technology gadgets, fashion clothing, gaming gears, and gift cards. All this, together with limited edition toys and sports merchandise, should be combined to ensure that prizes are functional, stylish, and collectible; hence, increasing participation and appeal.
Tech Gadgets
Today, tech gadgets have irreversibly become an indispensable ingredient of life for teens. Because prizes combine style and practicality, these items become popular in the process of prize selection. According to data, teen spending on electronic devices and related products rose sharply in 2023 and is positioned for a further increase in the global proportion of consumer groups in the tech product market by 2025.
Among them, headphones are absolutely the popular choice, especially wireless Bluetooth headphones. Many teenagers have gotten used to using them for listening to music, playing games, and even making calls. The products like Apple’s AirPods and Sony’s WH-1000XM5 have turned out to be necessities in teenagers’ minds. These headphones will not only provide high-quality audio experiences but also have noise-cancelling functions that greatly improve the users’ experience.
Wearable devices, besides headphones, are one of the most popular choices as prizes. According to a report by IDC, global smartwatch shipments reached 228 million units in 2023, with the most significant growth contributed by younger users. Such gadgets do not just serve the basic purpose of showing time but also come equipped with health tracking, heart rate monitoring, and other health management features, hence becoming highly relevant for teens who recently have become more concerned with healthy lifestyles. These gadgets can please all budgets, from the cheapest to the expensive ones, because they have different prices, thus making smartwatches and fitness bands also very appealing as prizes in redemption games.
Trendy Apparel
The fashion brand has grown steadily in the teen’s pursuit of trendy apparel. Generation Z uses clothing styles to express individuality and attitude, and that is one of the major reasons why most brands consider that factor when making and marketing their products. According to a report by Allied Market Research, the global apparel market is projected to reach $2.25 trillion by 2027, with teen fashion consumption at the fastest growth rate.
The clothes of famous brands are especially popular among teenagers. Products of such brands as Nike, Adidas, and Vans have constantly headed the rating of fashionable clothes. For example, Nike’s line of Air Jordan sneakers has gained a whole army of young adherents all over the world. Such limited models are perfect not only on the court but also have become a certain element of street fashion. These redemption game machines can highly develop their lobbies and use to attract more teen participants since they offer apparel prizes issued by such brands.
Custom-designed trendy apparel is also one of the most creative prize options. In recent years, more and more young people have started looking for special and unique clothes, and they would not mind spending a little more on personalized clothes. With customized T-shirts, hats, or backpacks, each carrying their personalized graphics, not only will it satiate the teen’s need for self-expression, but also game playing with a notion of participation. Prizes may include collaboration designs from certain brands or platforms that let teens design their own clothing, which will surely make the redemption experience even more unique.
Popular Toys
Some would say that teens already “grew up” and stopped playing with toys. Actually, today’s teens want more hi-tech toys and collectibles than ever. Indeed, according to statistics from the Toy Association, the world’s toy market reached 104 billion dollars in 2023, and teens’ interest in collectible toys is growing at a very high speed.
Among all fashion toys, Funko Pops have become the most in-demand for teens all over the world. These figures include not only characters from many pop culture references but also regularly produce limited-edition models that are the reason for huge attraction among teen collectors. Actually, according to NPD data, sales of the Funko Pop! figures surged 12% in 2023. Both the entertainability and investment value drive the attractiveness of these toys. Some of them are sold for many times more than their original price in the secondary market.
LEGO sets that are highly sought after can also be a prize option. LEGO is not just a toy for kids; advanced series like LEGO Architecture and LEGO Star Wars are as popular among teen and adult collectors. In 2023, LEGO sales were up 18% from the prior year. Much of that was driven by high-complexity building sets in demand by teens and adult players. These prizes not only stimulate teens’ creativity but also offer great entertainment value, making them ideal as redemption game prizes.
Gift Cards
The easiest prizes for teenagers to accept are gift cards. These provide good flexibility for players in that they can select their rewards for themselves. Most times, such prizes come as gift cards for online stores or gaming platforms where a teen could decide on something to purchase, thus avoiding the problem of limited prize options or unsuitable ones.
