Attracting Customers
Typical locations for placing toy crane machines in retail stores are highly visible and accessible areas, such as store entrances and high-traffic zones, to maximize their potential to attract customers. With their visually appealing designs and entertainment value, they can quickly catch people’s attention, especially in shopping centers and convenience stores where crane machines often become “traffic magnets.”
According to data from a certain convenience store chain, within two months of introducing crane machines at store entrances, the number of customers entering the store increased by 15%. The primary target customers attracted by crane machines include family groups and couples who are often drawn in by the fun and entertainment provided by these machines and then enter the store to shop.
The sounds, lights, and prize settings in crane machines, such as cute plush toys or cartoon-related items, can attract the attention of passersby. The attraction effect of crane machines can be enhanced by using social media promotions and discount coupons. For example, a large shopping mall released a series of “crane machine tips” and discount coupons on its official WeChat account, attracting more than 5,000 participants and increasing the number of visitors by 20% during the event.
Extending Dwell Time
Customers often spend a long time in front of crane machines, not only because the process of grabbing toys is challenging and fun but also because repeated attempts create emotional investment and anticipation. According to data from a certain retail company, customers spend an average of 5-10 minutes in front of in-store crane machines, which is over twice as much time as they usually spend browsing.
Crane machines can effectively increase customers’ in-store time, thereby increasing the likelihood of noticing other products. To leverage this, many retail stores place high-margin items such as beverages, snacks, and toys near the crane machines, as these items are more likely to be bought on impulse. According to statistics from a certain supermarket chain, after placing snack shelves next to the crane machine, sales of snacks in that area increased by 18%.
Stores can also offer crane machine tokens or free game vouchers to encourage customers to stay longer in the store. For instance, a certain convenience store launched a promotion where customers received a free crane machine game for every 30 yuan spent. After shopping, customers were enticed to stay in the store and try their luck at the crane machine, thus increasing the average customer stay time by 12 minutes.
Impact on Consumer Behavior
Toy crane machines have a special effect on influencing customer behavior. Many customers experience the “emotional sunk cost” effect when trying to grab a toy, where they are willing to invest more time and money to win. According to data from a certain shopping mall, 60% of customers spent more on crane machines than originally planned, with average spending per customer reaching 20 yuan.
This emotional investment not only encourages customers to spend more on crane machines but may also prompt other purchases in-store. Emotional fluctuations, such as disappointment or frustration after failing to win at the crane machine, may lead to “emotional consumption.” Customers who lose in the crane machine may buy snacks or beverages as “compensation.”
Stores can influence customers’ purchasing decisions by optimizing crane machine prizes. Placing some in-store products, such as limited-edition snacks, exquisite tableware, or brand-related merchandise, as crane machine prizes can effectively increase product exposure and stimulate customers’ desire to buy. In addition, customers’ desire to win prizes from crane machines may translate into an interest in in-store products, thereby boosting sales conversion rates.
Integration with Promotion
In-store promotional activities combined with crane machines can effectively enhance customer experience and increase sales. During holidays, some retailers place holiday-themed plush toys inside crane machines and initiate “spend 50 yuan to get a free crane machine game” promotions, attracting many customers and significantly boosting sales of holiday-themed products.
In promotional activities, crane machines can be used as interactive tools to increase customer participation. For example, a certain supermarket launched a Mother’s Day activity called “Grab a special toy for your mom.” During this campaign, the usage frequency of crane machines increased by 50%, and sales of gift items in the store increased by 30%. This combination of promotional activities and crane machines not only enhanced the fun of the promotion but also created a lively consumption atmosphere.
The variety of crane machine prizes significantly affects the effectiveness of the activity. Stores can choose appropriate prizes based on the types of products they want to promote. For example, when promoting a brand of beverages, limited-edition plush toys or related merchandise can be used as crane machine prizes to attract customers to participate while increasing brand exposure and sales.
Increasing Return Rate
Toy crane machines can increase immediate traffic and encourage repeat visits due to positive customer experiences, thereby increasing store return rates. According to data from a certain shopping center, 65% of customers who won prizes from toy crane machines revisited the shopping center at least once within the following month. Customers who successfully grab a prize often feel a sense of fulfillment and are more likely to recommend the store to friends and family, generating a secondary promotional effect.
Stores can link crane machines with membership or points systems to encourage customers to participate continuously during future visits. For example, some convenience stores launched a promotion where customers could earn points for each prize won, which could be redeemed for in-store products or used to replay the crane machine. This activity increased customer interaction and significantly improved the return rate. The member return rate increased by 20% during the promotion period.
