The organization of a center for the rental of game consoles and related electronic devices is a business idea that is relevant today. The lending system, thanks to which working people in Russia could provide themselves with household appliances and electronics, proved to be ineffective during the last economic crisis.

The Russians have become more circumspect, and take on credit only the most essential goods. A game console is not the kind of thing that is needed in everyday life, but rather refers to luxury goods. Why buy expensive electronics if you have to use it several times a month?

Benefits of an electronics rental business

The electronics rental center provides everyone with game consoles, tablets and laptops. Payment for the use of equipment can be both daily and weekly. The tariff for the duration of the game, depending on the length of the lease, should differ. For example, if a client rented an Xbox 360 for a day, the fee could be 150 rubles per day.

However, the user is unlikely to want to pay 1050 rubles if they rent a set-top box for a week. Most likely, such a price will seem overpriced to him. To attract a client, the cost of a weekly rental can be reduced to 700 rubles. In terms of days, it turns out that the player pays not 150 rubles per day, as in the first case, but only 100.

At first glance, this seems like a lost profit, although in reality everything is a little more complicated: the 700 rubles that you receive in a week are guaranteed money. And the 150 rubles paid for the daily rent of the set-top box are not constant. You may not be able to find clients for a long time. Therefore, it is important to attract regular users by providing them with various discounts and benefits.

The main audience of the gaming equipment and accessories rental center is people under 30 years old who have found the era of video games. The greatest demand for the services of the center should be expected on weekends and holidays, as well as during the holidays. There is no need for special financial investments to rent out game consoles and other multimedia equipment. It is enough to purchase equipment and regularly carry out its maintenance. If you are serious about your business, you may need a small separate office to store your equipment. To rent an office, you need to get registered as an individual entrepreneur.

Income and risks

The cost of daily rent of a set-top box, tablet or laptop usually ranges from 100 to 200 rubles. Renting a device for a week - 600-700 rubles. The cost of the Xbox 360, depending on the region of sale and modification of the console, is 8-16 thousand rubles. It is easy to calculate that the most expensive set-top box with the lowest rental price will pay for itself in a maximum of 160 days of rent, and the cheapest one with the highest rent - in just 40 days. Similar calculations can be made for tablets and laptops.

The main risk for the owner of the set-top box is that the client can damage it. Sometimes users deliberately change the "stuffing", leaving valuable details for themselves. To protect equipment from craftsmen, it can be sealed. But this is not a guarantee that the x box and other electronic devices will remain intact. The best way to protect your property legally is to conclude a lease with the client. Prepare the agreement forms with the standard text in advance so that the agreement only needs to indicate the lease term and sign. In addition, just in case, it is better to take a deposit from clients exclusively in the form of money, and not documents.

Is the rental business profitable?

Electronic equipment rental belongs to the so-called. The costs are virtually nonexistent, with the exception of the money spent buying multiple set-top boxes, tablets and laptops.

By renting out just one set-top box, with a sufficient number of customers, you can earn about 3 thousand rubles per month. If you rent out 5-6 units of equipment at once, the profit will increase to 10-15 thousand. If you wish, you can create a rental center by increasing the number of laptops and consoles up to 10-15 pieces. Then the net income will increase to 40-50 thousand rubles, although the risks will increase: if the demand for such services decreases, incomes will drop significantly, and you will have a whole electronic "arsenal" in your hands. Of course, even used electronics can be sold, but hardly anyone will give a good price for it.

Thus, the business of renting game consoles, laptops or tablets is more suitable as an auxiliary to those entrepreneurs who already have something open. Or, this business can be mastered if you have your own - in this case, you can buy the brought equipment inexpensively and rent it out.

How long have you been to the game library or "computers"? It's hard to remember, isn't it? But for the generation of the 90s, such establishments are a whole cultural layer of the gaming movement. And I am glad that today this culture is slowly reviving, but at a more comfortable level. In addition, entrepreneurs simply have no other options, since the model of smoky gambling clubs in basements has become untenable with the advent of unlimited Internet among players. After all, despite the memories of funny 8 by 8 notches in contrast with the disabled gravity, today I still prefer comfort and safety.

Perhaps it is worth explaining why I wrote this digression. The other day I visited DreamRoomCafe, an establishment that bills itself as "the perfect place to relax and have fun." In fact, behind such big words, there is a banal game library with six PS4 consoles, two PS3s, comfortable sofas and a scattering of pear chairs. I don't know how comfortable it is to be there with a large crowd of people, but there is plenty of room for four companies of two people each (as it was in my case). The prices in the cafe are adequate (100-250 rubles per hour for renting a console), there is a cheap minibar (no alcohol, which is very cool!) And all the necessary console games (like FIFA 14 and Battlefield 4 for PS4 or The Last of Us, Grand Theft Auto 5, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception for PS3). Of the minuses, only the absence of the Mortal Kombat fighting game in the cafe and the fact that the mobile connection in the institution almost does not work, although the latter is possible and a plus))

Location, reputation, service, what games the "game club" offers - everything matters! Does the club have up-to-date novelties, do they monitor the quality of service? It is also very important.