According to a report by Gift Card Granny, the global gift card market reached a volume of $1.4 trillion in 2023, with virtual gift cards being the fastest-growing segment. This is good news for businesses operating redemption game machines. The introduction of virtual gift cards will save them from the extra cost involved in managing the physical prize inventory while offering more diversified options, targeted at teenagers’ needs. Gift cards to Steam, PlayStation, or similar ecosystems, where virtual items or DLCs can be bought, or even a new game to take up, are common. That really makes life as a gamer so much more interesting while satiating the teens’ spending habits in the virtual world.
Gift cards for online shopping stores are also OK. Gift cards from big e-commerce websites like Amazon, JD.com, and Tmall can cover anything a teen wants: from electronics, clothes, books, to stationery. This flexibility makes a gift card one of the most popular prize options in redemption game machines.
Gaming Gear
For most teenagers, gaming is rather a form of socializing and competition than an amusement. Along with revenues booming in the eSports industry, demand for gaming gear from teenagers consistently grows. According to Newzoo, the number of gamers across the world has reached over 3 billion, while nearly one-quarter are players between the ages of 12 and 17 years. This means that awards in gaming gear will have huge appeal among teenagers.
Headphones, keyboards, mice, and game controllers have always been hot prize choices among teenagers. More precisely, RGB-lit mechanical keyboards and gaming mice are rated as “must-have” things for most teen players. Logitech and Razer brands are well-recognized among teenagers for providing top-class gaming equipment. A high-performance gaming headset not only provides crystal clear in-game sounds but also enables voice communication functions that allow teens to communicate effectively with teammates during gameplay.
Besides accessories, the gaming consoles themselves can be a category of premium prizes. Such consoles as Nintendo Switch, Sony PlayStation 5, and Microsoft Xbox Series X are relatively expensive but highly coveted prizes that have the potential to attract teen gamers very nicely. For businesses, these premium prizes may warrant higher point thresholds, pushing teens to continuously play and rack up enough points with the view of redeeming such high-end rewards.
Sports Merchandise
With the increasing emphasis on healthy living, sports-related prizes are now commanding the attention of most teenagers. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, more than 80% of all teenagers worldwide do not engage in enough physical activity; hence, offering sports-related prizes would surely interest them and even help them develop good health behaviors.
Branded sneakers, athletic wear, and exercise equipment are the popular prize choices for teens. Nike and Adidas branded sneakers, especially limited editions, became the fad point where fashion meets sports. Their demand is very high among teens. According to Cowen Equity Research, the global sneaker market was valued at US$95 billion in 2023, and teens are among the biggest consumer groups.
Besides sneakers, basketballs, soccer balls, and other sporting goods are suitable for teenagers’ athletic needs. In recent years, many teenagers have turned to outdoor sports as a way of releasing stress. Since the pandemic, the rate of participation in outdoor activities has grown by bounds. Sports-related awards can present real experiences to the teenagers for sporting activities that could help them in those awards to improve their health fitness.
In recent times, some technology-based sports equipment, such as fitness trackers and heart rate monitors, have gained popularity even among the teenagers. These gears can enable the teenagers to track activity data and motivate themselves to set personal goals towards gradual health improvement, thus satisfying the dual demands of technology and fitness, alongside extra motivators for the teens.
Collectibles
Within the last couple of years, collectible prizes have gradually gained momentum among teens, especially in limited-edition products in pop culture. A lot of teens have been into limited edition figures in games, anime, and film; signed merchandise; special edition posters.
For instance, the Funko Pop! figures of characters in popular culture took over the market in no time. Funko’s sales went up to a record $1 billion in 2023, and teens constitute a significant portion of this sale. Many teens considered collectible items an outlet for interests, while some rare collectibles add value in the secondary market and give teens yet another motive.
Apart from figures, another prize option that is very worth mentioning is LEGO’s limited edition sets. LEGO’s special edition sets, such as the Star Wars series or Harry Potter series, are favored not only by teen players but also attract a big number of collectors. LEGO’s unique design and high quality ensure the long-term value
