Thinking of starting my own website

[loman4ec]

Well I have been toying with the idea of starting a website to sell my machines and parts at. Every day i like the idea more and more. I am computer dumb, but I know a few people who can build it for me. I do have a few questions for everyone. I want to all of your help on ideas for what I should call this new business of mine. All of the catchy names that I can think of are taken. Also does anyone know what is costs to run a website each year? Also what do you all think of this idea? Do you think it is a good move? I also think it would be cool to have my own banner on SMC.  '>

[Pat Pixley]

How about  Josh's Garage and show a few soda machine in the garage door way one for parts for sale and one for machine for sale and the other what people are look for.
(sorry I'm tired . you could click on  a machine for those
 option's)

Pat

[Paul M.]

You could come up with an unused website name like sodavending.com or vintagevendingsales.com or whatever.  Feel free to use one of these if you want but make sure they're not taken first.

I think you can register the name for about $20.  The rest is just server fees and business license.  You might be able to find a decent book at the bookstore on internet businesses that can get you started.  Search the web, too.  Lots of free info out there.

Good luck!  I hope it goes well for you.  There's not a WHOLE lot on the web for this market so it ought to do well.

[Jim]

Josh,

Email me, I can give all the details as I have a small business that develops and hosts web sites! I'm getting ready to head out for a few days in the woods, so I won't be able to reply until Sun. or Mon...
 

[Bob K]

Josh, will you be able to devote the time to the hobby once you become an ATC?

[loman4ec]

I will have about as much time as I have right now if not more. Last week I was at work at grand total of 65 hours. As a controller my max is 40 hours. Besides I will probably do like I did in florida and hire a good painter to do the paint work on their time off so that saves me alot of time. I don't really do this for the money. I just really enjoy watching these machines in the process and I love the rush of going and finding them. I am also thinking of expanding into other areas as well as I do enjoy old slot machines and jukeboxes. When I was younger my dad and I used to run a small business called Slots-O-Toys. We mostly did 1950's Jukeboxes and new and old slots, and sometimes we would do a Coke machine or two. But I was thinking of calling this thing www.classiccoinop.com and yes it is not used yet.

Hi Josh,
I think it is a great idea. I like Pat`s suggestion
" Josh`s Garage " sounds great.
Lars

I like it too, but it might be confused with an auto parts store or repair shop.

[BryanH]

Josh - I think it's a great idea.  There certainly aren't many sites for what appears to be a growing market.  A few thoughts and suggestions:
- Make sure the name & home page means something to your target customer.  They shouldn't need to guess what your selling.  Personally, I'd suggest that you focus on a name the focuses on selling your finished machines.  The parts junkies that frequent this place are all driven to find help and support but the consumer that just wants to buy a finished machine probably won't spend much time.  Make it easy for them to find you.
- Make sure you find somebody that knows how to get your domain name loaded into the search engines.
- Domain names are fairly cheap (as little as $10/yr) so you might want to look at getting a couple (eg JoshsClassicSodaMachines and JoshsClassicJukeBoxes, etc, etc) and have them all resolve to the same home page.
- Make sure you offer discounts to your friends on these boards '>

[loman4ec]

Well do you think that www.classiccoinop.com is good?

[Pat Pixley]

Josh, I was thinking of some thing like this only in a garage door way that all.

[Bob K]

I think "classiccoinop" is great. '>

[Kevin C]

Hello

Is the idea to sell your machines & parts and make money? If so I would think about taking over a section or renting a space on an existing website. This will help you get a feel for your success or failure of the business. If you crank it up on your own the website design, website hosting & editing will eat up any small profit margins that you are making on your machines. The other thing to think about is that your fun hobby is now a business that has to make money to cover the bills. If you are wealthy or have another job that can pay the bills when due it won't be a problem.

Now if you set this up & you could let your friend here sell their machines-parts on your website you could get a cut of the action to help pay the cost. This charge could be a flat listing charge or a percentage of the selling cost.

Get a business license, federal ID & some type of liability insurance. Not everyone you deal with will be your friend.

Just some ideas!