Location

Service

Games

Trends

Reputation

The material was prepared by Elena Kosovskaya, specially for Game as Business

Some people think that computer clubs are not profitable these days. Say, well, who needs them? Many people have a computer, laptop, tablet at home ... Who will go there? But is it?

Who needs computer clubs?

Firstly, there are still many people who cannot imagine their life without a few DotA games or dizzying races with friends.

In addition, sometimes it becomes necessary to quickly find certain information on the Internet, print it or send a letter. And in the event that a computer or laptop is not at hand, first of all, a person starts looking for an Internet salon located nearby.

Opening a computer club is a truly profitable solution, an idea that will bring you tangible income in the near future.

Step 1. Finding a suitable location

Unlike other areas of business, in this case, proximity to the city center is not critical, so you shouldn't overpay for a place “under the sun”.

The key factor in this case is the ability to open a 24-hour computer club. Without this, you could lose a significant portion of your potential customers.

In addition, you should focus on the availability of the premises. Your salon should not be too far from public transport stops and busy streets - otherwise, competitors may simply intercept your customers.

And one more important point, which willy-nilly will have to pay attention to when deciding the question: "How to open a computer club?" It is about choosing between renting and buying an object. Considering that the basis of this business is a mobile computer network, which, if necessary, can be easily moved to another place, in order to save money, it would be more logical to rent a room. However, if you have decided to firmly "put down roots" in the chosen place and have enough money, you can buy it. This will allow you to significantly reduce your monthly expenses in the future.

Technical requirements

It is important that there is electricity in the room, there are climate control systems, and there is not too much humidity. Immediately take care of having high-speed Internet and establishing its distribution between all computers. Another point is the compliance of the premises with modern fire safety requirements.

Of course, the computer club must have an emergency exit and a bathroom.

Step 2. Paperwork

No matter how you resist, having decided to open your own computer club, you will have to talk to representatives of some government agencies that control the activities of entrepreneurs.

First of all, we are talking about the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service. According to the current sanitary standards, each work (play) place should not be less than 4 m 2. By the way, this factor must also be taken into account when choosing premises for rent or purchase.

In addition, SES workers must record the level of electromagnetic radiation near each computer. You will have to pay for this service (about 1000 rubles for checking each device). Not fair? Perhaps, but without this, you can only dream of your own computer club.

Finally, you will have to cooperate with the youth department of the district or city government. It would seem, what does he have to do with it? It's still trickier here. You must carefully monitor your visitors so that you are not accused of distracting schoolchildren from classes and serving as a "brothel" for difficult children.

According to our legislation, schoolchildren are not allowed to be in computer clubs during lessons, and children under the age of 14 should not stay with you after 21:00. By the way, violation of the second condition is fraught with large fines from the police, so one should not turn a blind eye to flagrant violations (even out of sincere human solidarity).

What code for OKVED to choose for the Internet salon?

Another important point to consider when opening a computer club is OKVED. Depending on which code will be used, you will be able to register your establishment under certain conditions. Unfortunately, the “Computer Club” item is simply missing in the classification. Therefore, almost all owners of such establishments choose from alternative options:

• 72.60 - other activities related to the use of information technology and computer technology;
• 93.05 - provision of other personal services;
• 74.84 - provision of other services.

However, regarding this issue, it is best to consult with a specialist who will be able to assess your activities and choose the option most suitable from the point of view of the law.

Step 3. Purchase of equipment

This is perhaps the most important stage in organizing your business. If you are interested in how to open a computer club, you should understand that in order for your establishment to bring you tangible profits, you must have at least 15 cars at your disposal.

Many aspiring entrepreneurs make the same mistake by dwelling on computer games. Meanwhile, it is no less important to provide your customers with a high-speed Internet access channel.

Why is corporate Internet access important?

It should be emphasized that corporate Internet access is not at all the same as a home access point. Moreover, the difference lies not only in cost, but also in bandwidth and data exchange speed. The price of the cheapest access to a network with a data transfer rate of up to 256 Kbps is about 6 thousand rubles. However, given today's customer demands, even that is not enough. The best option is a channel of 50 Mbps or more. And the cost of such a connection can reach 60-80 thousand rubles. per month.

In the modern world, you practically cannot do without the Internet. Despite the fact that every day it is becoming more and more popular in private houses and apartments, it is not always possible to stretch fiber and make traffic available and inexpensive. In this case, a specialized institution that provides Internet access for a fee can be a great alternative. It can be a large internet club or a relatively small one. In the latter variant, a small room is rented, in which up to 20 workstations with computers and software are equipped.

A large computer club has 30-50 rather powerful machines with high-speed Internet, VIP rooms and a cafe. Establishments of this scale pay off slowly, as they require serious capital investments, but they usually do not have problems with regulatory authorities. But regardless of the format of the future institution, you will definitely need a competent and accurate business plan for a computer club.

