New Business Idea

EllenCW

I've been considering setting up my own business selling mystery games for kids (age 5 – 12) and would love some feedback on whether it's a good idea or not.
For years now I have been organising treasure hunts and mystery games for my niece and nephew whenever they visited but am only now considering it as a business due to the fact that I just recently became a mother myself and want to start up my own business so I can stay at home.
The games would have the following structure:

• Introduction - What the crime/mystery is and what the players have to do.
• Four Rounds - In each round the players have to complete tasks/games in order to get answers from the host about the crime/mystery.
• Review - Players put forth their suspect.

The game can be played with as many players as you like and up to four hosts but needs a minimum of two players and one host. The games in each round will be designed so that they can be played with things you can generally find around the house.
The idea would be for these games to be played at any event from kids birthday parties to rainy days. I would hope to sell the games online for about €20.
If this is successful I would hope to expand the business by creating these games for adults and market it in the UK. I have also been considering creating Treasure Hunts which I would locate around the countries national/regional parks and maybe other locations such as museums/tourist locations.
Please let me know what your thoughts are or if you have any advice.

theg81der

Not sure if I`m getting you exactly. Is it a bit like a modern day cludo? If so it sounds like a good idea. Its hard to know if it would take off - kids are faddy. What are your set up costs? if you don`t have to invest too much why not try.

theparish

Thomas Edison did not invent the lightbulb.

EllenCW

theg81der wrote: »

Not sure if I`m getting you exactly. Is it a bit like a modern day cludo? If so it sounds like a good idea. Its hard to know if it would take off - kids are faddy. What are your set up costs? if you don`t have to invest too much why not try.

Thanks for that. In answer to your question, no it would not be like cluedo, the game has a set story and conclusion a bit like a murder mystery, so the biggest drawback is that it can only be played once. As for it being faddy, I know what you mean but I would be marketing this at parents as a means of providing entertainment for their kids at a party etc.
The set up cost would be minimal so as you say it is probably worth giving it a go. I guess what I really want to know is if you were a parent organising a party would you buy this produce?

blue4ever

theparish wrote: »

Thomas Edison did not invent the lightbulb.

Its true - many say he kinda 'borrowed' the idea from 50 years prior - but he really improved on that idea.

Once he refined that idea he just sat on his hands.....

blue4ever

I think it's a mega idea. The one hit wonder is a killer.
If you could do an 'online thing' where people could register, get a different game each time - that would be mega!

Take getting a database of possible themes, outcomes, etc - but it would be an interesting dimension.

And, and, and you could specifically build games for particular areas where families go (or would if tempted).
Farmleigh, Masseys Estate, Phoenix park (confined to a particular area naturally). From B.A.C. so you can expand on my geographic knowledge elsewhere on the island. All places you could develop a hunt.

cosmic

I think €20 for a game that can only be played once is outrgaeous

EIREHotspur

cosmic wrote: »

I think €20 for a game that can only be played once is outrgaeous

Have you never paid 20euro for hire of a football pitch, snooker hall etc?

Depends on the time spent playing the game.

It's a good idea and I agree that promoting online and interaction between groups etc would give it a better chance of success.

tipptom

Are you talking in the scale of a buisness like a childrens party magician?.

cosmic

EIREHotspur wrote: »

Have you never paid 20euro for hire of a football pitch, snooker hall etc?

Back in the boom, perhaps, but defiitely not these days.

pancuronium

Personally I think business to do with children can be a risk at the best of times the insurances involved can run into the thousands & although people think they don't need it for a small ventures come back to me when one of the children falls or is injured.................. Sounds like a good idea but more research couldn't hurt? Always think what risk do i have? Every business has risk.

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

This is a very crowded market place and it seems you don't have a route to market. Being online doesn't mean people are looking for your product, you would need to create a demand in a place there isn't an obvious need. It can be done but its a very difficult task to turn money on.

CatFromHue

whats to stop you running a trial at a friends/familys childs birthday?

you can gain an awful lot about your product idea from this regarding how it will be accepted by kids and parents alike. also im not sure how much a bouncy castle or magician would cost for a birthday party but im guessing alot more than 20 euro.