NinnJinn Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Hi Bulk line guys and gals, Have a question for you. As some of you know, I deliver pizzas from time to time to have something to do. There are 4 businesses that I visit frequently, 2 Hotels, Rental shop, flea market. There are triple heads in each one. and they have been empty for about 2-3 months now. each place has said its been about 4 months since they have seen anyone service them. They said, "she placed them, a few weeks later came by to check on them, haven't seen her since" The owner has a phone number on the back of each machine, and I have called the number 5 times during December. It just rings and rings. no answering machine, no nothing. Is there some form of an abandonment law of some sort? these locations also know that I am in Full Line, and two of them have said to just take the machine. But obviously I don't want to do that. But if there is some sort of a law that protects me, boy oh boy there would be lots of quarters to count! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will.vend Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 do a reverse lookup on the phone # at anywho.com, then either go by there or write a letter asking to buy the machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 I ran in to this lat year. After several months of tracking a person down, I finally got a hold of the guy who owned them. I bought them. Be careful here , you could be labelled on account of what you do here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinnJinn Posted January 2, 2011 Author Share Posted January 2, 2011 that is why I haven't and don't want to agree to take the machines. I will stop by one of the locations tomorrow, I may be wrong, but I am almost positive that the names that are coming up on searches of the phone number are NOT the same names as on the machines. Will investigate further and update this post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T BIRD Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 that is why I haven't and don't want to agree to take the machines. I will stop by one of the locations tomorrow, I may be wrong, but I am almost positive that the names that are coming up on searches of the phone number are NOT the same names as on the machines. Will investigate further and update this post. I know it seems very tempting to just take these abandoned machines. I learned on here a long time ago to simply leave them alone. They are not mine. Period. We do not need any bad kharma coming our way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith Vending Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I know it seems very tempting to just take these abandoned machines. I learned on here a long time ago to simply leave them alone. They are not mine. Period. We do not need any bad kharma coming our way. I mostly agree with this...but there are times and steps you can take to legally purchase an obviously abandoned machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinnJinn Posted January 2, 2011 Author Share Posted January 2, 2011 I mostly agree with this...but there are times and steps you can take to legally purchase an obviously abandoned machine. What steps do you suggest, since I can't get a hold of them with the number they have on the back of the machines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dperry Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I've had this happen once before. I purchased a broken, empty Ashland from a location for $10. I wanted it for the stand. I figured $10 for a pipe stand was a good deal. I still have that same location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmac Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I would try and talk to the businesses about them storing the machines until the owner comes by(If that ever happens) Then you can put your machines in place. I did this with one business, and eventually the owner came to get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antoniocinisi Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 imo if a machine hasn`t been serviced in over a year it is abondoned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith Vending Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Contact the owner of the location and inquire about the machine; is it their's?; have you seen the operator service the machine? why does it look like crap? just general questions. Then tell him you have called the number on the machine and gotten no response; disconnected whatever. Then ask him if you can buy the machine from him; if so agree on a price, leave your business card if the guy comes back looking for his equipment (not likely) and move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnl828 Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 I have seen tons of abandoned machines in my area. So if I decide to purchase it from the owner then the guy comes back and scoops the machines did I just take a L or will the owner be legally justified to reimburse me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agapevending Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 I got a machine that way, The manager of the business told me about the machine when i took mine in because it looked like mine. it had been in the back room for over a year. Empty and full of quarters. I told him if the owner did not show up in a another month or so If he would like i would take it off his hands. So in a month I asked him if it was still there. he said yes and sent someone after it. So I got a new machine with abut 40 dollars in it. So just wait one more month and then ask if it is still there. Don't offer any money if they bring up money you can then make them offer of like 20 bucks. A non serviced machine does them no good and could be to your benefit. Then one i picked up went back out some where and is making money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenP Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Just a smidge off topic: How do you get keys for them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Coast Vend LLC Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 What I would do and have done is if the machines are seating there, empty for months, just have the account owner place them in a back room or basement. You put your machines in the account and take care of them. Never take someone else's machines. It's just not right to do even if they do not service them correctly. Don't try to call the owner of the machine. Let the account owner do it, if they want. I called the owner of an empty machine once and he came in and filled his machine and my sales dropped to half. The account owner approved the guy or gal first so he can deal with kicking them out. You just plant the seed about the poor service he is getting and show him how it's done. