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If this business is so lucrative, why isn't organized crime involved? It seems like a field where they have a number of comparative advantages: 1. Good at nego
by skelseys 6y ago
If this business is so lucrative, why isn't organized crime involved? It seems like a field where they have a number of comparative advantages:
1. Good at negotiating with local businesses.
2. Good at motivating low-paid employees to handle large cash sums without pilfering.
3. They love cash businesses.
4. More tax efficient than people doing 'side hustles'.
5. Good at managing kick-backs to eg. motel staff.
My guess is that the most 'gold mine' locations are already controlled by entrenched players who defend them using a variety of legal and illegal methods - vandalism of competitors' machines, high rents, kickbacks, threats to landlords.
Then all the marginally profitable locations are competed over by amateurs who routinely lose money and get disillusioned.
- powvans 6y agoThis comment sounds like the inspiration for an Anchorman style comedic exploration of the dark underbelly of the vending machine world.
- Cthulhu_ 6y agoI did hear one of those factoids saying more people are killed by vending machines than sharks... https://freakonomics.com/2011/09/08/how-are-sharks-less-dangerous-than-vending-machines-an-exercise-in-conditional-risk/ https://freakonomics.com/2011/09/08/how-are-sharks-less-dang...
- duderific 6y agoSure, but how many people are killed by mafia thugs when trying to muscle in on their vending machine territory
- scottlocklin 6y agoThe US mafia was for a time at least. Used to be common knowledge. https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5f5lph/eli5_why_was_the_american_mafia_interested_in/ https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5f5lph/e...