(Topic ID: 152861)

Pay with your phone? Is this a common thing yet?

By scott_freeman

8 years ago


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  • 239 posts
  • 77 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 8 years ago by smokedog
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    There are 239 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 5.
    #1 8 years ago

    Anyone else seeing "Pay with your phone" pinball machines in your area?

    Here is a picture of two machines at "Bent Brew Stillery" , Roseville, MN

    "Pay Range" is the app.

    http://www.bentbrewstillery.com/?age-verified=5d1f5cd2c4

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    #2 8 years ago

    Tony P. uses Pay Range for all of his games at the Sun Ray bowling alley. I love it. No more quarters clinking around in my pocket or fighting the dollar bill machine to accept my worn out cash.

    #3 8 years ago

    I could have sworn there was a thread on Pinside about someone's arcade using this technology - but now I can't find it!

    I think it's a great idea. Anything that keeps me from carrying cash around is a-ok by me.

    #4 8 years ago

    We've got this on a few games out at Schwoegler's in Madison as well. Pretty slick system. As old school as I am (I like putting quarters in), it's fun and easy to just swipe up and watch your game credit up.

    #5 8 years ago

    This would easily double/triple my spending in a typical arcade.

    #6 8 years ago

    Going to be adding PayRange to my 8 location machines in the next few weeks.

    #7 8 years ago

    Any additional payment option is a plus.

    The signage stuck on and below the translites is a minus.

    #8 8 years ago

    Main Street Amusements in Lafayette, IN has PayRange on all of their machines. I used it the last time I was there, but I'm not really a fan. It took too long for the app to establish communication and enumerate the machines, and It had to do that every time I wanted to pay. I can drop a token much faster.

    It's definitely good to have the option, but next time I'll just buy tokens.

    #9 8 years ago

    I think a good balance would be having a change machine accept this form of payment. That way you don't have to connect after each game. One of the places around here allows you to purchase tokens with a credit card which is convenient for times I don't have change or cash on hand.

    #10 8 years ago

    I used Pay Range on Tony's game.... LOVED it..... Highly recommended.

    #11 8 years ago

    Anyone know the cost to implement this? Is the technology wifi or cellular-ish?

    #12 8 years ago

    For other locations in MN, Eastside Pinball at Sun Ray Lanes and D&G Amusement at Mortimers have PayRange. It is nice. That said, the PayRange app works MUCH better on Apple phones than Android ones. I have an Android phone and I still use it all the time though. Now I have lots of quarters filling up my change jar at home that I used to always grab to go play games.

    The technology is bluetooth. I want to say it was about $50 per game to implement.

    #13 8 years ago

    D&G has it running at Cafettos as well in Minneapolis. Not sure if he has it going at Nomad.

    #14 8 years ago

    So how exactly does this work?

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    #15 8 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    So how exactly does this work?

    kinko_(resized).jpgkinko_(resized).jpg

    #16 8 years ago

    I'm still waiting on the hand scan technology that will scan the chip in your hand for payment.

    #17 8 years ago
    Quoted from kyle5574:

    Main Street Amusements in Lafayette, IN has PayRange on all of their machines. I used it the last time I was there, but I'm not really a fan. It took too long for the app to establish communication and enumerate the machines, and It had to do that every time I wanted to pay. I can drop a token much faster.
    It's definitely good to have the option, but next time I'll just buy tokens.

    Felt the same way Kyle does. And a couple times I paid for a machine I was standing next to, instead of the one I really wanted to play. The app was clunky.

    If they make this a norm, they need to introduce NFC payments. I'm always impressed how fast I can pay with it at McDonalds.

    #18 8 years ago
    Quoted from herbertbsharp:

    Anyone know the cost to implement this? Is the technology wifi or cellular-ish?

    According to the payrange website, it doesn't need wifi/cellular signals--it uses's the customer's phone instead through the payrange app. I'm assuming the phone someone detects the dongle.

    $49 for the hardware, and 3.95% per transaction.

    #19 8 years ago

    I can see the convenience factor... But I still break out the quarters when I go to Sun Ray even if it's now more expensive. I don't need my credit card and now payrange tracking every bar I go into.

    Nothing says privacy like cash. Tinfoil hat firmly in place ....

    #20 8 years ago
    Quoted from setzkor:

    I can see the convenience factor... But I still break out the quarters when I go to Sun Ray even if it's now more expensive. I don't need my credit card and now payrange tracking every bar I go into.
    Nothing says privacy like cash. Tinfoil hat firmly in place ....

    I've see a number of pins on location without a nearby change machine or a dollar bill acceptor. So, I ended up passing on them. I imagine the general public doesn't bother to go too far to hunt down some change.

