Vend Prices Continue to Climb

CHICAGO — When the price of natural gas started to soar several years ago, many operators started to realize that raising vend prices was no longer a debatable issue — it was a survival issue. What has happened to industry pricing? A sneak preview of American Coin-Op’s annual State of the Industry survey shows that prices continue to climb, albeit too slowly for some.

The most popular price for a top-load wash is $1.75, closely followed by $1.50. More operators are going with $2 for a top loader. Just three years ago, nearly three out of every four operators charged either $1.25 or $1.50 for top loaders.

The price range for a 30-pound wash is $2 to $4.50, according to survey respondents. Here are the most popular prices for a 30-pound wash:
1)    $3.50
2)    $3
3)    $3.25 (tie)
3)    $4 (tie)
5)    $3.75

There has been some movement in the 30-pound category. Last year, $3 was the most popular price.

For 50-pounders, the price range is $3.50 to $6.25. The most popular prices are $5 and $4. This is nearly the same as last year.

Here are the most popular dryer prices followed by the percentage of coin laundry operators using them:
1)    25 cents/8 minutes (29.5%)
2)    25 cents/6 minutes (18.8%)
3)    25 cents/7 minutes (18.2%)
4)    25 cents/5 minutes (8.8%)
5)    25 cents/10 minutes (8.1%)

For full survey results, check out the April issue of American Coin-Op. The State of the Industry survey is a random mail poll of American Coin-Op readers dealing with coin laundry business activity as well as a number of other industry subjects.