November, 1931
A u t o m a t ic A g e
16
m a k e fe w e r calls, I m a k e i t a r u le to keep
a n d collecting, d iv id in g th e com m issions a n d
a check on every m a c h in e , k n o w a b o u t w h a t
d ic ta te a ll correspondence a n d supervise the
i t w ill be called u p o n to d eliver, a n d stock
o fte n . O nce le t a m a c h in e g et a r e p u ta tio n
book-keeping.
I t is ve ry la r g e ly a cash
business how ever, so th e book-keeping end
fo r stale s tu ff a n d i t ceases to be a n asset,
“ I have C o lu m b u s a n d A d v a n c e p e a n u t
is n o t ard u o u s.
_
“ There h a s been in th e p a s t, some agi-
vendors A d v a n ce p m vendors, C h ic k y B a r
v e ndo rs’ a n d A d v a n ce c ig a re tte vendors. I
t a t io n in th e state fo r a license on v e n d in g
m a c h in e s, $1 a y e a r on p e a n u t m a c h in e s
h a v e o perated c ig a re tte vendors a b o u t f o u r
a n d $5 a y e a r on c a n d y b a r m a c h in e s, b u t
m o n th s a n d w h ile sales are good, th e recent
ad vance o f 10c a c a rto n h a s c u t in to th e
pro fits, an d w here I h a v e to a llo w l c per
th is w o uld w o rk such a h a r d s h ip on m a n y
w ho have to depend on th e m a c h in e s as a
live lih oo d , a n d n o t on dealers, or those w ho
p a ck ag e to th e ow ner o f the site, it scarcely
p a y s ; b u t I do n o t th in k th e h ig h e r p rice
could p e rh a p s afford th e license f e e - I do
n o t th in k th e license w ill ever be re q uire d ,
on c ig are ttes can ho ld up , as c o n d itio n s are.
I t w o u ld e n ta il a serious loss to me a n d to
W h e re I can place c ig a re tte m a ch in e s with-
o u t th e l c co m m ission, o f course it does p a y .
“I
a llo w th e u s u a l 20 pe r cent on pea-
n u ts a n d 10 per cent on b a rs , a n d use a lib-
“I
have
w h ic h
th e others.
considered v e n d in g
dispense
o the r
m a c h in e s
m e rch a n d ise ,
and
w h ile I k n o w m a n y o f these do e a rn good
eral v a r ie ty o f b a rs , as v a r ie ty pay s.
pro fits, in m y ow n case I ha ve become so
“ C ig a re tte sales, r u n L u c k y S trik e s first,
C am els second, Chesterfield th ir d , O ld G old
fo u r th .
th o r o u g h ly f a m ilia r w ith h a n d lin g n u ts ,
candies a n d c ig a re ttes, I scarcely feel it
necessary to ta k e on v a rie d ty pe s o f ma-
“ I h a v e ad op te d th e policy, based on ex-
chines outside o f these lines,
perience, o f n o t p la c in g m ac h in e s in c a n d y
stores, or w here fo lk s can b u y h u lk sweet
goods. To s u p p ly service w here no s im ila r
service is rendered, secures th e m o s t busi-
ness. I find t h a t fa c to rie s are th e best lo-
c ation s, w ith w holesale houses, w arehouses
a n d th e g a ra g e s and oil s ta tio n s th e n e x t
b est lo ca tio n s.
I tr y to g e t m ac h in e s in
“ M y c o n s ta n t endeavor is to keep ma-
chines p a y in g a t a m a x im u m . I give a cer-
t a in lo ca tio n a good f a ir tr y o u t, ch e c k in g
th e c h a ra c te r o f the lo ca tio n a g a in s t s im ila r
locations, a n d i f I find a fte r a tr y o u t the
m a c h in e does n o t produce as i t shouM , I
ta lk it over w ith th e fa c to ry fo lk s, o r ga-
rag e m en a n d we sw itch the lo ca tio n .
It
w here it is a tr e a t fo r fo lk s to be able to
secure n u ts an d can dy , or c ig a re tte s.
o fte n m akes a v a s t difference ju s t w here th e
m ach in e s are placed, a n d th e y m u s t be in
“ M u ch o f th e vended m e rch a n d ise sold
to d a v is s o ^ due to th e f a c t i t m ake s ac-
a conspicuous spot, accessible an d k e p t in
clean a ttra c tiv e shape. I ha v e m y a s s is ta n t
cessible the desired goods in places w here
o r d in a r ily such are n o t to be fo u n d .
“ I find p e a n u ts sell in g re a te r v o lum e
th a n candy , b u t th e tu rn o v e r as g re a t as
i t is. does n o t produce th e n e t pro fit o f can-
d y b ars.
I a m o p e ra tin g a b o u t POO c a n d y
clean the m a ch in e s a t every call,
“ W h e n I find a fte r a fe w calls a m a c h in e
does n o t P a Y w ell, d espite s w itc h in g a b o u t,
^ rem ove i t to some o the r p o in t w here it
c a n Pr duce its m a x im u m ,
“ A s to p a s t business a n d th e fu t u r e out-
b a r m ach in e s to one h u n d re d p e a n u t ma-
chines a t t h ’'s tim e , b u t a m a d d in g to th e
p e a n u t lo catio n s r a p id ly .
look, I p ro b a b ly h a v e the sam e experience
o the r o pe ra to rs do, in th a t m v su m m e r sales
d ro p a b o u t 30 per cent, th is in su m m e r, d ue
“ W h e n I first s ta rte d , aside fr o m th e fe w
m a c h in e s in o p e ra tio n th ro u g h th e efforts
to sale o f ice cre am , a n d s o ft d rin k s , also
to fo lk s v a c a tio n in g .
o f th e B lin d asso ciatio n, I w as th e o n ly
b lin d o pe ra to r in th e c ity , th ere are 2 o f
us now in th e c ity , an d I u n d e rs ta n d a b o u t
20 b lin d v e n d in g o pe rato rs in th e sta te
o f M ic h ig a n .
“ A b o u t m id-S eptem ber business s ta rts to
increase, a n d b y O ctober 1st I find sales
u p to n o r m a l. L a s t w in te r, a lth o u g h an off
y e a r in m a n y respects, b y c a re fu l n ’ acem ent
o f m ach in e s, che ckin g a n d w a tc h in g m y
“ I hav e to h ire a n efficient helper, a y o u n g
step, I m a n a g e d to do ju s t a b o u t as w ell as
m a n w ho know s the w o rk a n d routes to
d riv e th e car, and th is comes o u t o f pro fits,
I h a n d le a ll m ach in e s m y se lf, th a t is fillin g
ln tl16 p a s t w in te rs . I h a d a fe w m ore ma-
chines out, o f course, w h ic h m a y h a v e
b ro u g h t th e to ta ls u p , b u t I w as m ore th a n
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