AMF New Pricing from June 26th / July 3rd

[jockey]

The pricing will change little for 1 or 2 Games (5c off for Adults on two games) and no more dicounted price displayed for three games. However they will offer $5 per additional game for any social bowlers who wish to bowl more than two in a session. This will mean an increase of almost $2 per game for those choosing to bowl 3 but significant savings for any who choose to bowl more than 3.

This I see as a step in the right direction to help encourage adults who are looking to try our game a better chance to indulge in more games which hopefully will lead to more deciding to bowl a bit more often and eventually join leagues.

The new pricing scheme fails to provide the juniors, children and students that we badly need to take up our sport with an attractive enough price to just step up and try our game compared to the other entertainment that is available out there. More significantly it fails again to make bowling a cost competitive entretainment choice for families. $80+ is not viable for 45 minutes for parents with two kids under six or aged from 6 to 14 any where you go.

I would have thought a sensible game rate for under sixes would be $6 or $5 per game and maybe $8 per game for (Juniors, Students and Seniors). It would have been nice to also see a set family price for two adults and two children (under 17) of say $50 for two games or $25.00 for one game. To at least try to make bowling a viable regular option for family entertainment. This also could have helped in a great way to encourage the uptake of more regular participation.

What do you guys think?

Pricing & Find Your Local Centre

CURRENT Pricing

Adults Juniors (6 to 14 years) Children (under 6 years) Students Seniors (over 60 years)
1 Game $14.95 $13.50 $13.50 $13.50 $13.50
2 Games $21.95 $18.50 $18.50 $18.50 $18.50
3 Games $24.95 $21.50 $21.50 $21.50 $21.50

New Pricing - EFFECTIVE 26 JUNE FOR VIC, TAS, QLD &
3 JULY FOR NSW, ACT, SA & WA

Adults Juniors (6 to 14 years) Children (under 6 years) Students Seniors (over 60 years)
1 Game $14.90 $13.50 $13.50 $13.50 $13.50
2 Games $21.90 $18.50 $18.50 $18.50 $18.50

All additional games $5 per person.

 

[CSP]

Looks like AMF are trying to encourage social people to play 3 games. The discount is not enough to encourage people to play extra games. Economics show people just don't have the money to spend that sort of value on tenpin as entertainment for the family.

 

[jason_doust]

Social bowlers staying longer increases cafe sales. There's really good margin in post-mix and chips. AMF Cafe prices are pretty stiff, giving you get that "post-Hoyts candy bar" feeling after they ring up the total. People will bear the occasional sting gracefully, but stung customers don't return quickly. I think that, like Hoyts, they just set the expectation that it's going to cost an inordinate amount and expect people to put up with it. Which, by and large, they do.

I imagine that lineage trends are like movie seat sales trends. Downwards.

 

[jimcross]

Social bowlers staying longer increases cafe sales. There's really good margin in post-mix and chips. AMF Cafe prices are pretty stiff, giving you get that "post-Hoyts candy bar" feeling after they ring up the total. People will bear the occasional sting gracefully, but stung customers don't return quickly. I think that, like Hoyts, they just set the expectation that it's going to cost an inordinate amount and expect people to put up with it. Which, by and large, they do.

I imagine that lineage trends are like movie seat sales trends. Downwards.

Back to the future, Jason?? In the early days of Tenpin, when the AMF equipped centres were run by BCH ( Bowling Centres Holdings Ltd.), a quite large percentage of Centre Managers were ex Movie Theatre Managers. Food for thought?

 

[philby]

Social bowlers staying longer increases cafe sales. There's really good margin in post-mix and chips. AMF Cafe prices are pretty stiff, giving you get that "post-Hoyts candy bar" feeling after they ring up the total. People will bear the occasional sting gracefully, but stung customers don't return quickly. I think that, like Hoyts, they just set the expectation that it's going to cost an inordinate amount and expect people to put up with it. Which, by and large, they do.

I imagine that lineage trends are like movie seat sales trends. Downwards.

Interestingly you say that movie seat sales are on the way down. Need to do your homework a bit better there Jason as they are currently running at record levels.

Phil

 

[jockey]

Noticed late yesterday that AMF have a voucher on their website that if printed off and presented with your AMF Roller Card allows the bearer only to obtain unlimited games @$3 per game in that bowling session during the month of June, Monday to Friday before 6pm.

Well done AMF on the offer as although most who work during the day won't be able to take it up, it still provides a viable way to fast track your game if you can take advantage of it.

Hopefully if enough take it up it might mean that a similar offer will be made at other times not just in this slow time of the start of winter.

 

[TheMatrix]

Hmm, cant find it

 

[boston_represent]

Hmm, cant find it

Neither can I, what's the go? Did they list it for 5 minutes?

