Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)

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up" type. They dressed their product in
new artistic raiment, with novel tickets and
symbols, and appealed to the suspense ele·
ment of the human make·up. Main fea·
ture of the "st€p·up" board is that it
gives a greater percentage of customers a
chance to win. A quantity of lucky num·
bers is listed. If the customer hits one,
he is entitled to try for the jackpot award
in another section of the board.
Many of th e boards used in the past
are still good money·makers. The wise
operator switches models and uses them as
a "whip," Qr sales stimulant.
The merchandise board can be one of
four types: a single prize (~pecially on a
small board); one major prize and several
smaller consolation awards; all awards of
the same kind (such as cigarettes); or
several merchandise prizes and the balance
in cash.
While the commission on the money
board is invariably 50·50, the added cost
of merchandise necessitates an adjustmen t
Qn this type. There are two methods: the
operator either gives the location 40 per
cent of the proceeds or he deducts the cost
of the merchandise from the gross and
splits the balance.
"Unless the prize isa turkey or ham or
some such item whose cost is generally
well·known," a salesboarder of eight
years' experience told THE REVIEW, "I don't
think it's a good idea to let the merchant
know what the prizes cost. Not that the
cost might be lower than he expects, but
because it simply is not good business
policy to expose the price of the mer·
chandise."
The best awards to offer as a board·
moving hyPQ comprise items which are
novel, timely, and difficult to procure for
the average buyer.
If certain merchandise is scarce how can
the operator expect to acquire them?
This little hurdle can usually be vaulted
if the operator is a wide·awake, aggressive
sort, who builds good will at his sources
of supply, and purchases in quan tity; he
therefore stands much better chance of
acquisition than the average consumer.
Merchandise boards require storage
space. They also require shrewd an alyzing
of 10 tions, current trends, and sagacious
purchasing so that the operator is not
left holding a big stock of "dead" items.
In the event the merchandise is seasonal, hI'
must be careful not to overbuy or he will
be fQrced to store a good proportion of his
investment until that particular season
comes around again.
.
.
SALESBOARDS
Hoi..
400
1000
1000
11100
SPECIALS-IMMEDIATE DELIVERIES
Name
Proftt Price
Ic,to 5c PUT & TAKE .................. S 7.50 S .59
50 Nlck.1 Charl.y ... _ ........... 0.1. 17.00
.96
50 LULU JR. . ..........•............ 0.1. 18.00
.99
50 DOUble Finn ...................... 0.1. 24.00
.98
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1200
250
25c
100
250
5.
250
J.P.
J.P.
J . P.
J.P.
J.P.
J. P.
Charlcy ....... _ ...... _ ... Avr.
Charl.y ....... _ ........... Avr.
R.ady Mon.y, Seal ......
Tex. Charl.y, Seal........
Hom. Run ................ Avr.
Tex. Charl.y ... _ ..... Avr.
$50.00
52.04
50.70
50.28
27.00
102.28
$1.15
1.22
1.79
1.49
1.89
2.29
1000
1184
1000
1020
1020
1800
50
50
'5.
50
50
50
J.P.
J.P.
J.P.
J.P.
J.P.
J. P.
Win FInn. Jumbo ..........
Jumbo Tenl. Jumbo ....
B.at Th is Card ...... Avr.
Hot Stuff. Girlie ... _.......
Wanna Dough. Girlie ..
Lulu, X Thlok ................
$24.80
33.00
33.00
27.00
27.00
32.00
$1.79
2.49
2.59
2.79
2.89
2.89
2170 50 Rd. Who Blue Slngl ..... :.c ...... $36.00
2280 50 J. P. Tlokot Ooal ............ Avr. 44.00
120 Tip Tlckot Book., Singio . .... Doz.
$1.59
2.89
1.95
Grand Prize Boards, Real M oCOY Boards, Etc.
SEND FOR CATALOG.
(.
WORLO 'S BEST BOARDS . TICKETS . CARDS
'U.: I.I TXE S I\l .• ~S CO.
IlLUE EARTH
MINN.
For years one of the most successful
holiday standbys has been turkeys. Awards
can be made in either of two ways: the
operator makes a deal ~ith a ran ch, fur·
nishes the locations with certificates to
present .to the winners; the winners go to
the ranch and pick their own birds. Alter·
native is to give the winner money equi ·
valent to the cost of a turkey; this amount
is then deducttfd from the gross.
