20 Ways People Are Making Money From Pokemon GO
Pokémon GO is EVERYWHERE. Whether you play it or not, you have heard about it. Your kids are talking about it, your friends are talking about it, it’s all over Facebook and social media, and of course, it’s all over the news. I was having coffee at a local coffee shop with my mom and sister a few days ago when my sister suddenly got all excited and practically jumped out of her chair. She yelled, “There’s a Pokémon on the table!” While she was trying to catch it, I looked around the coffee shop, expecting to see horrified looks all around. To my surprise, no one in the coffee shop was surprised. Pokémon GO has become a normal way of life.
Pokémon GO is the latest mobile augmented reality game craze that gained its stardom overnight. This innovative new game gets you off the couch and moving around because you have to be physically near the Pokemon in order to catch it. And the Pokémon are everywhere. You have to walk around or drive somewhere to find them (please don’t lay and drive at the same time). The point of the game is to collect as many Pokémon as you can and level up as you do.
How are people making money off this latest craze?
1. Uber
Uber is the latest way to travel. Instead of calling a cab, people call an Uber car to get them where they need to go. Now, Uber is cashing in on this Pokémon GO craze. Uber-for-Pokémon GO offers a way to avoid the car accidents people have been getting into while trying to catch Pokémon, as well as a way to avoid walking for miles searching for them. There is one Uber driver in New York that is offering to drive Pokémon GO players around to catch Pokémon. The fee is $20 per hour for one person, but if you bring someone with you it’s only $17 an hour each.
2. 24/7 Pokémon GO Bus
If you are not too into Uber or prefer catching Pokémon with a group of people, this Pokémon catching bus is for you. In New York, this bus id painted like a Pikachu and drives around all day and night so you can catch Pokémon. The charge is $0.99 per Pokestop, $24.99 to take over a gym, and $49.99 for egg-hatching services. Charging stations are available for your phones as well.
3. Pokémon GO Walkers
If you don’t have the time to walk around, take an Uber or go on a bus catching Pokémon, don’t worry, there are still other ways to catch Pokémon. Pokémon GO Walkers are making money off Pokémon Go as well. Using your account, they will walk to hatch your eggs. The fee for egg hatching is $2 for a 2 kilometer egg, $5 for a 5 kilometer egg, and $10 for a 10 kilometer egg.
4. iPhone Hacks
With any video game hack, there is always the chance of it not working or getting caught. Hacks also kind of take the fun out of the game because you are cheating. However, another way people are making money off Pokémon GO is selling iPhone hacks. They can be purchased for as low as $10. If caught, you can be banned from the game. There is another option available for $199 that promises you won’t get caught, A third hack costs $20 and promises unlimited Pokeballs. You still have to walk around for this one.
5. Ebay is a great way to make money fast.
People are cashing in on the Pokémon GO game there as well. You can now buy higher level Pokémon accounts on Ebay. Listings for levels up to 20 can be sold for as high as $600. You can also request an account at a certain level and the Ebay seller will customize an account for you.
6. Poketree.com
Poketree.com is a one-stop website for Pokémon GO players. Individuals post on the website and offer all the services you may need to purchase while playing Pokémon GO, including selling hacks and accounts. Everything comes at a price. The higher level Pokémon account you want to purchase, the higher the cost.
7. Pokestops and Lures at Small Businesses
Bars and other small establishments are making money off the Pokémon GO craze as well. They are advertising Pokestops that are located in or right near their establishments, Some places are offering discounted food or beverages to get you in the door. Others feel that just advertising the Pokestop will do the trick. It is working. Businesses, as well as people, are making money off Pokémon GO. Although it is only a game, Pokémon GO is helping the small business economy.
8. Themed Pokémon GO Items
As with any video game craze, people make money off of selling themed items. Go to the Etsy website, type in Pokémon GO and you will find a full range of Pokémon GO handmade accessories and gifts. From Pokeball chargers to tank tops, key chain holders to backpacks, Etsy has it all.
9. The old-fashioned Lemonade Stand
A 10-year old in Elizabethtown, KY is cashing in on the Pokémon GO craze as well. She and her team have organized to sell lemonade and potato chips outside her sisters home. How is this Pokémon GO related you ask? Her sisters house is a Pokestop, of course!
10. Lure Modules
Many businesses don’t have a natural occurring Pokestop on their doorstep. So, how do they cash in on this craze? hey purchase lure modules! A lure module will automatically turn any location into a Pokemon GO destination stop. They can then set up a certain Pokémon right there in front of their business so when people catch the Pokémon in a ball, they will then enter your business and spend some money. Lure tactics are constantly evolving when it comes to business.