    I was thinking about putting an older Gottlieb machine on location, but that game has one of those weird narrow coin doors, so a dollar bill acceptor is impossible to install, and I probably won't be able to get my hands on a cheap change machine. So, mobile payments might be the only way to go.

    The only question next is how it can be integrated into a vintage machine since they don't have that 6-pin molex cable for power & data.

    #21 8 years ago

    As Sean has said we have them on 4 of our games at Schwoegler's. I dont personally have a smart phone so I wont ever get to use it, but so far it seems many people like the idea and dont carry cash so it is a convienence for them.

    From my perspective, the #1 call for any game is the coin slots are not taking money. Payrange provides a was to play even if the coin slot is jammed.

    Side benefit is less dealing with dirty coins and hassle of counting and rolling.

    At $50 a game I find it a bit pricey (esp since they already take a cut off each credit), but it will be a nice experiement to see how much it is used.

    #22 8 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    The only question next is how it can be integrated into a vintage machine since they don't have that 6-pin molex cable for power & data.

    Main Street Amusements probably has the answer. He's got them on all of his. Even the EMs.

    #24 8 years ago

    the beauty of the payrange thing is that you can still pay with traditional methods.

    It plugs in in-line with the DBV so it does not force you to loose a method.

    #25 8 years ago

    love this since most OPs I've experienced using it offer deals so you can play for cheaper but you end up playing more which I think then is good for both the player and OPs. My goal is more location pinball so making it easier for regular people is important as is making more $ for Ops

    #26 8 years ago

    we plan to run game specials at off times once we get a bit more experience with it. Things like .50 games over lunch time.

    #27 8 years ago

    Tried using it, was way too clunky with android. Back to the $1s for me!

    #28 8 years ago

    If it costs me more to play a .50/1.00 machine then I'm not good with it. Operators need to keep this in mind if they use it as I think it will cost them more in the long run as in pay for the services but get less return.

    #29 8 years ago

    Is nothing sacred anymore ?

    John P. Dayhuff
    Battle Creek, Mi.
    269-979-3836

    #30 8 years ago

    I use Apple Pay everywhere I can so NFC or Bluetooth payment methods make sense to me. I'm surprised at the high percentage they take though, and it seems I need to load their app with money? I wouldn't like that as I do it with my Starbucks app and hate it.

    #31 8 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    According to the payrange website, it doesn't need wifi/cellular signals--it uses's the customer's phone instead through the payrange app. I'm assuming the phone someone detects the dongle.
    $49 for the hardware, and 3.95% per transaction.

    I forgot the phone is hooked up to a network thats a genius idea!

    #32 8 years ago
    Quoted from Lethal_Inc:

    If it costs me more to play a .50/1.00 machine then I'm not good with it.

    In 1980 games went up to .50 cents.

    Adjusted for inflation, that would be $1.48 in today's dollars.

    #33 8 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    we plan to run game specials at off times once we get a bit more experience with it. Things like .50 games over lunch time.

    Tony runs great specials at Sun Ray. $.50 weekends or for tournaments and he doesn't have to manually change the settings in each game this way through PayRange. Games are normally a $1.00 cash price (except Hook and Eight Ball Deluxe), but only $.89 through PayRange. He also has the play 7 games, get one free enabled so you can earn free games that way. I still love quarters too, don't get me wrong, but there has been more than one time I stopped in there without any cash on me, so it is always nice to have it as an option instead of being SOL.

    #34 8 years ago

    How do you shove your phone into the coin slot?

    #35 8 years ago

    Here's a video on connecting the device in a pacman cocktail game.

    #36 8 years ago
    Quoted from Lethal_Inc:

    If it costs me more to play a .50/1.00 machine then I'm not good with it.

    It does not cost the player ANYTHING more.

    It does cost the operator as I think they take like 4% per play?

    #37 8 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    I've see a number of pins on location without a nearby change machine or a dollar bill acceptor. So, I ended up passing on them. I imagine the general public doesn't bother to go too far to hunt down some change.
    I was thinking about putting an older Gottlieb machine on location, but that game has one of those weird narrow coin doors, so a dollar bill acceptor is impossible to install, and I probably won't be able to get my hands on a cheap change machine. So, mobile payments might be the only way to go.
    The only question next is how it can be integrated into a vintage machine since they don't have that 6-pin molex cable for power & data.

    The device powers a relay/transistor "x"amount of times and that relay/transistor drives a contact you parrallel with the coin mech switch, most likely. And if not its an easy way todo it id say.

    #38 8 years ago
    Quoted from vid1900:

    In 1980 games went up to .50 cents.
    Adjusted for inflation, that would be $1.48 in today's dollars.

    Yeah, I am always amazed when pinheads with games in their own home are reluctant to pay $1 per play on location. I will happily pay $1 per play for clean and good playing games. That is way less thanthey cost me as a kid (inflation adjusted) and back then I did not have hardly any funds.

