So I have just set up a project trying to raise money to open a retro gaming arcade and was wondering would anyone here be interested in helping? I know that not everyone can donate but it would be amazing if you could share it on any social media platforms that you use. Even just viewing the project will push it up the list which means more people will see it so our chances of raising the funds is higher. Here is a link to the project:
I have been thinking about these crowd funding business for a while. So what happens if you get your 15K and then shut the doors a month latter? Did you just profit with a ton of stuff?
That is a fair point. I never really used the online forums much but in order for me to get to the goal I need to get the project as far and wide as possible. As you know the market for retro gaming is pretty small so it makes it hard to reach all the people who would likely support this.
You can see on the Indiegogo page that it is linked to my Facebook and you have to be verified to set it up. All I want to do is realise a dream of mine. Even if people just look at the project it helps move it to the top of the list which means more people will see it.
Asphalt wrote:That is a fair point. I never really used the online forums much but in order for me to get to the goal I need to get the project as far and wide as possible. As you know the market for retro gaming is pretty small so it makes it hard to reach all the people who would likely support this.
You can see on the Indiegogo page that it is linked to my Facebook and you have to be verified to set it up. All I want to do is realise a dream of mine. Even if people just look at the project it helps move it to the top of the list which means more people will see it.
This entire post makes me shake my head, but let me provide something constructive. Own the arcades, even a few, before trying to build an arcade bar. It'd be naive to ask people to help you without really bringing anything to the table, first, except ideas and goals.
The whole point of Indiegogo is for people with ideas to get funding for their project. If I already had an arcade then I wouldn't need the funding. I'm just trying to turn a passion in to something that I can do full time. You don't really seem to understand the concept of crowd funding.
Asphalt wrote:You don't really seem to understand the concept of crowd funding.
It's not that we don't understand what crowd funding is. It's that giving money to someone we have never heard about to open a bussiness in a dying area of commerce without any proof of viability is kind of, well, bollocks.
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You don't understand crowd-funding, apparently. If you think 15K is going to be enough to start an arcade bar you started the igg way too early and without appropriate research.
Look, first post asking strangers for money is just poor etiquette. No introduction, just an open palm. If you took 2 seconds to look around the site you'd know we currently have a LONGTIME ACTIVE MEMBER doing the same thing currently so this is a direct affront to his crowd-funder; which many of us gladly contributed to. Oh, btw, he and his group procured about 20+ cabs and significant other pieces well before asking the community for help.
I want to say best of luck in starting an arcade. It's something i've always wanted to do as well.
But I definitely agree with everyone else posting here.
At least introduce yourself and let people get to know you a bit before asking for money.
And if you're going to ask people for money, show them what you've done to accomplish this on your own first. You make no mention of what kind of cabinets/games you already have to put in this arcade. And no mention of what kind of time, money, research you're putting into the project. Are we supposed to fund everything? Why don't we just build the arcade then and make money off of it ourselves?
The way your page reads, it seems like you're asking others to fund a quick idea you had over the weekend. I'd seriously look into the potential of the business, consider all expenses and pick up some cabinets and games. Then draft a real plan. Show people your commitment to making it work and they'll be more likely to offer you the assistance you're looking for.
(And I could be mistaken on this - But i'm fairly certain most of our members here aren't really from your neck of the woods. Kind of a hard sell to get people to buy into a business that they will likely never see, won't collect any profit from and is run by a complete stranger)
We had a similar proposal here recently from a long-time forum member who is starting an arcade bar (pub with arcade games), but his plan was pretty solid and he already owned most of the arcade games. He just needed help getting the business going.
And that's where crowd-funding is most solid. If you already have a solid concept and many of the pieces, and you just need a push to put everything together.
Your proposal makes it sound like you don't have any arcade games at all or really much of a solid business plan. Given that arcades are in such a decline in the western world, what will you be doing differently to try to make yours a success? What pieces of the puzzle do you already have? What are you already bringing to the table? Will funders be paying for everything, or just giving you a push?
