I have negotiated processing of other things of this nature to a much lower amount. I called and offered to buy 100 units for 2 locations. No discount no fee decrease.

I never purchased and figured it's not worth the time.

Cool idea but the fees are out of hand imo

Remember when Paypal was totally free "we make our money on the interest on the money in your accounts".

They hook you, then gut you.

That is why you try stuff. Some times it works. And some times it doesn't.

LTG : )

Same thing happened to me. They jacked up the pricing and made me sign a contract. However, after much correspondence with Gavin in tech support I was able to mine invaluable data. Think about it a sec. they have access to every single PayRange out there. As an operator I’m always wondering what’s working and what’s not. I often ask people I do deals with and they all say Star Wars and ghostbusters are some of the best earners. However I learned that out of thousands of machines across the country the most profitable or at least the machines earning the most are not even pinballs. I’m not surprised by this but I was surprised by what machine actually does the best. Granted this is just a machine on PayRange so data could be skewed. Any guesses as to what is the top earning machine in the PayRange database??

Walking Dead.

Iron man or taf

Probably a photo booth.

Wait a sec.... they are goving you i formation from other peoples machines!!??

Big Bass Wheel is my guess for top earner

Oh and please tell us the answer

BElieve it or I not the highest earning machine is located at a family fun center in California where they have 120 machines on PayRange. Drum roll please.........and the game is hot shots linked basketballs.

Don’t go calling them pumping them for info Whysnow I had a unit that’s needed repairs and while I was on the phone we just shot the shit etc. Be cool/sly about it and you’ll get some info. I doubt they’ll just start telling you random earnings information but if you casually mention it I’m sure they’ll oblige. Sometimes the pulse settings on the older games needs a tweak and what better reference then the same game somewhere else in the country on PayRange.

Despite hot shots being the highest PayRange enabled device in their current database, I’d be worried about balls needing inflating and or replaced often and theft. Plus the added liability of having someone getting jacked in the face with a wild toss. Side note, I’ve also heard that a few raw thrills games earn like a boss. More specifically the walking dead two player sit down and the Jurassic Park equivalent. However those are each $10,000 and moving one is a bit more difficult than a pin. Operating pinballs without any ancillary sources of revenue such as beer or atms etc is just not profitable anyway you slice it. On average newer sterns bring 100/month before retailer commissions. By the time you get your money back the game is trashed most of the time. So for my ultimate point, you really have to love Pinball to route them. If you want to make real money get a video game that two people have to play to have fun. Mario kart gp etc. Please chime in if my experience is an isolated case but from most folks I talk to I’m not way of base.

Someone should start a thread for operators where they are transparent about their earnings and lessons learned from experience.

So true. Thanks for you candidness.

Just ask ExtremePinball he will tell you the basketball games make BANK

You must have some terrible locations for pinball. $100/mo BEFORE the split? Yikes. On the route I help with if we have a machine doing less than $200/mo AFTER the split, it's a candidate for being sold off and something else being brought in. I've turned the operator I help into a mercenary in that regard, and the results are paying off. If it doesn't work, move it, and if it's still not working, cut bait and move on. We're somewhat unique in that most are Prem and LE machines, but that can't be the whole difference. $100/mo pre-split would be really depressing.

I won't be calling them, butfrom the contract and TOS as I unerstand it, theydo not have legal rights to mine each operators personal data or share that info.

This combined with fee inceases gives pause. On top of it all, pay range has been a very bad investment and a PITA IMHO. A very small population uses them, they did not add any revenue, and they are expensive for what they do.

that's the surprising thing about them raising their fees. That is generally done *AFTER* the land grab phase (see Paypal). IMO the land grab has barely started. It appears to me they've probably run out of money already and need to turn a profit (or a clumsy attempt at doing so) and then cut themselves off at the knees.

I was looking at a new location to route, and thought of payrange as maybe a way to make it easier for patrons and you just helped me decided to skip them. Thank you. I didn’t realize it turned into such a crap show.

Can someone please post pics of PayRange physically setup on a machine and maybe some screenshots of the interface(s) ?

I have 10 DBAs on 10 machines. I’m doing well. It’s no longer an experiment. Therefore I’m looking into PayRange. Thanks in advance and keep fighting the good fight guys!

It's really easy. They plug in between the DBV (9 pin harness) and the game..and act as a pass through. That's it.

The newer units pull the 120v from the DBV through the harness to power the devices

What we are finding is at 'pinball locations' they are used about 60%. By that I mean a places where pinball players go to play pinball. We kinda have a home base with 10 or so machines...at that location PayRange is used a lot. It is nice to go to their web interface and see the details on each machine..which is updated on the fly. I think we get a bank deposit every Monday..or maybe Tuesday

At places that only have like 2 machines...and attract the causal bar patron...they are very seldom used. We'll have months without a paypal transaction at a couple locations.

We do offer your first game free when you sign up....and I think every 7 game you play on a machines is free also

Thank you, but does that mean I get to keep my DBAs and just “piggyback them” with some connector and then label it on an instruction card or something? I have no shame being clueless in this, because I am. Pics would be amazing

Yep. You can keep the DBVs...and everything else. They have a special adapter if you are using a card reader system. You get everything you need..including the hardness that plugs into the DBV

I don't have any pics right now. But if you go to their site... they have installation videos.

The wires they splice into the coin mech wires are just for tracking. Meaning they can keep track of incoming coins. That part of their software is terrible. The 'cash' numbers are never correct. So don't get excited when you see $300 the first week you install it =). The mobile payment numbers area actuate

You just need the 9 pin connection between the DBV and game in that video...and of course hook the harness up to the PR device

PayRange is best used for a variety of coin operated amusements not just exclusive to pinball machines.
Many of our photo booths, skeeball, basketball, air hockey, and jukeboxes are using them and are making good money. I know we have well over 100 units. Install for power and I/O (the coin door/direct switch interface board on WMS pinball machines) is very easy with the "dongle", and not obtrusive to other payment methods such as bill acceptors or mechs. Then the unit is properly tested using a technician code using a personal smartphone for connectivity. I/O connections are just as easy on other pieces of equipment.

Those operators that have less than 10 units may not have enough substantial income to make it profitable. You cannot test case with a single install and expect to have good results, as you will acquire very little audit data for canvassing application use on routes. They are best for high traffic zones, and those that are more technology savvy, such as hipster barcade areas or large volume retro arcades. An operator is not going to make any money using PayRange in an old, dark bar that caters to retired men, telling war stories, drinking beer at noon, in their pajamas.

All new AMI/Rowe are not on Payrange.
Old Rockola were added, until replaced, location specfic, some owners still want "older" equipment, although we try to explain advantages. Credit card functions are all disabled. Previous generation Touchtunes are being phased out.

Primary retro arcade has ALL new pinball games with Payrange, along with with arcades such as the new TMNT game, and most high volume games. Older pinball machines is roughly 50% installed dependent on era.

No use for smoke machines I am aware, and of course not ATMs. No coin changers either, where applicable, most of outer locations are responsible to fill their own anyway.

Quarterworld?

Funny, I was thinking of getting a unit just for my change machine. I had hemmed and hawed for a long time because the Coinbox Podcast guys had great luck with them in MN. But I went back one time an the unit was another $10 every few months. That was when I was thinking of putting all my machines on Payrange. At that price I could have bought another System 11 and we were still growing then. So I kept putting it off and now I'm glad I did. With the current fees I'd not want to stick with them.

Many of my games don't earn $50 a month, let alone $200. So until the pinball culture here is an actual thing I'll be sticking with a change machine and quarters.