How to Start Game Parlour Business in India?
What better than turning your hobby into a profitable business? And if it is playing video games, even better, right?
You probably have spent a lot of time playing video games, gaming consoles, mobile games and are now thinking about using your experience to earn profits. We all are well aware of the craze of the gaming industry in India.
Starting a new business is exciting and challenging at the same time. From planning to organising to marketing, everything fills you with a sense of adventure and thrill. If you have decided to start a game parlour or want to know more about how to be successful in this small business, this article is perfect for you. We have discussed all the nitty-gritty of starting a successful game parlour business in India so read till the end.
As we all know, any successful venture starts with a plan. So, let us walk you through how to plan a game parlour business.
How to Plan a Game Parlour Business?
This business plan has four parts. Let us talk about the most important aspects of it.
1. Explore and Research
You might have been to different gaming parlours. You would have noticed a few things you liked about it and some you didn’t. So make a note of these and plan about what you want to add to your gaming parlour. Study the market of the gaming industry. And the best way to do it is to learn about your competitors.
The next thing in research is to look for the best and latest electronic devices you will need. List down all the trending games you will have in your parlour. Study all the things you will need in your infrastructure like PC’s, Monitors, Optical mouse, Sound cancelling headphones, etc.
2. Find a Location
Most of your customers are going to be youngsters. The school and college-going students enjoy spending time playing games with their friends. So, you must look for a location that is nearby a college, school, or coaching centre.
The second step is to decide if you want to own the property or rent it. In either case, don’t finalise the first property you visit. Check out 5 to 6 different properties. Compare the prices, parking space, and locality and then decide.
3. Business Plan
The first thing about a business plan is to decide capital. Everything depends on how much you want to invest. And then decide how much you want to pay for the property.
Now that your finances are in place, it’s time to decide where you want to use them. What types of games do you want to have in your parlour? Do you want only video games? Or do you also want to have carom, table tennis, etc.? Do you want a separate compartment for each gamer or lounge set up or both? Choose your parlour set-up considering these factors.
The next thing is to decide your charges. What will be the subscription fee? What will be the hourly charges? Etc. Also, you would want to consider having a cafeteria to provide snacks and beverages.
4. License
Here is the list of licenses you will need:
Shop Act
GST Filing
Tax Filing
ROC compliance
Trade Mark Registration
MSME Registration
These four are the main aspects of a business plan. A successful game parlour business is mostly dependent on a business plan. So be careful while designing a business plan. And don’t just settle with one business plan. Revise till you are 100% sure about it.
A business plan will only work when you invest wisely. So let’s take a look at what investments are a must for a game parlour business.
What Are the Investments for Game Parlour Business?
You will be investing your money in two major things. First is electronic devices like PCs, Noise-cancelling headphones, Xbox stations, LAN connection, etc. The second investment would be infrastructure, for example, chairs, tables, Air conditioners, Lights, etc.
The amount of money you would spend depends upon the scale of your business. If you want to cut the cost of devices, you can buy pre-owned devices in good condition.
Other than this, you would also want to invest in hiring people. You will need staff to handle customers, an accountant to manage finances, and maybe a trainer to teach newbies. You will have to pay salaries to people from your capital money till your business starts making a profit. Our app OkStaff helps you manage all staff related queries efficiently. This app is your one-stop solution to staff management.
Making wise investments will ensure less loss and more profits. Now let us discuss how profitable the game parlour business is.
Is Game Parlour a Profitable Business?
A gaming parlour is undeniably a profitable business. One main reason is it has a large customer base. A lot of people prefer playing video games with friends. Students can not afford to invest in high-end gaming consoles, so they choose gaming parlours. If you make your business affordable for students, it is going to be highly profitable.
What Are the Risk Factors Involved in Game Parlour Business?
There are no risks in gaming parlours. The only concern is to acquire more customers only then you will be able to make more profits. Try different strategies to attract customers, and you will have a profitable business.
The Marketing Plan for Game Parlour Business
The key in marketing is, promoting your business to the right customers. Promote your business in your locality. Let people know about what all games you offer through flyers, posters, etc.
Also, teenagers spend more time on social media. So make sure your social media marketing game is on point. You can also offer referral discounts on monthly subscriptions. This way, your existing customers will bring new customers.
The other way to attract customers is word of mouth. You can arrange competitions and tournaments. People will take part in tournaments, and they will tell their friends and colleagues. This trick will help you get more customers.
Learn new ways to attract customers, and your business will skyrocket.
We would also like to help you with some tips to grow your gaming parlour business in India.
Adopt new technologies. Introduce new games as often as possible because people get bored of playing the same games.
Try not to splurge your money on luxury things too early in the business. Spend your money wisely. Avoid unnecessary expenditure.
Make rules and regulations to avoid troublesome customers.
Sell and rent video games for added income.
Conclusion
These tips and plans we discussed in this article will help you start and grow a successful game parlour. But remember, these things will only work when you are consistent with your efforts.
The gaming industry has a massive potential to grow in India. So be rest assured to make a killer business plan and start your game parlour.
We hope this guide was helpful for you.