Kevin

[loman4ec]

I am looking into the legal parts of this but my father owns a small business on the side that I think I can merge with and operate under his license. I don't know if that is possible or not but that is what I am looking into. This is all still just an idea. I am just looking into what all of this will cost. I am not wanting to create a huge company like BITW or Funtronics. I am just getting tired of the ups and downs of ebay and would like to find another avenue to advertise my machines on. As long as I sell one machine a year I think that profit should cover the expense of the site. And I do think that the possibility of a page for Friends stuff for sale (all of you) would be a great idea.

[sodaworks]

Josh,
 Classiccoin-op.com sounds good to me. I to have thought about starting up a web page to advertise my soda machine restorations. The only thing that bothers me about that is I usually stay 3-6 months backlogged doing customer restorations and with the added exposure I think that my "hobby" would turn into a "business". I already gave a good full time job. I guess what I saying is I like the pace it is currently operating at, still enjoy what I doing. Something to think about. Terry

[BryanH]

Hey Josh, The restorers and collectors will find you (most likely by word of mouth) regardless of waht you call the company and/or site.

But IMHO - I think Classic Coin Op name is too vague for the average buyer.  When they want to buy a restored machine for their game room - how do they ask or describe it?  I think they're more likely to say "Old Coke machine", "antique soda machine", etc etc.  Personally, I'd try find something in this vein.

As a parting thought, a lot of this can be mitigated through the proper meta-data that you accocite with your website.  So you could go with ClassicCoinOp and make sure that the info the search engines read includes keys like "Coke Machine", "Soda Machine"... and so on.

[loman4ec]

Thanks everyone. So far this has been a big help. If you think of anything else please keep this going.

[dr galaga]

If you want to check a web domain you can go to http://www.whois.sc/ click on Domain Explorer and enter what you are looking for.  I go through v3.com for domain registration (I think they are consolidating with www.fortunecity.com)

[Creighton]

Great advice!!
We have one as a small business and I've got one that is just basically a quick start page for family. Domains are cheap get any that you think might be needed down the road. Just make sure you are the primary contact point, check every once in awhile to make sure you are still the registered owner.

Only other issue that I can think of is, do you want to write your own code? If not get ahold of Jim that will be the quickest way to success. HTML is not as tough as Fortan but still is code. Any questions just ask.
Creighton

I go through www.DirectNIC.com

[Paul M.]

I like classiccoinop as long as you are doing more than just Coke machines, i.e jukeboxes, games, candy machines.

Bryan makes a good point about the meta tags.  This is code that is written into your web pages that the search engines look at to determine what your site is about.  Basically it's a list of possible words that people might use in their search that could bring them to your site.  Use as many words and phrases as are relevant.

And while you are looking into domain hosts look at what they offer in registering with the major search engines like yahoo and google.  With most of the biggies you have to pay to add your domain name to their list of searchable sites.  Some places include this service when you buy your domain name through them.

That said, I wouldn't get too wrapped around the axle about it.  With time your name will get out through forums such as this one and whomever you decide to advertise with.  Go for it!  I think you will enjoy it.

[loman4ec]

Well I think I have found someone to do my site. I have another idea for a name. Since I had so much fun doing the Frosty machine and I plan to do a bunch of theme machines such as Mountain Dew and more Frosty what do you think about www.customcola.com. I need your input. Please if anyone has any ideas please spit them out.

Seems fine, but sounds more like a type of beverage.
Maybe, "CustomSodaMachines.com"?
Just a suggestion, do what you like best.

[BryanH]

I like the addition of Machines.... as suggested by 'Kito.

[loman4ec]

I agree. I will check if it is taken. Thank you all so much for your help.

Josh, I just now checked and at this moment, it is available (and I thought all the good .coms were taken)!

So grab it before someone else from this forum steals it from you. Heh heh. '>

[loman4ec]

I am going to talk to someone tomorrow about building the site. I don't want anything fancy at all. Just something simple that gets the job done. I am really tired of the ebay thing. Even if I have to keep machines for a while as inventory that is fine. It's not like I don't have enough machines to sell to have a buisness. I have 7 in my garage right now and I just bought the 4 Vendo 23's and the new ad just started so I think I have enough machines now I just need to get a few done. I am keeping one of the Cavalier 55's and possibly one of the 23's for myself. It is about time to make one and keep it.