Hams rate as the No. 2 food prize.
. Chickens were tried in the past but failed
to take hold. In this era of high prices and
shortages, practically any standard food
item excites interest.
Another old· time standby is radios, and
today they are better than ever because
of the demand. Household appliances, such
as electric irons, waffle irons, and toasters,
are play.getters too.
Gifts rank high: overnight cases, vanity
chests, . mirror chests, candy, women's
purses, stuffed toys, cakes, compacts, elec·
tric razors, clocks. Cigar and cigarette
lighters are two perennial favorites.
Of 'course, the value of the prizes must
be gauged according to the gross of the
board. For example, it would be foolhardy
to offer a radio, toaster and overnigh t case
on a 600·hole, ten·cent board. The radio
itself should suffice.
The ingenuity of the manufacturer is
apparent in the variQus ticket symbols
used to designate winners. Following are
the types most generally used: 0) Straight
numbers, (2) tip numbers 001·102, 109·
110, etc.), (3) slot tickets (cherries or
bells), ( 4 ) service insignias, (5) cartoon
tickets, (6) card or poker tickets, (7)
year· round sports (boxing, golf, etc.), (8)
seasonal sports (football, baseball, basket·
ball, etc.). ,
If operation and servicing is so simple,
what's to prevent the location from buying
his own boards?
Nothing, if he so desires. But many a
location who has purchased from "wagon
jobbers" or other sources, discovers to hi s
sorrow that he is bogged with duds. The
boards fail to capture public fancy or
they're cheaply made. The operator, by
dealing with quantities of different boards
and locations, can usually size up the
location's needs, and if one type does not
move at a good speed, he can replace it
with another.
There are two main sizes of holes and
various sizes
board thicknesses, ranging
from Y2 inch to lY2. The jumbo, or large
size hole, has more punchin g area and
presents more flash and eye·appeal ; the
holes are easier to punch a nd easier to
read. The thicker the board the less cum·
bersome it is to open th e tickets. Available
display space at the looation is the deter·
mInIng factor in deciding how many of
each should be placed.
The trend in salesboards during the past
several years has veered to ' more ingenious
designs and more color. Several board
makers h ave introduced a snap·on easel
which saves the operator time in screwing
to the back.
Other innovations include boards which,
when closed, are shaped like book covers
and vanity boxes.
One of the most PQpular types today is
the "girlie" board, displaying shapely
limbs and faee to match.
Push or pull cards are especially timely
during the holidays. There is usually one
prize to a oard: fruit cake, turkey or ham.
The most widely used is the one wherein
the customer pulls or pushes a tab under
which is printed a girl's name. He then
registers his name next to the girl's. A seal
at the top, covering the winning name, is
removed only after the card is completely
filled and during the presence of one of
the players. Cards are especially good in
residential areas where folks are perma·
nen tly settled. A transient seldom partici·
pates because he hasn't the time to wait
until the card is filled to find out whether
he is the lu cky winner or not.
Acquiring new locations demands the
same . prerequisites of good salesmansh ip
as any other branch of the coin machine
business. The best approach is to bring
alol g a new, novel board and show it to
the location owner. This usually evokes
immediate interest. Next, tell him that you
are in this business permanently and will
give him efficient service. Then when you
have sold yourself and your business, ask
to leave one on trial. If he's satisfied with
th~ results, you will have a new location.
Even if his reply is a definite "No,"
leave your name and address. He may
change his mind in the future .. If he agrees
to try it, he'll need your name and address
in the event the board empties before you
make your next collection.
of
Immediate Delivery
ART COIN CHUTES
and
COMMERCIAL COIN
DETECTORS
Mills Vest Pocket F.P ••
Chutes ••••• $3.50
-SEE-
PAUL A. LAYMON
END INSTALLATION HEADACHES
Sf·a ndard Brands
Automatic "'rigger-Action" Staple Gun
Guaranteed to save you up to one-third the .time normally
required for the usual type music wiring installation job.
Staples automatically fed to the nozzle-light pressure re-
leases them one at a time to any depth desired.
Similar guns retail nationally for from $5.00 to $6.00. Now
mass-production economies enable us to offer the music oper-
ators of the nation this handy, time-saving tool at $3.70 each,
$42.00 per dozen. Ord~.r I or 100 TODAY.
Badger Sales Co.
Badger Novelty Co.
1612 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles 1 Cal.
2546 N. 30th St.
Milwaukee 1 Wis.