Jack Siefert, our friend and the sales guru at AVS, the classy game distributor with offices in Chicago and New Jersey http://www.americanvending.com/, was kind enough to share the following on two new ICE games shown last week at the EAG show in London and scheduled for a March release. They are notable because they continue a trend to video redemption. Rok n Bloks utilizes video as display for a typical redemption format. Robin Hood DK, on the other hand, appears to be a more traditional video format, the shooting game, adapted for redemption. Here's what Jack tells us:

Rok-n-Bloks, video, skill redemption, 42” LCD( mounted vertical ), Play mechanics software, the game is: using the interactive tray controller, players try to catch dropping blocks, and stack to various win levels, till they get to the top, or drop 3 blocks. Retail Price is $8,395.00

Robin Hood, video, skill redemption, 32” LCD ( mounted horizontal ), Gamewax software, the game play is using the cross bow, players shoot various moving targets, and treasure chests to win tickets, then are asked to choose either take your ticket winnings, or try for the bonus, by shooting the apple target off a head. If you miss, you still win ½ of your tickets. This is great FAST game play that promotes repeat play. Retail Price is $6,595.00

Both games start shipping the first week of March.

ICE http://www.icegame.com/has been utilizing video displays or even video redemption for years, primarily in its kiddie game lineup, more recently in the well received Photo Finish and Go Ballistic titles. Robin Hood DK looks like a major step beyond incorporating a video display into a redemption game. While I haven't played it or seen it in person it looks like a major innovation in creating a hybrid video- redemption game. While adapting video games with ticket dispensers has been done as far back as the 1980's, without success, I'm excited about these developments for two reasons. First, this is ICE, an industry leader with a very high batting average in developing games that make money. Second, today's populace is extremely video centric, by which I mean they are attracted by video and receptive to video screens. You might not know it by video game performance, but this could be a new animal. While you can only drive a race track or shoot em up so many times, a good redemption skill game format displayed in video with a ticket reward could be a game changer. I'm hoping it is. With a March release the players will be voting soon.

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The revenue generating power and competitive prices make these mixes ideal for your plush cranes!

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with special guest presenter Karyn Gitler!

Learn what hot toy trends to expect in 2010 to keep your redemption counter on the cutting edge. Karyn Gitler, owner of Kreative sourcinG, will share what new products will be 'must have' redemption items this year.

Register for this free webinar here.

Karyn brings over 20 years of experience in the FEC industry working for industry leaders like CEC Entertainment Inc. (d.b.a. Chuck E. Cheese), Enchanted Castle and the Discovery Zone.

There will be a Q&A session immediately following the webinar.

When: Thursday, Jan. 28 12-1PM CST

Register here.

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This is an age old question: a customer asks: "I've got 150 tickets but I want the 200 ticket item. Can I pay the difference?"

My answer is: "sorry, we have no way to do that, but our tickets never expire so you can save them for your next visit." I might even add: "Here's ten tickets to add to your total." Its better yet if I can promote my FEC's "Super Savers" or other "VIP" club where the customer can receive elite status at a certain annual and/or lifetime ticket total.

I always advise not to sell items for three main reasons:
1) Redemption is a fantasy world of fun and excitement with its own currency-tickets. By letting people buy, the experience is diminished.
2) We generally set up our clients to run at a 15% cost of sales or less. In the retail world thats a markup of 6.7; Toys in the retail world average a markup of 3. Why trade a markup of 6.7 for a markup of 3?
3) A good redemption program is designed to promote the saving of tickets. Redemption then becomes a loyalty program for the facility. If people are saving your tickets then, when they and their family or friends decide to go out and bowl or play games, they'll pick your FEC since they are building your tickets.

Allowing them to buy in goes against all of these goals.

At the same time we recommend a liberal policy for situations like this: a little kid has 20 tickets, Dad is standing over him (often impatiently cause Dad's ready to go) and the kid wants the 25 ticket item. Dad asks- can I pay the difference? We recommend that the redemption pro say "that won't be necessary, we're glad you came today so please let us make up the difference." Using the economics we set up for our clients, those 5 tickets cost you 2.5 cents and you've probably made a customer for life-plus, its taken care of in the rounding of your price points.

Obviously you have to have well trained employees to do this judiciously.

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