How to Open Stores with Claw Machines: 10 Steps

2025-09-10

YPFuns: Learn how to open stores with claw machines in 10 clear steps — from market research and machine selection to location, permits, and profitability tips. Start your claw machine business confidently today.

Claw machine stores are a relatively new type of interactive entertainment that has become popular among customers of all ages. Claw machine store is a fun and profitable business to open with proper planning and execution. This is a step-by-step guide to opening and operating your own claw machine business, with 10 critical steps to take you through the process of research and building, marketing and expansion.

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Step 1: Research and Business Planning

Your business plan is crucial, and you must do a good research before you begin your business in a claw machine store. You start by examining your own local entertainment market, the competition and the customer behavior. Demographics, foot traffic, and spending habits are important factors to pay attention to as they will determine how you will place your machine, what prizes to offer, and what pricing plan to use.

The budgeting, revenue forecast, and costs of running the business (rent, utilities, staffing and maintenance) should be included in the detailed business plan. It must also describe which kinds of claw machines you will run: traditional mechanical, digital skill-based or theme-based interactive. Planning helps you to mitigate risk and set your store on a path to long-term success.

Step 2: Choose the Right Location

One of the most important aspects of the success of the claw machine store is location. The shopping malls, family entertainment centres, arcades, cinemas, and tourist spots are all good areas to attract customers as they are high-traffic areas. Presence and exposure are important in creating impulse plays and repeat visits.

Measure the space you need, how much space you have to enable the machines and the customers to mingle. Lease flexibility when expanding or customizing stores. It also needs to be accessible, have parking space and comply with local legislation. The proper selection of location increases customer experience and contributes to the long-term profitability.

Step 3: Wholesale Machines from YPfuns

To operate a professional store, it is important to have reliable and high-quality claw machines. YPfuns is a manufacturer of leading product lines like claw and prize machines founded in 2016. YPfuns has 14 years working in the industry and a 20,000+ square meter production plant that guarantees quality and longevity. They have dedicated hardware, acrylic and assembly workshops, to ensure that there is accuracy and reliability in all the machines.

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YPfuns also provides OEM/ODM services, which gives business owners the opportunity to own their own machines with their branding, or their unique designs. Their minimal requirements in terms of minimum order quantity (down to 1-10 units), quick prototyping, and dedicated after-sales help make it easier to start professional shops without any delays in operations. By collaborating with a well-known manufacturer, it means that your machines will be operating to standard and provide a fairly reliable experience to customers.

Step 4: Select Attractive Prizes

The choice of prizes has a direct influence on customer participation and income. Attractive, quality products such as plush toys, blind boxes, collectible figures and small electronics prompt repeat plays and store image. Knowing who you are targeting will assist in knowing what prizes will probably spur interest and loyalty.

claw machine claw

It can be easy to work with a supplier that will provide a one-stop solution of prizes. Speaking of which, YPfuns also offers not only claw machines but wholesale plush toys, allowing you to design themed prize sets or branded products. Your machine sourcing and prize sourcing combine to streamline logistics and ensure consistent quality, and offer a unified and visually appealing experience to your customers.

Step 5: Licensing and Legal Setup

All the necessary licenses and permits must be registered before it opens. Depending on where you are located you may require business license, occupancy permits, health and safety checks, arcade or amusement certifications. Legal operation heavily depends on compliance, and it can prevent fines or even closure.

Also see about liability insurance in case of accidents or damage to property. In case you intend to give licensed or branded products as prizes, you need to seek appropriate permission with IP owners. Meeting with a business lawyer or local regulatory department will help you know all the requirements and be comfortable working within local laws.

Step 6: Payment Systems

Offering flexible payment options is essential in modern claw machine stores. While coin-operated machines remain popular, integrating card readers, mobile payment apps, or digital wallets can enhance convenience and attract a broader customer base.

Implementing a loyalty or reward system encourages repeat plays and fosters customer engagement. Ensure that all payment systems are secure, reliable, and easy to maintain, minimizing downtime and providing a seamless experience for customers. A smooth payment process directly impacts customer satisfaction and revenue.

Step 7: Store Setup & Design

The effective and planned store layout enhances functionality and experience to the customer. Set machines so that the traffic passes as much as possible without giving players too much or too little room. Thematic decor and bright light and signage make the place welcoming.

Think about interactive areas or photo areas to promote sharing on social media, dwell time, and customer engagement. An attractive, strategically built store can make your company stand out of the crowd and use your location as an entertainment venue.

Step 8: Marketing & Customer Attraction

Marketing is the main requirement to attract traffic and create brand awareness. Use an online and offline mix of channels, such as social media, local advertising, influencer collaboration, and community events. Showcase special aspects of your machines, prize choices, and the atmosphere in your store to get noticed.

The motivating promotions like seasonal prizes, limited events or themed challenges can help stimulate the enthusiasm and motivate patients to visit again. Cooperation with schools, family centers, and gaming communities will allow you to increase your customer base further. Strategic marketing will provide regular exposure and interactions with your target market.

Step 9: Maintenance & Management

Routine repairs help to keep machines running and to maximize profitability. Regular check ups of claw mechanisms, computer programmes, coin or card readers, and prize dispensers. Preventative care minimizes downtime and maintains customer satisfaction.

Effective operations also need staff training. Monitoring the play patterns, modifying the prize difficulty as well as keeping the machine clean and functioning is all a part of proper management. Operational attention provides professional working environment and repeat business.

Step 10: Scaling and Expanding

When your first store has been proven profitable, see expansion strategies. This may also involve the expansion of more branches, a variety of machine models, or new prize lines. Customers, market trends and financial analysis should be used to determine the direction of scaling to provide sustainable growth.

Good suppliers and manufacturers are a key factor in expansion. The quality of the machines used, ability to expand production and strong logistics allow scaling across the different locations easily. Growth plans enable your claw machine business to develop into a long-term profitable entertainment business.

Conclusion

The claw machine store needs to be planned well, executed and operated with diligence. Since the research of the market and the right choice of the place is a step to success, the choice of the machines, prizes, and marketing tactics are all steps to success.

Using the best machines and prizes provided by qualified suppliers, like YPfuns, the entrepreneur gets a stable base to build a professional, appealing, and lucrative shop. Your claw machine business can be successful and profitable with the right planning, appealing prizes and successful marketing, and even grow successfully in the saturated amusement industry.

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FAQ

Customization

What kind of shipment provided?

Claw machines could be shipped by sea or by air, and we provide shipment service, CIF (to destination port), and DDP (to door) service.

What kind of payment acceptable?

We accept payments by T/T (bank transfer), Western Union and L/C.

Product

How long is the warranty？

We offer an 18-month warranty and the concept of lifelong maintenance.

How much does claw machine cost?

There are some different prices for the claw machine on the market. But claw machines and gift machines are easy to use and have a lower price than other game machines. Our prices are 15% lower than the market price and depend on the quantity you need. The more pieces you need, the cheaper the price you will get.

Why to choose us?

Our price is competitive and cost-efficient in the same level products in the market. One-stop service we can provide you from consulting to after-sales. We produced good-quality claw machine products, and we hope to build a long-term relationship with our customers. We offer better service to our VIP consumers.