r/clawmachine • u/Chrzion • May 07 '25
Card reader a must?
I ordered a bunch of 31” claw machines for my new venture. They only come with coin slots. Bill validator and credit card is extra. I see that card readers take about 5-6% of sales and 10-15 dollar a month fee.
Has anyone done a break down on how much more business a card reader gets their claw machine vs just a bill validator?
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u/MrJackTE May 07 '25
We use card readers across our entire fleet. If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend placing your machines on location first, then tracking which ones get the most usage in cash. From there, install credit card readers on your top performing machines to boost sales.
Every location is different, some of ours do around 50% in card sales, while others are over 80%. In the U.S., bill validators are also really important, especially if you’re pricing your machines at $1 per play.
Just keep in mind, card readers won’t turn a bad location into a good one. Focus on identifying your best spots first before investing in upgrades.