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dperry Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Just a smidge off topic: How do you get keys for them? You don't. You bust out the lock and replace it with one of your own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dperry Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 What I would do and have done is if the machines are seating there, empty for months, just have the account owner place them in a back room or basement. You put your machines in the account and take care of them. Never take someone else's machines. It's just not right to do even if they do not service them correctly. Don't try to call the owner of the machine. Let the account owner do it, if they want. I called the owner of an empty machine once and he came in and filled his machine and my sales dropped to half. The account owner approved the guy or gal first so he can deal with kicking them out. You just plant the seed about the poor service he is getting and show him how it's done. I have one location where there was an 8-way u-turn sitting empty in the corner. The location said they called the guy to have it removed, but it never happened. I called the number on the machine, and left a message. When I serviced two months later, it was still sitting there, untouched. I made a plan that on my next service run that I would pitch to the location owners that I would buy the machine from them. My plan was foiled however when the machine owner had obviously come in and replaced his 8-way machine with a 4-way u-turn. The sales at this location are spotty at best. It was already on my list of locations to pull. I've only been keeping it around because the office manager was the one who liked gum so much, but she was very pregnant the first time I was in there. I suspect she's had her baby and is back in the office and hopefully enjoying a nice piece of gum everyday. If not, my machine goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agapevending Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I agree with dperry Bust out the locks and replace them that's what I did. Of course sense it just like my machines I did try my keys first. But ended up drilling the locks out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinnJinn Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 I finally got a hold of the lady of the machines this morning. I started the conversation out as a nice person giving her a heads up about her machines in several locations being empty for a couple months, she interrupted me by saying "you are so full of golpher! I stocked those machines the week of Thanksgiving, what now? you going to say my machine ate your quarter?" My temper got the best of me as usual, And I replied back, "Look, I was just trying to be nice, since you have to be a golpher about it, we will see who is making quarters in those locations by the end of February!!!!" and I hung up the phone. I have never backed down from threats or promises that I have made, so I guess I am going back into bulk, Now to find some good used equipment. After I find some equipment, everything else will be peachy! I already know what sells well in her or shall I say, MY locations! Since that 9am conversation, I have already secured 4 of her locations, and found some vendstars to TEMPORARILY place in them to get the quarters started until I find the equipment that I am looking for. Sheesh, I think I need to attend anger management classes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Sheesh, I think I need to attend anger management classes. No need to get angry, success is the best reward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mage Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 Always keep your head. But she should never have been as rude as she was. This is not the way for a business to treat people. But with how she runs her business, she obviously doesn't know how to run a business properly. Take as many locations from her as you can, then call her back to "politely" let her know you now have her locations. By the way if a location is iffy about you taking over, just ask them to call her and let her know the machine is low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agapevending Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Just a smidge off topic: How do you get keys for them? i just drilled the locks out and put in new locks and put it back out . in service Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mike Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 i just drilled the locks out and put in new locks and put it back out . in service Let me be very blunt. You stole this machine from someone. You can try to justify it anyway you want. We reorganized our routes awhile back. Since we are on a 2 month cycle some were serviced after one month on the new route and some slipped to 3 months before we got everything where it is going to be. Some went for 3 months then were closed when we serviced due to the holidays. Do you really think the location owner know they date of my last service? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agapevending Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Let me be very blunt. You stole this machine from someone. You can try to justify it anyway you want. We reorganized our routes awhile back. Since we are on a 2 month cycle some were serviced after one month on the new route and some slipped to 3 months before we got everything where it is going to be. Some went for 3 months then were closed when we serviced due to the holidays. Do you really think the location owner know they date of my last service? Mike The machine had been abandoned for over a year, he had tried to call them and never got answer . The owner of the shop gave it to me. After he thought it might be mine sense mine looked like it. And we both agreed that if the owner of the machine came back. He would give him my number, I even tried to call them. And i got no anwser . If I had gotten a hold of someone I would have given him his machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Every vendor will eventually need to develop a "policy" on abandoned machines. No matter the route size, every vendor will be confronted with this situation and will need to act "appropriately". As seen in many past postings, there are many opinions and emotions. This may not always be a black/white issue, rather a grey one. It's just good to be prepared when confronted with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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