    #39 8 years ago

    We also use Payrange on some of our games

    #40 8 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    Yeah, I am always amazed when pinheads with games in their own home are reluctant to pay $1 per play on location. I will happily pay $1 per play for clean and good playing games. That is way less thanthey cost me as a kid (inflation adjusted) and back then I did not have hardly any funds.

    I also am astounded by that!

    The operator has purchased a game that maybe cost $8000 (Hobbit) and anything over $1 is too much?

    As the crocodile hunter would say, CRIKEY!!

    Games here are $2 per play for new Sterns.

    Older games are still $1 like they have been for 20 years.

    When I was at Logan Hardware they had a Whoa Nellie and that was dearer than the other games, I'm going to say $1.50 (??) a play?

    Didn't deter too many people, it was being played all night.

    rd

    #41 8 years ago

    No, but I've experienced "pay for a pinball repair with your phone" before and it was pretty obnoxious.

    If you have a repairman coming by on a housecall, have some cash handy.

    #42 8 years ago

    The $50 may sound like a lot, but how much is a bill validator? Also you should be able to move it from machine to machine as you rotate games.

    For a sophisticated operator, this can provide a lot of information that can lead to better profits. Customer analytics possibilities are now opened up.

    I'm making some assumptions here, but you could see who your best customers are, player frequency, time of day stats, etc. You can also see these results remotely and immediately. Promotions, discounts, and frequent player programs are now possible.

    You will never get 100% adoption, but it will give you better information to improve your locations' performance.

    I just wish I could use this to avoid machines being considered as coin operated and skip the punitive GA laws.

    #43 8 years ago
    Quoted from vid1900:

    In 1980 games went up to .50 cents.
    Adjusted for inflation, that would be $1.48 in today's dollars.

    All the games at our Denver 1up locations are .50 cents to play. Others surrounding go as high as $1.00 a play.

    #44 8 years ago
    Quoted from Lethal_Inc:

    All the games at our Denver 1up locations are .50 cents to play. Others surrounding go as high as $1.00 a play.

    Yeah, I guess somewhere like 1up, the pins are just an attraction to sell the beer. You make good money on beer.

    In an arcade setting, I don't know if 50c return on a expensive pinball machine is such a good thing ...

    rd

    #45 8 years ago

    Yes exactly, point being, I refuse to pay anymore for alternate methods of payment. I'm fine with quarters, always has been that way and the way it should stay.

    #46 8 years ago

    This reminds me of standing in line behind the guy that's trying to pay for a stick of gum with his credit card.

    #47 8 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    I will happily pay $1 per play for clean and good playing games.

    That's a huge assumption out of the blue.

    Quoted from rotordave:

    The operator has purchased a game that maybe cost $8000 (Hobbit) and anything over $1 is too much?

    Oh no, the poor plight of the operator now?

    #48 8 years ago

    The advantage of PayRange is the youth of today don't carry around cash. They just don't. They have no problem downloading an app, adding a credit card and paying without touching anything but their phone. Carrying around coins or tokens for them is way too difficult. And my personal experience with Dan at MSA and PayRange has been tremendous. Sure it takes just a little longer, but I no longer have to deal with tokens.

    #49 8 years ago

    Pay Range is used in Boulder at Press Play and CU campus. When you get close to the game it will confirm the game with an image of it, so the buyer just needs to pay attention. The only issue I've heard is that it is only able to process full credits, so the 3 games for $2.00 on a $0.75 game deal doesn't work all that well... you wind up putting in 3 swipes ($2.25) to get 3 games and then you have a $0.25 credit left over, so if you like to do that, supplement with quarters to top it off.

    There is a fee to the operators similar to a credit card transaction, so anyone truly concerned about such fees should probably not be using credit cards for anything, ever. There are a few benefits that have not been covered here. Operators may get a little extra bump as if someone runs out of cash they no longer have an excuse to walk away. I'm one who regularly stops playing once my quarters or dollars run out, and I'm sure there are others. Probably more useful is the ability to put all games on free play, for example a barcade can now run a happy hour every day from 5-7pm with freeplay, $0.25 Tuesdays, etc. The ability to run specials for customers is probably worth it regardless of anything else, but Pay Range is still limited in that area.

    #50 8 years ago
    Quoted from Lethal_Inc:

    Yes exactly, point being, I refuse to pay anymore for alternate methods of payment. I'm fine with quarters, always has been that way and the way it should stay.

    There isn't any additional cost to the player - just the operator. If you load up $5 on your account you play $5 worth of pinball. The operator will see less of that $5, but the player will spend exactly the same amount. I personally prefer quarters as well, but PayRange is a great alternative way to pay.

    There are 239 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 5.

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