haha. I'm exhausted from the days events. I had to meet him early in the morning, come home, build 5 machines, then load all the machines up for delivery, and go deliver.
He really likes the snack boxes but I don't know much about them. Seems like a descent deal.
I checked another machine that had been on location for 37 days. It had $46.60 in it. The first time I checked it after 35 days and it had $30 in it. Guess that one is picking up. Wish me luck.
Rob
HEY GO TO THE CONTEST PAGE AND DO THE CONTEST. I REALLY DON'T WANT KYLE TO BE THE ONLY PLAYER! HE IS THE LAST PERSON THAT NEEDS ANOTHER MACHINE, haha.
I have 3 more locations to drop off that he found and 3 locations that my tele-locator found and no more machines. I can't believe how fast this guy places machines. He said he does on average 30 - 40 a day.
I will be keeping this guy a secret, haha. I'm exhausted from the days events. I had to meet him early in the morning, come home, build 5 machines, then load all the machines up for delivery, and go deliver.
He really likes the snack boxes but I don't know much about them. Seems like a descent deal.
I checked another machine that had been on location for 37 days. It had $46.60 in it. The first time I checked it after 35 days and it had $30 in it. Guess that one is picking up. Wish me luck.
Rob
HEY GO TO THE CONTEST PAGE AND DO THE CONTEST. I REALLY DON'T WANT KYLE TO BE THE ONLY PLAYER! HE IS THE LAST PERSON THAT NEEDS ANOTHER MACHINE, haha.
met locator at 8AM and snack boxes
Well I put an ad in craigslist and got a call from a locator the other day. We met this morning and he is going to locate machines for me today. We are meeting back up at 3PM and he said he should have between 3 and 10 locations. I assume he will have 10 because he seems like he is good at getting them.
Anyway, we will see. He swears by snack boxes. They are little boxes that have snacks in them with an honor box to put money in. I think he said the entire setup is $15 for the box and snacks and he locates them cheaper than other machines. What do you all think?
At the moment I am building machines for today. I built 2 this morning, and have 3 left. Blah, I hate building.
Anyway, we will see. He swears by snack boxes. They are little boxes that have snacks in them with an honor box to put money in. I think he said the entire setup is $15 for the box and snacks and he locates them cheaper than other machines. What do you all think?
At the moment I am building machines for today. I built 2 this morning, and have 3 left. Blah, I hate building.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Moving the candyman blog!
Well the candyman blog is moving to http://www.kickstartvending.com/forum/
I have created my own section over there and all my future posts are going to be on the new forum. I am however going to copy and paste my posts to this blog since there are a lot of readers! I salute all of my loyal readers!
PRIZE CONTEST ON THE FORUM!
There is a contest for a brand new double head machine from Gumball Machine Warehouse on the Kick-Start forum now! It's not too late to try and win! Everyone is eligible. The contest rules are up and everyone has an equal chance at winning! Good luck!
Cranes, Cranes, Cranes -
Somehow in the midst of doing bulk vending I have gotten sucked into plush skill cranes. These are the cranes that pickup stuffed animals out of the machine.
Well today I talked to this guy about cranes for about 30 minutes. He had one listed on eBay but it was a little bit too big for me so I inquired about other cranes he had to offer. Turns out he has a nice crane for me at $550 but I might go ahead and get two cranes from him since the shipping is the same for one crane or two cranes. Shipping is $350 to get them here to South Florida so you can see how it would be advantageous to get two cranes instead of one.
Anyway, I'm excited to start my crane route! I will keep everyone posted on how it goes! I'm sure there will be much more to come!
Rob
I have created my own section over there and all my future posts are going to be on the new forum. I am however going to copy and paste my posts to this blog since there are a lot of readers! I salute all of my loyal readers!
PRIZE CONTEST ON THE FORUM!
There is a contest for a brand new double head machine from Gumball Machine Warehouse on the Kick-Start forum now! It's not too late to try and win! Everyone is eligible. The contest rules are up and everyone has an equal chance at winning! Good luck!
Cranes, Cranes, Cranes -
Somehow in the midst of doing bulk vending I have gotten sucked into plush skill cranes. These are the cranes that pickup stuffed animals out of the machine.
Well today I talked to this guy about cranes for about 30 minutes. He had one listed on eBay but it was a little bit too big for me so I inquired about other cranes he had to offer. Turns out he has a nice crane for me at $550 but I might go ahead and get two cranes from him since the shipping is the same for one crane or two cranes. Shipping is $350 to get them here to South Florida so you can see how it would be advantageous to get two cranes instead of one.
Anyway, I'm excited to start my crane route! I will keep everyone posted on how it goes! I'm sure there will be much more to come!
Rob
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
46/55 Pizza and a Bank
Well my locator found me a pizza joint. They had a gumball machine in there already but it looked nasty so I'm sure I will get all the business. I put gumballs and Mike & Ikes in that machine.
I also had a bunch of quarters to bring to the bank so I went. After I deposited my $96 worth of quarters I asked to talk to the bank manager. She said someone had a machine there before but it didn't do well so they took it out. I said I would like to try anyway and she said Ok. I guess the ladies there are on a diet but oh well. I put in M&M Peanuts and Runts. I opened them up so they will give bountiful handfuls of candy.
Does anyone have an idea of what to put in when people are on a diet? Anyway, I placed two machines today, not bad. Also Alan Sampson is getting ready to purchase 15 machines and start his own route. He already has around 10 locations primed that just need a machine. He is going to start blogging on the Kick-Start Vending forum hopefully this week!
Good luck.
Rob
I also had a bunch of quarters to bring to the bank so I went. After I deposited my $96 worth of quarters I asked to talk to the bank manager. She said someone had a machine there before but it didn't do well so they took it out. I said I would like to try anyway and she said Ok. I guess the ladies there are on a diet but oh well. I put in M&M Peanuts and Runts. I opened them up so they will give bountiful handfuls of candy.
Does anyone have an idea of what to put in when people are on a diet? Anyway, I placed two machines today, not bad. Also Alan Sampson is getting ready to purchase 15 machines and start his own route. He already has around 10 locations primed that just need a machine. He is going to start blogging on the Kick-Start Vending forum hopefully this week!
Good luck.
Rob
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