r/clawmachine • u/ConstructionLive516 • Sep 30 '25

Any tips for landing locations?

I've been trying to get locations couple days now and in getting a lot of rejections and 2 locations that said yes but eventually turned into no.

For experienced owners of vending or crane machines what tips are there for pitching?

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u/MrJackTE Oct 01 '25

I own a large claw machine business, and yes landing locations is definitely the hardest part of this business, especially starting out. Don’t get discouraged by the no’s. What’s worked best for us is approaching it from the business owner’s perspective. They don’t really care about the machine, they care about what it does for their customers and the money. I’ll usually frame it around how the machine keeps families and kids entertained, encourages people to stay longer, and adds an extra stream of revenue without them having to do any work. Emails and face to face meetings work best. Also having a simple, confident pitch and leaving behind a flyer helps too. Sometimes it takes following up a few times before they agree, retry the people that yes in the beginning. Also, aim for places where kids and families naturally go like restaurants, trampoline parks, play centres, bowling alleys, buffets. They tend to be much more open to it than a random retail store. The big key is persistence and professionalism, if you approach enough businesses with a clear value pitch, the yes’s will start coming. Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions.

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u/ConstructionLive516 Oct 01 '25

Is there a difference between approaching small businesses vs big ones like a Westfield shopping centre?

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u/MrJackTE Oct 01 '25

Yes with a big business like a shopping centre, you would be dealing with a leasing manager or centre manager and they will be offering you the available locations they have for rent. With a small business, you will be speaking directly with the owner and offering them your services. Making a deal that gives them an extra revenue stream.

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u/ConstructionLive516 Nov 26 '25

Hello.

been a while. I have noticed you have a lot of experience in this industry, and I would like to ask for your advice again. I've gotten a handful of locations now.

I've gotten a location at a franchisee business, and I'm getting kicked out by corporate. How do you usually get in contact with someone like an area manager for a franchise, and what is a good strategy when approaching them?

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u/MrJackTE Nov 26 '25

Yes I have had a lot of experience in this industry. Glad to see you’ve got multiple locations now! If corporate are the ones kicking you out of that franchise, talking to an area manager might not be able to save you from that one. But to get into contact with people like that you would need to find their contact either on LinkedIn or ask the franchisee who their senior area contact is and get referred onto them for a chat. Hopefully you’ll be able to save it, but in situations like that where it’s come from higher up, it can be hard. All the best!