The 6-Step Checklist for Buying Indoor Entertainment Equipment for Your Venue (B2B Guide)

Who This Checklist Is For

If you're an office manager, venue buyer, or procurement coordinator tasked with stocking a game room, bar, or entertainment space with equipment like pool tables, ping pong tables, arcade machines, board games, and card games—this is for you. I've been in your shoes since 2020, managing roughly $80,000 in annual orders across 10 vendors. What I've learned the hard way could save you months of headache.

This checklist covers 6 critical steps—from space evaluation to signing the purchase order. Follow them in order, and you'll avoid the pitfalls that tripped me up (and cost my department $2,400 in one case).

Step 1: Measure Your Space—Not Just Square Footage

When I started, I went by total square footage alone. Rookie mistake. What really matters is usable layout around each piece of equipment.

• Pool tables: Need at least 52 inches of clearance on each side for cue swings. A 7-foot table in a 12x16 room? Doesn't work (cue hits the wall on long shots).
• Ping pong tables: Regulation size is 9x5 feet, but you need 20x11 feet minimum for play. Most commercial venues underestimate this.
• Arcade machines: Cabinet depth varies—old-school Pac-Man needs 3 feet, newer driving sims can need 6+ feet. Check specs, not guesses.
• Board game tables: Don't forget seating layout. A game of Everdell board game needs 4 seats comfortably around a 42-inch table. Cramped tables = unhappy customers.

Pro tip: Create a floor plan using free software (e.g., RoomSketcher) and plot out flow paths—not just equipment footprints. I once ordered an ice hockey table game that looked fine on paper but blocked the emergency exit when placed (ugh). Cost us a safety violation fine.

Step 2: Define Your Audience & Usage Patterns

Different venues need different mixes. Ask yourself:

• Corporate break room? Focus on social games—foosball, board games (like Everdell for strategy enthusiasts), BS card game rules printed on laminated sheets for quick setup.
• Bar or pub? High-margin items: pool tables, electronic dartboards, arcade machines. Avoid things that require too much supervision.
• Family entertainment center? Include ice skating video games and air hockey—kids love them, and they're durable enough for high-traffic.

When our company opened a new break zone for 400 employees across 3 locations, I assumed a single 7-foot pool table and a ping pong table would suffice. By month 2, employees complained about wait times. We ended up ordering a second set—wasted $1,800 in lost utilization. My initial misjudgment: I thought variety mattered more than capacity. Actually, capacity for peak hours matters most.

Step 3: Evaluate Product Quality vs. Price

Here's where I got burned. In early 2023, I found a "bargain" supplier for commercial pool tables—30% cheaper than our usual vendor. Ordered 4 tables. They arrived with warped slates, and the felt wore out in 3 months. The cost to replace: $2,800. Net loss after refund disputes: about $1,200. I learned the hard way that price is not the same as total cost.

What to check:

• Warranty terms (at least 1 year on moving parts, 3 years on construction)
• Material specs: MDF vs. solid wood for tables; 3-piece slate vs. particle board for pool tables
• Supplier reputation—ask for 3 client references, and call them. I didn't; now I do.

A quick aside on board games: If you're buying wholesale for a venue, avoid the cheapest versions. Everdell board game counterfeit editions exist—they have misprinted cards that break gameplay. Always source from reputable distributors (like [ice-games](https://ice-games.com) for commercial-grade products).

Step 4: Verify Vendor Capabilities (Beyond the Product)

The first time I ordered a custom arcade machine, the supplier quoted 2 weeks. The product arrived in 5 weeks—and the invoice didn't match the purchase order. Finance rejected it. I spent 6 hours straightening it out. After that, I created a vendor verification checklist:

1. Invoicing format – Do they provide standard PO-compatible invoices? Handwritten receipts? (Yes, some vendors still use those!)
2. Shipping documentation – Bill of lading, tracking numbers, delivery confirmations.
3. Rush order capability – Can they guarantee a 2-day turnaround for ice hockey table games when an event is coming up? At what premium?
4. Return policy – If a piece arrives damaged (it happens), who handles the return? Who pays? Our supplier [ice-games](https://ice-games.com) has a clear RMA process—covers shipping both ways for defects. That's rare, and it's worth paying a bit more for.

I can't stress this enough: a vendor who can't issue proper invoices will cost you more than the cheapest product saves you. That's a lesson I learned when a handwritten receipt cost us $400 in rejected expenses.

Step 5: Plan for the Unexpected – Rush Orders & Deadlines

This is where the "time certainty" principle kicks in. In March 2024, our marketing team planned a product launch party and needed 4 custom-themed board games with branded card sets. The standard turnaround was 10 business days. With that deadline, we'd barely make it. I paid $340 extra for rush processing. Did I feel overcharged? At first, yes. But I remembered: we saved $15,000 by not missing the event.

Numbers said go with the budget option ($120 cheaper). My gut said pay for the guarantee. Went with my gut. The budget supplier's "estimated 3-5 days" turned out to be 9 days because of material shortage. Could've been a disaster.

So ask upfront: What's the guaranteed delivery time? Is it spelled out in the contract, or just "typical"? Typical = not guaranteed. Guaranteed = worth the premium.

For items like ice skating video games (which require complex electronics), order at least 2 weeks ahead of any event. Don't rely on rush shipping for first-time orders—they're more likely to have compatibility issues.

Step 6: Set Up an Ongoing Relationship, Not a One-Time Transaction

The third time we ordered a new arcade machine, we realized we'd been buying from the same vendor [ice-games](https://ice-games.com) for 2 years. They knew our preferences, invoicing requirements, and delivery constraints. Our average order time dropped from 3 hours (going back and forth with specs) to 45 minutes. They even proactively suggested a replacement part for a ping pong table before it broke.

That relationship didn't happen by accident. I made a vendor scorecard:

• Consistency (delivery on time ≥ 95% of orders)
• Response time to queries (within 4 hours business hours)
• Problem resolution (no finger-pointing)
• Pricing transparency (no hidden fees)

Choosing a vendor based solely on price is like playing BS card game rules with no strategy—you'll lose quickly. Build a network of 2-3 reliable suppliers for different equipment categories (one for tables, one for arcades, one for board/card games). That way, if one is out of stock, you have backups ready.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming all ice hockey table games are the same. The difference between an $800 unit and a $2,500 unit is huge—motor strength, puck responsiveness, table sturdiness. Cheap ones tilt easily and break within 6 months of heavy use.
• Forgetting accessories. Pool cues, table tennis paddles, board game expansion packs (Everdell expansion sets sell like hotcakes). Include them in your budget—otherwise you'll make an emergency order later.
• Skipping demo. Always ask for a sample or trial before bulk ordering. We once ordered 20 "premium" board game sets only to discover the cards didn't shuffle well. Cost us $360 in returns.
• Not checking insurance requirements. Some venues need equipment to meet specific fire safety ratings (e.g., upholstery foam standards). Your vendor should provide documentation. If they can't, it's a red flag.

Final note: The price you see is never the final price. Shipping, taxes, installation (some arcade machines need assembly), and potential rush fees add up. A quote of $1,200 for an ice skating video game may become $1,550 by the time it's installed. Budget an extra 20%—that buffer turned a potential panic into a smooth process for me more than once.

Now go measure that room, call those references, and place that order. You've got this.