Photo booths offer a wonderful business opportunity for everyone involved, and are practically guaranteed to bring in profits—so long as they can live up to the demands of your daily business. Here are a few things to think about when considering buying a photo booth:

Portability

 For those wishing to easily rent out their services, a portable booth is the best photo booth for you. If you’re carrying your photo booth all over, moving from wedding to party to corporate event, then poor portability can make for a frustrating, exhausting, and expensive process. You may question your decision to go into the business if you have to rent a U-Haul and lug a half-ton monstrosity everywhere you go.

 You’re much better off lightweight photo booths that can be broken down for transportation and carried in a vehicle you already own. Also, make sure that you choose one that’s easy to set back up once you get to your destination—however never trade ease of set up for quality. Most professionals that you will be working with spend between 45min to 2 hours making sure everything is perfect before an event. Remember to add setting up your display table and promotional items into your estimated time for setup.

You will also get faster at setup as you learn our equipment so that is something to consider as well. Usually the manufacturer can tell you the average set up time for their booths and it’s definitely a question worth asking.

Clear, Transparent  Maintenance Plan

 Anyone who’s done business with high-tech equipment knows that frequently moved equipment and equipment that experience heavy use may need repair from time to time. Photo booths are no exception. Many companies will also make it extremely difficult and expensive to secure the replacement parts you need, and then leave you to figure out how to fix it on your own.

If you want the best photo booth possible, choose a booth from a company whose policies on maintenance are transparent, and a booth that will be easy to repair. You’ll want to make sure you have a good manufacturer’s warranty as well, to make sure that you get your money back or repairs paid for if things go wrong. Never buy from a supplier who doesn’t offer one—a booth is a serious investment, after all.

High-Quality Equipment

 Never buy a photo booth that uses subpar gear. Make sure you’re getting one with a camera designed for the best still photos possible and a good, fast dye-sublimation printer. After all, nobody wants to wait around for five minutes only to get blurry photos at the end.

 It can also be a good idea to purchase a booth with video capability as well, AAAUltimate Booth is one great example. Everyone will love having the chance to star in their own short film! If you go with this option, be certain that you’re purchasing a booth with a good microphone as well as video capture, as many people will be a little less thrilled when they find out they’re only starring in a silent film.

Finally, only choose booths made from brand-new high-quality materials. We all try to be eco- friendly, but any high-end product should only be made out of the best parts available.

Function over Form

An exciting new design does not always mean ease of function.  Some booths are very slick on the outside but fall short when it comes to equipment quality and ease of use.  You should pick booths that can easily hold 8 to 10 people as this is a common request for celebrations like weddings, parties and the like. 

 The best photo booths offer digital backgrounds and a choice of physical, quality background drapery.  Make sure your booth comes with many choices in drapes and digital backgrounds with an easy selection process for your clients. 

 Some booths may look attractive but are very hard to set up and break down as well.  Check with your manufacturer on average set up/break down times and weight of the booth.

Ease of use

 There are some companies out there that offer rock bottom prices by eliminating training on how to operate your booth.  Unless you understand the equipment well, only those looking for an expensive hobby would risk not understanding the equipment they purchased!  If you’re in this to be a business, understanding the equipment you own is key.  A true turnkey business will spend hours making sure you have the training and all the materials you need to be successful.

 If you follow these guidelines, you’ll save yourself dozens of headaches (and possibly thousands of dollars), and you and your photo booth will be off on a new business adventure that’s bound to be fun, rewarding and profitable.