I lost my job. I was looking for ways to make some income to support my family. I saw an advertisement in the local newspaper about this business, so I contacted Vendstar, a candy vending machine company. They preyed on my vulnerability. I told the salesman, Adam **, I didn't have that amount of money to invest, I was only calling for information. He told me to charge the $ 12,495 to my Credit card, if I got good credit, then make the monthly payments from the money I would be making. This was a catalog order so I had to sign a contract and paid the money upfront before the products were mailed out to me.

However these units, when I got them via UPS, were all plastic and they break easily and jam. I had to send back for replacements pieces because so many were broken. I have to be keep changing the chute doors because people keep breaking them off and the canister cracked easily. They are only glued with a very thin line of acrylic solvent glue that melts the two surfaces together. They are so easily broken into (very fragile) compared to other vending machines. When I go to service the machines, all the candy is gone and there is no money.

The Salesman lied to me. He said I don't need an permit or license for these machines and that only certain towns charge a fee. To my surprise he lied. All towns in New Jersey charge. It is a statewide law(ordinance). I found out about it three weeks ago and I was forced to have all these machine licensed or it was a $500 fine per machine or 90 days imprisonment ( I have copy of the state law if needed). Because of this, the Township Personnel went to all the locations that had the machines and threatened the store operators to either have the units licensed, or get rid of the machines or they would be fined instead of me. So as a result of this, the store owners told me to get them out of their stores. Right now, I have about half of the machines at my house (28 machines at my house, which includes the ones people vandalized and I had to bring them home).

Part of the package was that they provided me with 1000 business cards. The first 1000 was wrong even though I had faxed had the right info on it (I have the fax for proof). The phone number was wrong but the e-mail address was right. Then they send the correction, another 1000 cards and the phone number is right this time but now the email address is wrong. I still have not received the correct cards as yet and all this information is coming from the same origination fax, go figure?

They (Vendstar) provided me with a locating Company (I didn't choose them, Vendstar gave me one of the company they deals with) to place my machines in stores and I had to pay them $2500 additional for the placement. (You will see that this $2500 was part of the original receipt from Vendstar which had a bill of grand total $14995.00). They, Vendstar, took their $12495 and the rest goes to the placement Company. Here are the problems with the Service I got (from the company they provide):

1.The locating Company ripped me off; they were paid $50 for each location they find.
2.The Rep (Eddie **) they sent out was not a professional, not to mention how he dressed.
3. He forced the units on store owners, to keep for two weeks only so he could get paid. These people call me after 2 weeks to get out the machines, that's how I found out the reason.
4.He pretended he was never in this area before, but he was placing my machines in stores that already had Vendstar machines, which he is not supposed to do (these other Vendstar owners were calling me to find out why I tossed their machine to the side and put in mine; the other Vendor told me he had the same locator Eddie ** and if he catches him he will hurt him because Eddie also ripped him off).
5. He was offering Percentage cut of the profit to store owners without telling me, just so he could place the unit and get paid. I found out when I went to service the units.
6. Another placed called me to removed both machines. I asked why. They said they asked for 1 unit and he (placement) stuffed 2 units and left, just to get paid for the locations.
7. He manhandled my machines and scratched them up and He said, "dont worry about it, that's what they will look like in a few weeks."

8. They are supposed to provide free relocation for these units that I have. I spoke to Adam from Vendstar about what happened. He said, "Don't bother the guy in charge, Todd (the guy who runs the Placement Company)," but I should call back the rep. Eddie ** to come back out to relocate the machines. I left a message but he hasn't called me back in over four months.

Adam (Vendstar) said he would talk to Todd (the boss for the Locating company) but I have not heard anything as yet and that as been a while. So with the poor quality machine because I can't be putting in expensive products and people are breaking in and emptying the machine, I am only wasting my money, plus the service and deceptions (lies), I just want my refund so I can get on with my life because now I have problems keeping up with the Credit Card payments.

I just want to pay back the credit card company and now I have a house full of machines doing nothing or if I put them back out I have to worry about losing my candies to vandalism. I just had one location broken into the back (all plastic) and took out the money. All other candy machines on the market has metal on them to protect the money and the delicate parts, not 100% plastic like Vendstar. Now I am even experiencing an herniated pain in my groin from the constant removing and repairing and replacing the units because they are breaking on a constant basis. I have to bring them home back and forth. Most of these issues they will say they are not responsible for but I have to tell you everything from start until now so you can see the ordeal I have been through.