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Retailers drawing in Pokemon Go players

Reporter: Karina Huber 丨 CCTV.com

07-22-2016 01:04 BJT

It's been called 'Pokeconomy.' Cashing in on the current global mania for Pokémon Go, retailers are getting in on the action by attracting gamers into their establishments. Those with a knack for the game have found ways to make their cash registers ring from the augmented reality craze.

In less than a week Pokemon Go accumulated roughly 21 million daily active users in the United States, making it the biggest mobile game in U.S. history.

In less than a week Pokemon Go accumulated roughly 21 million daily active users in the United States, making it the biggest mobile game in U.S. history.

L'inizio's Pizza Bar in Queens, New York has become the poster child of the Pokeconomy. It was one of the first restaurants in the city to harness the Pokémon Go craze to draw traffic to its establishment.

A few days after Nintendo released the game in the United States, L'inizio's owner, Thomas Lattanzio, went on the app and bought so-called "lure modules"-beacons that attract Pokémon.

It costs less than a dollar for a 30-minute lure. Lattanzio says the impact was instant.

"We dropped the module here and people starting flocking - constant - the past five, six days. It's just been amazing outrageous the number of people coming in," Lattanzio said.

Lattanzio spent a total of 110 dollars in lure modules. Six days later his transactions had increased by 75 percent. 

In less than a week Pokemon Go accumulated roughly 21 million daily active users in the United States, making it the biggest mobile game in U.S. history. Businesses of all sizes are trying to figure out how to attract those players in a variety of ways.

Some are offering discounts and coupons to Pokémon Go players. Others are offering gifts cards to people who tweet a picture of a Pokemon in their establishment. 

Marketing experts like Ari Zoldan say this is just the beginning of a growing marketing trend.

"Location based services are rolling out and they're creating really robust platforms. So a combination of that and what the industry is calling 'gamification' right now is creating opportunities for small businesses to start marketing themselves really effectively," said Ari Zoldan, CEO, Quantum Media Group.

Many believe it's just a question of time before Niantic, the game's developer, starts offering retailers and restaurants deals on lure modules that could bring in more Pokémon Go foot traffic.

Gamers for now don't seem to mind being a marketing target.

"You have to go places anyway so why would you mind having a lure outside a pizza place. It would just be like food and animals," said Tara Kaminsky, Pokemon Go player.

Restarant owners are hoping that eating while playing becomes the new norm.

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