According to the Coin Laundry Association, 96% of the coin laundries in the United States offer some type of ancillary service

Extra Profit Centers: Statistics

The ancillary services above are ranked by the percentage of coin laundries that offer the service

Source: Coin Laundry Association 2003 Survey

Getting Started

• Vending is the most popular of all coin laundry ancillary services
• Little or no expense
• Can be rented or leased
• Target market is unlimited
• Minimal maintenance
• Can rent or own
• Use the yellow pages to find contacts
• Soda
• Food
• Arcade
• Laundry Bags / Soap
• Bulk Vending
• Phone Cards

Drop off Service

• Also called Wash-Dry-Fold, Fluff & Fold and Bundle Service
• 60 to 70% of laundries today offer this service
• Second in popularity only to vending
• Great way to help offset labor costs
• Can actually pay for attendants

Drop Off Profit Example

Washed by a customer

2 top load washers	$2.00
30 min. Dry time	$0.75
Total income	$2.75
Utility Cost total	$0.54
Soap	0
Gross Margin	$2.21

Washed by attendant

20 Pounds @ $0.90	$18.00
1-30 pound washer (cold water) 30 min Dry time
Total income	$18.00
Utility Cost	$ 0.32
Soap	$ 0.10
Gross Margin	$17.58

Pay for your attendants
@ 5 Wash, Dry & Fold Customers / day / 6 days / wk    = $527.40

Attendant @ $6.00 / hr / 12 hrs/day 7 days/wk = $504.00

Commercial Accounts

• Maximize your equipment usage
• Maximize existing labor
• Maximize your profits

Target Market

• Look for accounts that are too small for large commercial laundries
• Pick up and drop off services are a must
• Must be willing to extend credit / invoicing
• Look for items that will not require pressing or finishing
• Look for items that do not require specialized detergents or extensive spot removal
• Top ten Accounts
• Doctor’s office (excluding blood born pathogens)
• Beauty shops
• Dentists (excluding blood born pathogens)
• Colleges
• Summer camps
• Resorts (Condo / RV)
• Moving companies
• Small hotels
• Local sports teams
• Equestrian

Logistics

• Marketing
• Separate identity for “laundry business” recommended
• Yellow pages ad
• New business cards
• Professional brochure or list of services
• Prospect or mailing lists
• Offer specials to get started

Car Wash

• Similar demographic as coin laundries
• Good cross over business
• Bays costs $65,000 - $75,000
• Automatic Bays cost $150,000 +
• Much more maintenance required vs. laundries

Minimart

• 23% of customers questioned said they would use a minimart in a coin laundry
• Initial inventories of $5,000 - $7,000
• Soap, candy, soda, water, chips, etc
• Purchase display and cash register
• Need to cross train attendants

Mail Box Rental

• Start cost is just the cost of the boxes
• Must register as Post Office Sub Agent
• Usually rent each box for $8 to 10 a month
• Rental is more expensive than Post Office, but people will pay more:
• The box will have an actual street address, not a P.O. Box number
• Can accept UPS/other overnight delivery

Wireless Internet

• Tanning
• Bar
• Check Cashing
• Dry-cleaning
• Rug Doctor Rentals
• Coffee Shop
• Any other service that can add value

Summary

• Understand your market and your stores capabilities
• Create new business plans or add to existing plan
• Allow your existing space and staffing to work for you
• Offer your customers more
• Outperform your competition

** Information includes materials obtained from the Coin Laundry Association and other sources.