Top 5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Crane Games 1.
Invest in a crane where you can dial in a prize value. Most of the older cranes have more of a sensitivity dial, so Golebiowski notes investing in new equipment will get your ROI where it needs to be.
2. Change out merchandise and keep the product fresh. Don’t let items sit in machines for months. Pay attention to new trends. 3. Pay attention to what kids like and if it’s a happening trend, get on it. If everyone playing is aiming for the same prizes, this should tell you that it’s time to add more of
when it comes to redemption prizes. We analyze trends to predict what will sell and keep the inventory turning. Prizes must be high quality, trendy, versatile and ever changing.” The company also works with rinks to provide continual suggestions and merchandising assistance to suit the needs of each customers’ demographics and customer focus. “Keeping the redemption/prize center fully stocked, current and trendy, fresh and clean is the best way to keep the kids coming back and a great incentive for playing more games,” Clothier says. “You will never go wrong with Icee Squeeze, Icee Spray and Slush Puppie Dip N Lik, and will wow the crowd with trendy items like Tik Tok Jelly, which is all the rage thanks to the many TikTok videos.” To attract older kids and adults, cranes may have high-end items like Nintendo Switch, headphones or a bundle of 5,000 tickets that could be traded in at the prize counter— Golebiowski found success with all of these prizes. When choosing what to add to the cranes, Rinker notes that anything squishy and tactile is popular right now, but rink operators should pay attention to the latest trends and make adjustments as needed. Some of the hot trends in spring of 2022 are reversible octopi and plush.
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Volume 30 - Issue 3 - March/April 2022
those items because people will be more apt to spend their money. 4. Put them in high-traffic areas. If you don’t have an arcade in the facility, put the crane near the snack bar or somewhere up front so you can attract players coming in and out of the rink. 5. Don’t overstuff machines so it looks impossible to get something. Players want to win, and you need to ensure that people are winning enough that they will keep playing.
“With the rising cost of plush, operators should not be afraid to look at good quality, generic plush,” Rinker says. “The licensed plush is always nice, but you can find some really nice pieces like unicorns and dinosaurs with great neon colors, and they are a fraction of what you would have to pay for those.” Because of supply issues, rink operators shouldn’t be afraid to get creative with their choices and mix in balls, lollypops, and other items to keep things fresh.
Successful Tactics Cranes can be utilized to drive traffic to a darker area of a facility or improve a food & beverage outlet by having a crane nearby. Rinker says there’s one thing she’s noticed that roller rinks don’t take advantage of with their cranes—and that’s using cranes as not just a source of incremental revenue but as a marketing tool for the business. “Rinks should be offering prizes with custom logos or custom products, and get their brand awareness out there,” she says. “They can even use their own resources for prizes, such as coupons at the snack bar or for a free skate rental, to generate some repeat business. You can use your cranes to work for your business.” She also notes rinks shouldn’t be afraid to get
creative and use their crane to cross-pollinate or promote other games within the arcade. For instance, Coast to Coast Entertainment may have a Willy Wonka-themed plush in a crane next to a pusher, they will Velcro the individual player’s card onto the plush, so if a player is collecting the cards and need that card to finish the set, it incents them to play the crane to get that item. It also gives them an incentive to try the pusher. “This is a great way to boost revenues and increase traffic to the games and get players to stay longer and enhance their experience,” Rinker says.
