We made a thing! Rounding out our Summer for 2019, we released our last major tool for the calendar year - HypeWares.
What is HypeWares?
Hypewares is a product inventory tool that allows for quick deployment of lending libraries and on-site event storefronts. Add products quickly then link them to your library or shop.
How easy is it to Add a Product?
Ridiculously easy. Just name the product, add in its value, add in an image, and publish. That's all.
How do the Lending Libraries work?
Lending Libraries allow you to lend out equipment on-site at an event or on location at your company. Useful, for example, if you're at an esports event and are lending out equipment or you're running a gaming cafe and want to let customers borrow headsets and mice during their visit.
We did a decent amount of market research and found that this tool would be a popular and natural fit to our product offerings. Vendors we talked with had been holding ID cards as collateral for their equipment. This presents a few problems such as the equipment being far higher value than the ID card, difficulty charging for lost or damaged gear, and people not making it back to get their IDs after the booth has closed for the day. Additionally, borrowing agreements are currently signed pieces of paper that are difficult to manage and it's near impossible to track who has what.
Our lending library allows you to add products to an inventory, change amounts available efficiently, have lenders agree to a digital form, add a preauthorized card on file(to be charged), track who has borrowed what equipment, and scan back in equipment. If equipment isn't returned or is returned damaged, the status of the equipment can be changed on return or post-event and the lender's card will be charged. Once an item is successfully returned, it's entered back into the lending library for further use. All of this can be setup and piloted via a mobile device, although we recommend a laptop for initial setup.
How do the Shops work?
Almost exactly like the lending library, but you're making money via sales. Add Products to your shop that can be purchased via mobile device using the attendee's on-file card,Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Once payment is received, we send out a QR code linked to the attendee's purchase. The code gets scanned and the attendee can pick up their goods.
Outside of not needing to bring a Square device or card readers, eliminating chances of equipment failures or issues, how is this different from what I'm already using?
Application possibilities:
Phyiscal and digital distribution of goods
Back when we created the prizing tool, we added in the ability to upload a csv. This supports the ability to upload in-game skins, crates, and other digital assets. We'll distribute the codes to unlock these goods to the attendee's account for redemption when they get home. This means you can release goods to the attending crowd for in-game use that they can only get on-site at the event.
Customizable Goods
We're implementing Custom Builds that support "sub-products". A sub product can be anything from custom name printing to decorative add-ons. The attendee can create their build, name it, and pick it up prepared for them. If it's a custom that takes mroe time, they'll be given an estimate for when their order will be ready on placement and alerts. Once the order is ready, they'll be directed to a pick-up window to grab it. They'll be able to identify purchaser by Build Name and the QR code the customer received on payment.
Mobile Ordering
No one likes waiting in line for food or drinks, especially when the person at the front of the line can't make up their mind. Mobile ordering removes that headache. Browse all available items, place your order, and receive a pick up time. Don't miss a minute of the tournament or show trying to get yourself fed.
If you think this new build might be of interest to you, let us know and we'll set up a demo!
Cheers!
Amanda, your friendly neighborhood Head of Product