I put a Getaway in a Location once and the 1 guy who worked there all week saw me coming in with it and was Thrilled! "My Favorite game ever!!" He played it everyday at lunch, It did Great! hehehe The place was a Weekend and weeknight sports type place, so it was good to have it being used through the day. Some how the guy was Loop Champ at 27 loops or something insane like that! That is amazing!

Dave

Quoted from pins only

You know, I disagree with every opinion in this thread. I am in the Vending machine business,
if you have 10 machines making $20.00 to $50.00 a week, $200 to $500 a week isn't so bad for 1 days work.

Well I think everyone here gave the correct answer for the question which was: Can you make money with PINS..

10 machines X 1500$ (average price for a WPC) = 15000$ + insurance + profit sharing + licensing + maintenance.  Income is 200$-500$ a week for 10 machines. You do the math.

However I agree that you are correct to say that you have to diversify and get into the WHOLE aspect of vending machines to make a profit.  Just not "pins only"..  Pun intended

Those candy/crap toy vending machines are real money makers (in volume).

My 0.02$

Mike

i think it's a good idea,

i had one out in an office, but i chose the wrong location, so it didn't make any money, staff were cheap ^#*&@#*('ers, but if you find the right type of
venue, it could possibly be a good idea, i am thinking about putting one out again, as soon as i find the right place.

Eric

I still see System 11 games out there as well the latest Sterns, and I know of a Gottlieb "Lights, Camera, Action" and a "Hot Shots" on a location as well. Whether they make any money or not...

Also, I think the goal was to lessen the cost of his pins, so actually making the target is easier. If you make back 1/2 the cost of the machine and sell it for your original investment (Which can be done with Pins), you have made money. This is very tough in lots of businesses. Also it is one of the few businesses that you can essentially start for a couple of grand, or less depending how you go. I started with Bulk Candy vending machines in a friends shop that I bought at an Antique show and flea market for very little $$. I bought them because I thought they were cool and so I would have bought them anyway, so the original start up cost came out of my exixting pile of Crap in the Basement! (0.00$$$ start up investment) 15 years later, well, that is a different thread.

Dave

Just speaking to one of the local operators here in Ottawa - whose sole income is on pins (I believe); his biggest challenge is finding locations.   He has no shortage of pins.  It is just time consuming to find a location and establish a relationship with that location.  

I think the idea with "Office" locations (think Web Developer and Call Centre lounges), is that you get the employer to pay a fixed rental fee.  

Then they either pocket the profit (or loss), set on free play, or collect for charity.  

By the way, it IS possible to make a good profit on Vending Machines, my Uncle was the equivalent of Starburst out west and he made a killing (literally, got tied in with the mob) and retired in California somewhere we think.  He always had the best cars, boats, and travelled and partied constantly (though he was heavily into vids and cigarette machines at the time they were most popular).

On first read of sinpin's question I coudl swear he was asking whether it's possible to finance personal pin acquisitions via the hobby (which I am sure we ALL have thought about).

"I was trying to think of a way to finance all the machines I want to purchase over the next few years and I was wondering..."

Having 3 on location would have to pay for the 5 you purchase in order to have two to swap out and play at home while you wait for them to pay for the costs I would think, otherwise all your machines are out on location and more difficult to swap out, and no fun at home.

pinballisnotdead.com it's just moved into 40-something's unfinished basements!  

Also, you can carry forward business losses for up to 7 years, so with good accounting you may be able to keep your taxable income at a lower bracket for a longer period if you have a business that makes some money but looses in the beginning.  Save the loss for a time when you are flush.  However, pinball machines themselves (inventory) I suspect might be deemed capital inventory, so it factors into the equation a little differently than non-capital expenses and likely gets amortized over a period of time.  All that being said, I am my company's own worst nightmare when it comes to taxes, finance decisions, and bookkeeping, so please don't believe a word I say on the subject.