There are several reasons why choosing to franchise with Game Kastle can be advantageous compared to starting an independent store:
- Established Brand and Reputation: Game Kastle is a well-known brand in the gaming industry with a strong reputation. By franchising with Game Kastle, you can leverage their established brand and benefit from the trust and recognition it carries. This can attract more customers and help you establish a foothold in the market more easily.
- Proven Business Model: Game Kastle has a successful business model that has been tested and refined over the years. As a franchisee, you will receive support and guidance in setting up your store, managing operations, and marketing your business. This can save you time and effort in figuring out the best practices on your own.
- Training and Support: Game Kastle provides comprehensive training and ongoing support to its franchisees. You will receive guidance on various aspects of running a successful gaming store, including inventory management, customer service, marketing strategies, and more. This support can be invaluable, especially if you are new to the hobby gaming industry or running a business.
- Purchasing Power and Supply Chain: As a Game Kastle franchisee, you can benefit from the collective purchasing power of the entire franchise network. This means you can access competitive pricing for products, have a wider range of inventory options, and enjoy better terms with suppliers. This can help you maximize your profitability and offer a diverse selection of gaming products to your customers.
- Marketing and Advertising: Game Kastle provides marketing and advertising support to its franchisees. They have established marketing strategies and campaigns that can help you attract customers and promote your store effectively. Additionally, being part of a recognized brand can make it easier to market your store and reach out to the gaming community.
Game Kastle offers several in-store shopping benefits that enhance the overall customer experience:
- Wide Selection of Products: Game Kastle stores have a wide range of gaming products available for purchase. Whether you're looking for board games, card games, miniatures, role-playing games, or accessories, you'll find a diverse selection to choose from. This allows customers to explore different options and find the specific games or items they are looking for.
- Knowledgeable Staff: Game Kastle employs staff members who are passionate about gaming and have extensive knowledge about the products they sell. They can provide expert advice, recommendations, and answer any questions customers may have. This personalized assistance can be invaluable, especially for customers who are new to gaming or seeking specific guidance.
- Demo and Play Area: Many Game Kastle stores have dedicated demo and play areas where customers can try out games before making a purchase. This allows customers to experience the gameplay firsthand, understand the mechanics, and decide if a particular game suits their interests. It also provides an opportunity for customers to engage with other gamers and participate in gaming events or tournaments.
- Community and Events: Game Kastle stores often host community events, tournaments, game nights, and workshops. These events provide opportunities for customers to connect with other gamers, learn new games, participate in competitions, and build a sense of community. It's a great way to meet like-minded individuals, make new friends, and enhance the overall gaming experience.
- Loyalty Programs and Discounts: Game Kastle offers loyalty programs that reward customers for their continued support. These programs may include discounts, special offers, exclusive access to certain products, or points that can be redeemed for future purchases. By participating in these programs, customers can save money and receive additional benefits.
- Special Orders and Pre-orders: If a particular game or item is not available in-store, Game Kastle can often place special orders to fulfill customer requests. Additionally, customers can pre-order upcoming game releases to ensure they receive the product as soon as it becomes available. These services allow customers to access a broader range of products and stay up-to-date with the latest releases.
These in-store shopping benefits at Game Kastle aim to create a welcoming and immersive gaming environment for customers. Feel free to check out our store locations! You can also view the Game Kastle image gallery here.
The decision is yours, but upon request our sales team will provide you with assistance in selecting a territory.
Becoming a Franchise Partner with Game Kastle is an exciting opportunity as you have the chance to influence your community to be inventive and imaginative! Our training process will help you determine the best ways to set up and build your business in order to be successful in your endeavors.
Beginning with a comprehensive Certification Training program, site assistance, sales and marketing tools, and pre- and post-grand opening through day-to-day operations including centralized billing/collections, Game Kastle is with you every step of the way.
During your training period, you will learn all aspects of the Game Kastle franchise, including:
- The Hobby Gaming Industry
- Retail Store Management
- Event Hosting and Planning
- Growing Your Gaming Community
You will receive a confidential Game Kastle Operations Manual and our helpful management staff will communicate with you on an ongoing basis for consultation and assistance.
Once you complete the training, you will be supported by the entire Game Kastle team. Our success is determined by providing the resources that will ultimately make you a successful entrepreneur. The management team and support staff will provide ongoing mentoring and advanced training through webinars, personal consultations and conferences.
Game Kastle will work with you to provide support for day-to-day operations of your franchise, which will be covered in the initial and ongoing training sessions. Should you need assistance with software or point of sale terminals, that support will be provided by either a member of our team or an approved vendor.
Depending on your store size and the amount of business you plan to do on a daily basis, you will need to determine how many employees are required. Game Kastle can be managed with a minimal staff, but there may be times at which extra staff may be required (e.g., special events or holidays).
From serious gamers and hobbyists to those just getting started, Game Kastle has something for everyone!
Retail experience definitely helps, but is not a specific requirement.
Once the Franchise Agreement has been signed, and your site has been selected and approved, your new business can be operational in as few as 60-90 days or longer depending on build out of your chosen location.
The total investment required to begin operation of a game store is from $198,900 to $442,400. This includes the initial franchise fee of $47,500.
While we do not offer financing option ourselves, we do have some resources that might be of assistance to you.
Game Kastle will assist you in growing your business through the strategic and tactical implementations of Game Kastle branding and marketing. You will be provided with our Operations Manual, which will assist you in positioning your franchise in your selected location. All corporate and franchised offices participate and share the expense of several advertising programs and campaigns, to which you have access from day one. Because these advertising expenses are shared, all offices can participate in numerous programs to attract the right management candidates for their clients.
As a Franchise Partner of Game Kastle, your presence on the Game Kastle website is maintained by our internal IT department.
Social media and all online advertising and marketing is handled by our own marketing staff. We do welcome and encourage you to take pictures and submit them to us so that we can help build your presence on your social media platforms.
All marketing, advertising and social media is produced and constantly maintained by our internal staff. All media is available and accessible to our Franchise Partners via our media center located on the Game Kastle franchise portal.
Game Kastle is a continuing licensing fee based franchise. Additionally, as mentioned above, Game Kastle offers several marketing and advertising programs, some of which require participation fees to cover materials and expenses.