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Businesses given a boost by Pokemon Go players searching for rare critters

Friday, 29 Jul 2016 15:08:10 | Thuy Ong

A screenshot of Pokemon Go at Hyde Park in the Sydney CBD. (AAP: Frances Mao)

For cafe manager Matia Zoffoli, the quietest times of the year are the winter months when there is a lull in the number of people and tourists venturing out in the biting cold to Circular Quay to see the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

This year all that has changed, as the picturesque harbour side has been turned into a Pokemon hotspot, attracting thousands of players who potter around, waiting for rare critters to appear on their Pokemon Go app.

That has prompted businesses to make the most of the uptick in foot traffic, offering discounts and incentives for players to walk into their shop.

"Usually the worst months are June, July, August we're usually much more quiet than it usually is at the moment, especially at night time," said Mr Zoffoli, manager of Portobello Caffe in Circular Quay, which is offering discounted coffee to players.

"Pokemon Go players are coming out any time, and you still see them around at 10 o'clock at night when if it wasn't for them, Circular Quay would be empty."

Pokemon Go has rapidly become a viral app- part of the game involves walking to "Pokestops" - checkpoints that correlate with real life places and businesses that give in-game items and where in-app purchases can be used to buy items known as "lures" that attract rarer Pokemon.

Pokemon coffee sign Photo: Portobello's sign offering discounted coffee to Pokemon Go players in Circular Quay. (ABC News: Thuy Ong)

Businesses from high-end restaurants to small coffee shops are cashing in on the game's success by investing in these in-app purchases, including elite Chinese restaurant Tanghui and athletics store Style Runner.

Some entrepreneurial drivers - through ride-sharing app Uber and posting advertisements on GumTree - have offered to drive players around the city to search for Pokemon.

"What I'm hearing is some businesses are very happy with it, it brings people near their stores or into their stores, they're very pleased because it's a good opportunity," said Peter Strong, chief executive of the Council of Small Business Australia.

"This is a really good example of technology that is to everybody's benefit, it's an innovation, it's a disruptor."

Big benefits from a small investment

The benefits are huge. From a $1.49 investment, which buys one 30-minute "lure" to place on a PokeStop, businesses are attracting hundreds of people.

For Jon Page, the owner of children's bookstore Pages and Pages in Mosman, Pokemon Go has been an opportunity to foster a love of books with new technology.

Pokemon Go players circular quay Photo: Thousands of players at Circular Quay in Sydney playing Pokemon Go (ABC News: Thuy Ong)

Mr Page's store is offering a discount to players who capture a Pokemon in store.

"A big challenge in retail is increasing your foot traffic with the one thing most retailers, especially competing online," Mr Page said.

"With all these people out there hunting for Pokemon, we wanted to entice a few people to come into the bookshop while they do it and then maybe encourage them to buy a book while they're here.

"There's one Pokestop across the road for us so we're looking at placing a lure on that and seeing if that kind of encourages a few people to come into the shop looking for Pokemon."

AustraliaPlus


 

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