[loman4ec]

Well we just finished the first draft of my logo. What does everyone think?

[sodaworks]

Josh,
 It looks great!! Terry

[loman4ec]

I think I am going to have him put a pic of the vendo 56 in the middle instead so that there is a pic of a Coke machine in there somewhere. Does anyone have any suggestions. By the way Jim may I put a link on my site for Soda-machines.com.

Hi Josh, looks great.
Just a question: You went with "Cola" in the name, rather than "Soda"?
I just wanted to make sure that it's not a typo, because as you know, obviously Frostie (as in the machines in your logo) is Root Beer and not even a cola, plus other drinks you may customize the machines for.
Just making sure.

[loman4ec]

You are right. I just emailed him to ask if it can be changed. I hope he hadn't bought the domain yet. Oh well. Even if it doesn't get changed it isnt that big of a deal. I think everyone will understand. I didn't want to do soda because I didn't want to be confused with this site or give this site any competition. By the way I was asked if I wanted a message board and I said NO. I don't want to take anything away from this site.

[BryanH]

Nice look Josh.  I like your idea of adding the V56 Coke machine.  Good luck.

[loman4ec]

I have decided to stay with customcolamachines.com. I like the sound of that better. I don't think people will even think about the fact that rootbeer isnt a cola.

A fine choice.
We're all excited for you Josh!
Can't wait 'til it's up and running.

[loman4ec]

Here is the logo that I have decided to go with. What do you all think?

[Paul M.]

That's a new one on me.  I guess being from the south where everything is a Coke, I didn't know there is a difference between sodas and colas.  I always thought they were the same thing - Cokes!

[Paul M.]

On the logo, the right most machine kind of detracts from it, being sideways and all.  Do you have another (third) machine you could show?  Also, its a bit large for a logo.

[loman4ec]

The sideways machine is only temporary as I want it to be a machine other than Coke. I am currently working on my 7up square top and I am also going to pick up a Vendorlator 56 on thursday that is going to be Mountain Dew so one of those machines will replace the sideways machine. It is rather big but once you see how it is layed out on the site it would look odd if it were smaller. This is really a fun project. I can't wait to have my own web site.

[Eric]

Be careful using anything Coke in your logo if Coke finds it they will shut it down.....
They are the reason there are no longer the Sweetheart soda calendars, etc.
They are very protective of their Trademark.

Eric

[loman4ec]

But aren't you allowed to use machines since they produced them and it is a restored origional machine?

[Eric]

I'm not sure... It's their trademark and it being used with other trademarks/brands I
know they will frown on that. The machines in the Calendars where restored but they
still put a halt to that.
Ask Steve at Funtronics he may know what they'd do since he's licensed with them doing
the decala and all....
Just looking out for you....

[loman4ec]

Thank you so much. I will use this for a short time and then change it when the 7up and Mt Dew are done. Untill them I doubt I will even be searchable.

[Jim]

Josh,

I think you'll be OK in this instance due to the fact that you aren't selling products for profit with the Coca-Cola or Coke Logo... I've had the logos on SMC at various times without repercussions. But do use discression...

On the calendars... While it's true Coca-Cola is very protective of their trademarks, and rightly so, the calendars had girls in swimsuits and part of the story is that Coca-Cola did not want this image being associated in any shape or form with their trademark logos! Additionally, they will not tolerate anyone selling products with their logo on it, calendars included!

[loman4ec]

What about selling restored machines. Because I do plan on selling restored Coke machines for a profit.

[Jim]

To my knowledge, they have never attempted to stop someone from selling restored soda machines. This is due to a soda machine not being reproduced with the Coca-Cola logo. A calendar, for example, is a reprint/reproduction of their logo and this is where some of the legal issues come into play... Hope this clears things up a little...?

[loman4ec]

Thanks Jim.

[petey64]

If you need help creating a site i can help, you can see my work here http://www.tournamentofroses.com