Legal issues

Any business must be legal from a legal point of view, and gambling is no exception. The best organizational and legal form for opening a computer club is an individual entrepreneur (individual entrepreneur). First, you need to come up with a memorable and sonorous name for the club, which is related to computer topics.

In order to register an institution, you will need:

• registration application;
• memorandum of association;
• the charter of the future enterprise and information about the founder of the club;
• a receipt confirming the payment of the state duty;
• documents that confirm the consent of the antimonopoly authorities.

It is also necessary to settle all issues with the regulatory authorities. It is usually difficult to meet all the requirements, so their decision will depend on many factors. For the institution to work around the clock, you will need to obtain permission from the police station.

If you plan to open a small gaming computer club, then it makes no sense to immediately spend money on the purchase of licensed software, but you still need to take into account that it will be necessary to purchase it in the future. This can be done through the Russian representative offices of manufacturing companies. Before installing a licensed program, you will need a special license that allows its commercial use. It can be bought from a distributor company, the cost of the license is calculated individually for each computer club.

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Choice of location

The best place to open such an institution is a residential area with a large population or a street where a significant number of educational institutions are concentrated. A good place for a computer club is a busy intersection, a market area or a large store. It is undesirable to open an institution of such a plan in residential buildings, since the audience of the gaming computer club is quite noisy, so residents will definitely complain. In addition, in a residential building, the club is most often located in the basement, respectively, it will be difficult to obtain permits from the sanitary and epidemiological station and the fire inspection.

The rental price per square meter in residential areas is usually low, so the annual payment will not be too high.

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Clients and demand for services

The main visitors to the computer club will be:

• students and schoolchildren who visit the institution not only for educational purposes, but also for the game;
• clients of all ages who rarely go to the computer club.

Considering that the sphere of distribution of computer services is quite developed, the main attention in the process of developing a project must be paid to the relationship between the user and the seller.

It is necessary to focus on the qualifications, competence and friendliness of the managers who will serve the game room.

The services of a computer club are almost always in demand. But at the same time, seasonal deviations upward or downward are possible. During the period of exams and sessions in universities, attendance for educational purposes increases significantly, while games begin to interest potential customers during school holidays.

In the pricing process, it is important to consider the purchasing power of the prospective customers and the quality of the services provided.

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Necessary equipment and staffing

The next step is to buy equipment. Here it is important not to save money on the purchase of the necessary equipment, since many visitors come to play in a computer club, and games require high-quality and modern equipment. Therefore, the more powerful the technique, the more visited the institution will be. You will also need to purchase printers and scanners, appropriate furniture: tables, chairs; equip the administrator's workplace.

Next, you need to find the right staff for the job. Several people will be required for technical support and setting up computer hardware and software. You can invite students of specialized universities who live nearby. If we talk about a small club, then 3-4 people will be enough for its normal operation, who will maintain the software and work with clients. You will also need one system administrator. Basically, computer clubs work around the clock, so you need to organize work in two shifts. You cannot do without a security guard, as the establishment will have expensive equipment.

For the official registration of personnel, you will need to register an employment contract with many authorities, such as tax, social, pension and health insurance funds. You will need to keep payroll records, start work books and tax cards for each employee. Therefore, if there is an opportunity, it is better to agree with a large organization so that it is there that the staff is registered, and then they are rented out to the club. As a result, you can get rid of the paperwork that the HR department of the enterprise will deal with. An accountant will be needed for accounting, if the owner of the club cannot handle this matter.

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Effective advertising methods

After opening a new computer club, you can start an advertising campaign. For this you will need:

• to post leaflets on schools and entrances of houses with prices and the address of the club (before compiling an advertisement layout, it is important to take into account that the main target audience is teenagers 10-18 years old);
• place ads on the Internet on specialized sites;
• create a noticeable and bright sign with a detailed list of services provided;
• regularly arrange various promotions and tournaments;
• create a system of discounts, for example, for customers who work more than three hours in a row.

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Development of a computer club

It is important for a newly opened establishment to provide a sufficient level of service, because most computer clubs are usually inattentive to their customers. Since a specific audience usually gathers in this place, then it is necessary to act outside the box. There are situations when older guys demand money from younger ones. Therefore, as an option, you can give the hooligans a free subscription for a month. You can also try to attract the attention of visitors to your establishment through various competitions with monetary rewards. Or create a board of honor.

It is necessary to come up with and implement original ideas, as a result, the constant development of even a small club will help to significantly increase the monthly revenue from each computer. Over time, the institution will be able to move to a new level, the clients of which will be a wealthy public. It will be possible to provide the following services:

• high speed internet access;
• copying and burning discs;
• work with office applications;
• scanning of various documents;
• file listing;
• photocopying;
• conducting computer courses.

It may be necessary to create two rooms: one, a playroom, for young people, and the other for more serious clients.