Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Why Are People Buying Used Concession Equipment?

The Concessions Business
Let’s face it; today’s economic environment is tough. People are scared of losing their jobs and as a result are looking for ways to make ends meet. One way people are doing this is to get involved in weekend festival events. Most small towns and every city, have weekend festivals or events that draw large numbers of people. Events like parades at holiday time or community sponsored gatherings are examples. Where there are people, there needs to be food, thus an opportunity to make money. The concessions business is not only a great way to make some extra money but it’s a ton of fun too!

How do you go about getting involved?
  1. Select a food concept that you think will be a good seller.

  2. Contact your municipalities and get a list of local events.

  3. Contact your health department and find out what you need to do to comply with local safe food handling.

  4. Contact a Fun Food Distributor for equipment/supplies and knowledge on how to get started. They are professional at the concession business and will guide you and help you avoid mistakes.

Making the Concessions Business Affordable
Investing in equipment to get started in this business is easy and scary at the same time. With money tight, many folks are looking for used concession equipment options to get into the concessions business. You don’t need to buy new equipment to get started. A good used concessions machine from a reputable wholesaler is a great way to begin. The beautiful part of selling concession food items is that most of the time the gross profit potential is huge. In many cases and item that sells for $3.00 has a cost of around $.20.

Is there risk in buying a used concession machine?
Obviously, when you purchase a used concession machine there is going to be greater risk than when buying a new one. The only way to reduce that risk is to be confident in the person or company you purchase it from. Buying used concession equipment off E-Bay or Craig’s List are options but the risk is higher. Find out if the equipment has been serviced by a factory certified technician. The last thing you need is the frustration of buying something that doesn’t work, or needs work as soon as you buy it. Any reputable dealer will stand behind the concession equipment the sell with a warranty. Check it out! Please, avoid buying something in an “as is” condition. Don’t be afraid to pay a little more and be confident and comfortable with whom you are buying from!