Harnessing the Power of Data to Grow Your Arcade Business Part 1: Capturing Customer Data

As an arcade owner or route operator, you always look for ways to improve your operations and enhance the customer experience. But knowing where to focus your time and attention can be a challenge.

One powerful tool that can help you achieve these goals is customer data. But how do you capture this information effectively? Let’s explore some practical strategies.

The Anonymous Phase: Website Visitors

Early in the buyer’s journey, your customers are essentially anonymous. They’re browsing your website, checking out your games and attractions, but you don’t know who they are yet. Even at this stage, however, you can gather valuable data.

By using website analytics tools, you can track which pages your visitors are interested in, how long they spend on your site, and what leads them to your website in the first place. This information can give you a glimpse into what your potential customers are looking for, helping you tailor your offerings and marketing efforts accordingly.

Pro Tip: You can retarget website visitors with Facebook ads to entice them to take action by setting up Meta Pixels.

Capturing Basic Contact Information: Promotional Offers

Once you’ve piqued your visitors’ interest, the next step is to encourage them to share their contact information. One effective way to do this is through promotional offers.

For example, you could offer a promotional offer through your website in exchange for their email. We’re all accustomed to seeing this approach through many e-Commerce sites. Incentivizing customers to share their information provides a platform for ongoing communication and engagement.

Remember, the key here is giving and taking to create a win-win. You also want to ensure you’re tracking and measuring conversions so you know the effectiveness of your offers and marketing channels—especially through paid media. 

Understanding Customer Preferences: Transaction Data

Once customers have visited your arcade and purchased a game card, incentivizing them to register their card, you’ve hit a goldmine of data. Every transaction provides insights into which games and attractions your customers prefer, how much they spend, and when they’re most likely to visit.

This transaction data is invaluable for understanding your customers’ behavior and tailoring your operations accordingly. For instance, if you notice that certain games are consistently popular, you might consider adding more machines or creating promotions around these games to boost revenue.

In conclusion, capturing customer data is a journey that starts with anonymous website visitors and ends with a wealth of transaction data. By leveraging this information effectively, you can gain a deeper understanding of your customers, improve their experience, and ultimately drive your arcade business to new heights. Stay tuned for our next blog post, where we’ll delve deeper into how to analyze and use this data to increase repeat visitors.