MARKETPLACE, VOL. XII, NO. 24
EDITORIAL
XIII
•
PAGE 2, DECEMBER 30, 1973
Bill Gersh
As the above Roman numerals indicate "Marketplace" enters into its thirteenth
year of publication with its next issue. More constructive changes have come to
this industry of coin automation in the past twelve years than in all the preced-
ing years of this .century. Progress has been phenominal.
Here are a fev things to think about in this new era of coin operated amusement,
music and vending. There are less operating firms in existence all over the world
featuring more machines on more locations than ever before in all the history of
this industry. Furthermore, premium pricing, 2/25¢ and 1/25¢, has brought into
being the highest cash tlov this industry has ever known .
For example, it is estimated today that there are over 750,000 automatic music
machines on locations thruout the U.S. Adding on what is known to exist in all
countries on the face of this earth, this figure can very easily be doubled. The
same is true of automatic amusement and merchandising ma.chines. If it were possi-
ble to obtain authentic figures, not just estimates, these would range into many,
many millions of machines.
If even lees than half of the 5,500,000 retail locations in the U.S., 2,500,000
locations, feature just one coin operated amusement machine and just one automatic
vending machine, this would mean 5,000,000 machines on retailing locations thruout
the U. S . A. Yet there are many different types of commercial and manufacturing loca-
tions with banks of venders as well as a varied melange of locations with from five
to more than twenty amusement machines. So when the figure of over 20,000,000 amuse-
ment and vending machines on every type of location in addition to stores is dis-
cussed, there is no longer any surprise shown by any knowledgeable member of this
industry.
Consider even as rediculously low a figure aa 11 per day per machine gross income
to get some idea of the cash flow that emanates from this industry of coin automation
This would mean 120,000,000 per day or 17,300,000,000 a year. When an estimate, add-
ing on music, of over 120,000,000,000 a year gross income cash flow was made sometime
ago, none disputed this point. Fact of the matter is, many considered this figure to
be "extremely conservative".
This, then, is the industry that faces "Marketplace" as it enters into its thir-
teenth year of publication. An industry bursting at the seams. Ready to break loose
into the most progressive, greatest growth era in all of its history. An expanding,
volatile industry facing its most affluent future in t he years just ahead.
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