11. Have a Yard or Garage Sale
Summertime is the perfect time to get rid of your old junk and have a yard sale. If you are lucky enough to have a Pokestop at your house or near your house, make some extra money by selling your old things that you don’t want or need anymore. This is yet another way people are cashing in on Pokémon GO. Some are even purchasing lures to draw people in to their sale. I guess you have to make money somehow.
12. Recharge Stations
Pokémon Go is a mobile game that is played on Android phones and iPhones. These smart phones have batteries in them that don’t last forever and need to be charged. Players need to charge their phones frequently in order to go on a hunt for Pokémon. Another innovative way people are making money from Pokémon Go is by setting up recharge stations. Recharge stations can be set up near your home if you are near a Pokestop. You can either run an extension cord from your house or set up one or several portable power banks. Charge a few dollars or allowing Pokémon GO players to recharge their phones. You can go a step further and sell snacks and water as well.
13. Selling Photos and Videos
All of the new stories, blogs, and social media posts you see need photos to cover all the Pokémon GO action. People are scoping out parks, businesses, and other Pokestops just waiting to get a picture or video of all the action. They are then selling the unique photos by contacting local news stations, selling to stock photography sited, and uploading them to the live news marketplace at Alamy.
14. Pokémon GO Business Coaching
Some people are cashing in on this Pokémon craze by creating their own business. If the local businesses I the area are not up on this latest game craze, there are people that are charging a small fee to become Pokémon GO business coaches. They explain the game, what it is, how it works, and how businesses can benefit and make money the phenomenon. The Pokémon GO coach also teaches how a business can place and lure and the explains the reasons why they should They can also help bring local businesses together to create scavenger hunts and attract lots of patrons from all over. Fees being charged are currently ranging anywhere from $25 to $100 for only 30 to 60 minutes of work. If you take advantage of the Pokémon GO craze for this type of job, you may even score some free food or a free drink or two.
15. Watching Friends Kids or Pets
Others have cashed in on this gaming craze by offering their babysitting and pet walking or pet sitting services to friends and relatives for a nominal fee. This allows the parents and puppy parents to have a few free hours to go Pokémon hunting. You can earn $20 or more at a clip this way.The website DogVacay is an easy way to find pet sitting jobs in local areas for those that don’t have friends with dogs or kids, or those that don’t have Pokémon GO playing friends. Or, for those that are into Pokémon GO, they are offering to act as a chaperone and take their friends’ kids Pokémon hunting for their parents. It’s like babysitting in reverse. The chaperone will make money going Pokémon hunting while the parents get a little break to relax, run errands, or spend some quality time together without the kids.
16. Custom Walking Sticks
With all the walking around that is required for playing the Pokémon GO game, some entrepreneurs have been spending their time making premium customized walking sticks. Walking sticks are old-fashioned, rustic looking tools to help you walk better longer. Walking sticks can sell anywhere from $8 to $60 depending on the quality and design of the handcrafted walking stick. Setting up a table near a Pokestop is the fastest way to sell these, as well as on online websites or word of mouth. This is also a nice addition to a portable charging station. Players can charge their phones, buy a walking stick, and maybe a drink or snack all in the same place.
17. Providing International Game Play
Currently, Pokémon G is only available in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia. One savvy user has created an account that he loans out in order to give international players the opportunity to create their own account and play. The fee for this service? A low $5 on the popular website Fiverr.
18. Advertising
Although this part has not happened as of yet, the Pokémon GO creators have announced that it will become possible in the near future. The Pokémon GO app will allow companies to sponsor locations within the game. With the amount of people that are already actively playing the game, this will be an excellent way to advertise while people are on the go.
19. Pokémon GO Tours
Some people are going a step further than the Uber cars or bus that drive around trying to catch Pokémon, Pokémon GO Tours are given by people claiming they know where the Pokémon are, where the Poke stops are, where the secret Pokémon lairs are, and trips to gyms. They will take you to all these places, as promised, for a fee averaging about $20 per hour.
20. Bodyguards
Apparently, in some areas, Pokémon GO trainers can actually be placing themselves in danger. It has been reported that some people have been robbed or jumped for their iPhones while trying to catch Pokémon in well known areas such as battle arenas. Because of this, people are offering their service as bodyguards/henchmen to protect you while you are out trying to catch ’em all.