Namco America’s Prize Division enjoyed “incredible success” in the past year, sales manager for merchandise Jim Wulfers said.
Following the recent Amusement Expo in Las Vegas, Wulfers told InterGame that he is “especially excited” about expanding the company’s NAM-GEAR brand this year.
“We introduced three new NAM-GEAR products at the Amusement Expo, the 7ins Tablet Plus, Bluetooth headphones and the Powerbanks,” he said.
The new 7.85ins Tablet Plus features a dual core processor and the latest Android Jelly Bean software. “Like all of our products,” Wulfers said, “we place a heavy focus on the packaging design. When it comes to merchandising in the amusement industry, it’s all about perceived value and our packaging helps separate us from the competition.”
As the company grows the NAM-GEAR range, he said, it is aiming to identify products at a lower price point to meet the needs of operators in various territories.
“There are many states and counties that have strict prize value limitations such as our state, Illinois. We are developing products for lower price points, such as our new hands-free Bluetooth headphones which have a very unique multi-touch feature that allows the user to adjust the volume by simply swiping up or down on the earpiece.”
For states with an even lower price point, the company’s NAM-GEAR Powerbanks are a suitable option, Wulfers said.
“Anyone with an electronic device should own one of these. Charge up the battery and toss the unit in your car, purse, or backpack and you’ll always have an emergency charge for your iPhone 5, iPhone 4, or any micro USB device.”
Namco has had significant success with its plush range, including the new Pac-Man Classic and Ghostly Adventure lines. Wulfers said: “We continue to receive incredible feedback from operators about the strength of the brand and its longevity. Our Pac-Man plush is always a go-to piece for the cranes. Of course operators will rotate in another hot item, but when that runs dry, they love to come back to Pac-Man. We really feel that customers are appreciating our quality and we are taking that approach as we look forward to creating new plush assortments in the next few months.”
Expanding the Pac-Man range further, the company launched Pac-Man headphones and is following those up with new Ghost Bluetooth Speakers, a hybrid product that “combines current technology with a classic licence.”
“We’ve seen considerable growth this past year,” said Wulfers, “and with all of our exciting new projects we are expanding our sales force with our new hire, Kelsey Smith. Kelsey brings an energetic personality to the group and welcomes the opportunity to continue our success here.”