 

[Glennell]

My concern with AMF is not so much the bowling fees but that they are 'almost' totally focused on the social market and give very little attention to the competition/league market. I am talking specifically in South Australia. I recently (20th of April) wrote to AMF - the following is an extract from that letter;

I guess this brings me to my first point – Customer Service. Customer Service is a work ethic that must be taught to the young staff of AMF bowling centres. Customer service takes a level of maturity and commitment because they, the customer, are hard to find and easy to lose. Too many times over the past 12 months, at various centres, I have heard people complain about the treatment they have received and the level of service delivered. In my opinion, young people in responsible positions, where they are dealing with the public (bowlers) should recognise that prompt and efficient service is a prerequisite.

My second concern is with the age and maturity of the people being left to run the centres, particularly of an evening when league bowling is on. They are very often young and inexperienced and do not, in my opinion, understand that lane conditions and prompt counter service are very important in competition bowling. I understand I can not comment on all centres on all nights but in the vast majority of instances, this is my experience.

Finally, I am concerned that AMF is totally focused on the social aspect of bowling with very little attention given to the league/competition market. The “Who is AMF Bowling” description on the web page just about says it all;

”Our centres deliver a world-class bowling experience: glow-in-the-dark lanes, state-of-the-art sound systems, dropdown video screens, laser lighting, fully licensed bars, the latest arcade games, pool tables and complete function facilities, for corporate events and birthdays. Our new centres highlight Ardent Leisure’s strategic repositioning of bowling, catering to a diverse audience that includes bowlers, businesses, families and young professionals enjoying the social side of the sport.”
 
AMF bowling centres are becoming “game arcades” and kid’s birthday party centres. I understand that from a business perspective, AMF must maximise their revenue earning opportunities but I am concerned it is becoming at the expense of competition bowling.

The above sounds like a bit of a whinge but I am writing because I thoroughly enjoy the sport of ten pin bowling and want to see it prosper in South Australia and Australia in general. I would suggest AMF would gain significant value in staff training programs and engaging some experienced people to manage the centres. Please accept the above in the spirit it was intended – constructive and sincere.

To date, AMF Adelaide or AMF Australia have not responded in any way.

I understand people may take issue with some or all of the above. I accept I am generalising and there are a few AMF employees that do make an effort but based on recent experiences in Adelaide, there are a larger number that, like AMF, need to lift their game.

Cheers

 

[The Real Deal]

I got an email from AMF Roller with the same discounted game rates.

 

[bobarb]

hi
i live in adelaide too, and totally agree with what glennell said.
all amf worry about is the money not the bowler.
where i bowl now (amf center) your not even allowed to take your own drink in.
they say you have to buy from them. what a load of crapp.
it's time they started looking after bowlers

 

[Troyza]

Taking your own drink in? I think that goes not only for amf, but any institution that sells food... Letting you bring in your own drinks = amf may aswell just get rid of cafes all together. I don't see how letting you bring in your own drinks & food would be looking after bowlers.

Besides, most private centers are exactly the same.

 

[lordofthepins]

Don't know where the link is on AMF's site for $3 voucher games in June?!?!?

Do u have to email them Real Deal for the voucher?

Either way dont know if its only my centre, but manager offered $99 purchase giving 4 games per day for one month, don't know if anyone else has had this offered to them? Great value, providing u have the time.

 

[jockey]

Don't know where the link is on AMF's site for $3 voucher games in June?!?!?

Do u have to email them Real Deal for the voucher?

Either way dont know if its only my centre, but manager offered $99 purchase giving 4 games per day for one month, don't know if anyone else has had this offered to them? Great value, providing u have the time.

Sorry that was my bad. Yes it came from a link on an email sent to me from AMF. Try this link:

http://portal.amfroller.com/apps/ev...41021-8A0F-486F-92E4-494F33FDC96C&cpn=AMF0099

Are you saying that you don't have to pay anything more when bowling your 4 games a month. If so a pretty good deal and smart move by the centre.

Should read the fine print: Valid for up to four people and limited to maximum of three games per person. There goes my 20 game session.

 

[lordofthepins]

Hey Jockey,
Thats right $99 for one month, max of 4 games per day... Thats what my centre manager said!! AMF too! He had only 10 passes for current league bowlers

Great if u have the time to leave work early or leave family every night. I think it would be great for your bowling, imagine a one month full service and tune up on your game, but bad for the family.. My wife would be getting divorce proceedings going lol.

 

[lordofthepins]

Thanks for the link agin , basically 3 games for $9... Good value for practise... Just printed the coupon out..Thanks mate.

Makes me wonder why they cannot offer this all year round, surely they would get a heap more league bowlers onto the lanes and practising..I know they have their rock botom price in terms of what a single game may cost, but can't help but think, if they had big signs all over the place in every centre, you would grab interest from the once a week or more regular league bowlers to come back and practise....

Jockey, ask your centre about the deal I mentioned in previous post..

 

[TheMatrix]

Thanks Terry .. no wonder I couldnt find it anywhere Maybe that was only offered to those who register with AMF.