s.
Western Vending Machine
Operators Association
Stale dgarelfe :lax o/ 2c
Presldent-J. H. SCOTT, 1928 Montrose, Los
Ange/es, Fitzroy 5369; Vlce-Pres/dent-F. W.
STRAW; Secretary-J C. SMUCK, 201 South
Witmer; Treasurer--CLAUDE HU/ZING.
Can 3-ncreade Sa/ed
Meeting of September 26, 1939
Despite the heat wave, rain and other
"unusual" weather conditions, all the regu-
lars attended the meeting. A short routine
business session was had and the rest of the
time was devoted to discussing problems of
the operator.
A bill passed by the last session of the
State Legislature places a license and tax
on itinerant vendors. Some operators have
received notices that they are subject to this
license. The Association attorneys have
the matter in hand to protect the interests
of all members. This is just another service
to which all members are entitled.
The European War will probably cause a
raise in prices of merchandise used by
operators. Very little of this merchandise is
imported and it does not seem that a price
increase is warranted on some items. Per-
haps if a committee was appointed to keep
in close touch with the markets and the
jobbers, price increases could be kept to a
minimum. This is another service which
the Association can render to its members.
Under the present disturbed conditions,
there are many problems which will require
solution. It is trite to say that in unity
there is strength, but it is well known that
the interests of the operator can better be
served by group action, rather than to have
each operator attempt to solve his problem
alone.
Join the Association now, give it your full
support and let all operators work together
with benefit to all.
]. C. Smuck.
By MACK H. POSTEL
Uneedapak Representative
Since the announcement of the 2c tax on
cigarettes in Wisconsin I have been
swamped with telegrams, letters and long
distance calls from operators virtually in a
panic over the new levy. They were torn
between a lSc and 17c price, but like rheu-
matism, no matter how they spelled it, it
still hurt. To those operators this article is
directed. The following is a concise pic-
ture of the situation, and should light the
way to an easy solution. These facts are
based on what took place in Ohio, Pennsyl-
vania, and lately in Missouri, the two
former states having had this tax for sev-,
era! years.
After experimenting with lSc and l7c
prices results showed that the 17c mach-
ines, in most cases, suffered a loss in sales.
A smoker was reluctant to put 20c in the
machine and disliked the idea of getting
three pennies back in the cellophane wrap-
per of his package. He considered his cig-
arettes cost him 20c while he could have
purchased them at a chain store for lSc.
On the other hand, the machines operating
at lSc increased their sales tremendously
because they met chain store competition.
By paying the tax, selling at lSc, and giv-
ing the location ½c a pack, the operator
still made a better profit than he did be-
fore by virtue of a decided increase in
sales. It isn' t how much the operator makes
per carton that determines his profit but
it's how many cartons he can sell.
a
Profit Veteran
That's what the MASTER is rapidly be-
coming, for year in and year out it has
consistently been a steady profit maker
for operators everywhere.
MAILING LISTS
Get the MASTER story today!
For further details and prices ask
M. BRODIE CO.
Long Beach, Calif.
VIKING SPECIALTY CO.
530 Golden Gate Ave. San Francisco, Calif.
Or write direct lo
The NORRIS MFG. CO.
553 Wager St., Columbus, 0.
15
Newly compiled lists of OPERATORS. Worth
Expertly built by master craftsmen, here
is a machine that is headache free . . . a
machine that will stand up on your tough-
est location and come through with ban-
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2180 Pacific Ave.
Let me put my point into figures. The
location that formerly sold 30 cartons a
month gave the operator a profit of $6.60 a
month. This is based on buying cigarettes
at 10% off, or about $1.12 per carton, al-
lowing le for every ten books of matches,
and lSc a carton location commission. This
gives the operator a 22c profit, gross, per
carton. That same 30 carton a month stop,
selling cigarettes at lSc after the tax came
in, sold about 70 cartons a month. Allow-
ing . a location commission of Sc a carto11,
left . th e operator 12c a carton profit, or
$8.40 a month, where he made $6.60 before.·
Some operators will doubt these esti-
mated increases in sales. The most skep-
tica,l will grant me the truth of the follow-
ing statement. Take a 30 carton a w~~k . _
location that formerly sold cigarettes at two :· ·
for 25c. He takes in a machine; sells at
lSc straight, and the sales drop down to 10
cartons, or less, per week. Why? The only
answer is that the price was increased and
COIN
the public could go to the chain store and
MACH/HE
save Sc on two packs. By the same token,
REVIEW
now with the tax compelling chain stores to
sell at the same price as the machines, sales
will be tripled, in most cases, same as they
dropped to one-third when the machine was
put into th e former two for 2Sc location.
There is, however, a temporary reaction
to sales when a tax becomes effective and
a resultant lull in sales which is short-lived
because of some smokers stocking up with
a few cartons at chain store prices just
before the tax was placed in effect. The
same condition prevails almost every year
directly following Christmas when many.
smokers receive cartons of cigarettes as
gifts. This is never serious and normal sales
return within a short period.
While millions of dollars of cigarettes are
sold through the machines still this business
Master Novelty
PENNY PLAY
many times more than we ask.
1,500 Texas Operators - - - - ··············$10.00
298 California Operators
2.00
I 54 Tennessee Operators
1.00
92 Louisiana Operators
1.00
108 Oklahoma Operators
1.00
112 Florida Operators
1.00
185 Mississippi Operators
1.25
102 Georgia Operators
1.00
171 Arkansas Operators ................................ 1.25
273 Operators 1n Colorado, Utah, Ida-
ho, Arizona, New Mexico, Wash-
ington, Montana ...................................... I. 75
292 Operators in Virginia, West Va.,
N. Car., S. Car., Alabama, Wash-
2.00
ington, D. C .. _ __ _ __
130 Kentucky Operators _ _ _ _ _ 1.00
200 Missouri Operators _ _ _ _
2.00
The above States total 3,617 names. This en-
tire list may be had for $17.50. Send remit-
tance with your orders. Lists mailed within 48
hours after orders received. Also Eastern lists
may be had.
SUPREME PRODUCTS CO.
333 N.
Mlchl9a■
Ave.
Chlca90, Ill.
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