So you’re thinking about renting or purchasing a cell phone charging station. Here’s a basic guide explaining the different types of charging stations available today. We also detail how they operate, their approximate costs and the features that they come with.
More and more, we’re starting to see various types of charging stations popping up in cities across the country. Our lives are now attached to our phones and the thought of seeing our phone under 20% can create panic. Have you ever wondered just how tied to their phones people really are?
Smartphone Usage Statistics
Here are a few facts about smartphone phone usage in the USA.
- Adults in the USA own a smartphone, 77%
- 18-29 year olds in the USA that own a smart phone. 97%
- Percentage of adults in the USA have used their smartphone to make a purchase, 51%
- Shoppers in the USA have used their smartphone while in a store to ask a friend for advice about a purchase, 59%
- 28% of adults in the USA have used their smartphone to look for a job.
- Dating app usage on smartphones among adults in the USA, 29%
- If you’d like to read a little more about how smartphones are changing our lives, you can check out this article by Pew Research.
More & More Businesses Are Offering Charging Stations
As fantastic as it is that smartphones are simplifying our lives, a dead battery can seriously ruin someone’s day. That’s where phone charger stations come handy. We’ve all been there, you don’t have your charger and your phone is dead. You have no way to call home, check your email, send a text or even get an Uber. But fear not, more and more places are starting to purchase free to use charging stations for phones.
All businesses have a common goal in making sure that their customer’s experience is as good as it can be. Offering a free charge to someone that really needs one goes a long way in 2019.
The Basics of Phone Charging Stations
When looking for a charger station, the first thing you’ll notice is that they come all shapes and sizes. They’ve been around for 10 years and the first ones were just a power strip with cords plugged into it. Today’s more modern recharging stations come in charging towers like The VIP and even charging tables like The Bistro Table.
Here are a few of the basic things you’ll want to know about charging stations before you set out on your quest for power.
- 99% of the charging stations on the market today need just a regular 110v power outlet to operate.
- Phone Charging stations can come with or without cords built in.
- Some cell phone kiosks have lockers and some don’t.
- Most charger stations with lockers use a resettable 4 digit PIN to lock and unlock the doors.
- With locker units, there is always some sort of key, fob or code that can open any locker in the event that someone forgets their PIN.
- Newer electronic charging stations charge at 2.1 amps and older ones charge at 1 amp. This is a huge difference.
- Manufacturers are now incorporating charging cables into furniture like charging tables.
- Mobile Charging Stations have really taken off in the last 2 years as the demand for phone power has greatly increased.
- Price for cell phone charging stations range from $400 USD to $11,000 USD depending on what you’re after.
Below is a breakdown of a few of the options available
Wall Mounted Charging Stations
A wall mounted charging station is the simplest and least expensive of the charging stations on the market today. They are great for places where people have the ability to stand next to the charging station. Controlled areas like a dentist’s office, doctor’s waiting room or hospital are also great locations.
Wall Mounted Charging Stations for multiple devices range in price from $400 to $900 USD and can charge up to 10 devices at a time. Here is a link to a phone charging station Growcharge Inc is offering called the Hub.
Cell Phone Lockers
Cell Phone Lockers are a great way for people to secure their dead phones and still keep moving around. As we know, standing next to a recharger station or sitting on the floor can get a little tedious.
Phone charging lockers usually come in either cell charging towers or smaller cell phone kiosks. Each locker usually comes with an Apple Lighting Cord, an Android Cord and a USB-C cord. (If it has an iPhone 4 Cable, it’s generally old technology)
There are many choices in this category and they all come with different features. Rapid charging, windowed doors, backlit displays and lit up compartments with various colour options to choose from are just a few of the options. Some mobile charging stations even come with HD screens for highlighting a your brand.
Prices can vary greatly depending on which style of cell phone locker you choose. The Boxster uses mechanical locks and sells for $1,900 whereas The Rockstar uses solenoid locks and sells for $6000.
Phone Charging Tables
There are various types of phone charging tables to choose from and they range from $1,900 to $3500. Some come with cables, some with USB ports and some with 110 volt outlets for laptops. However, our Bistro Charging Table comes with all of those options including a 32″ glass top, 12 charging cables, 8 USB ports and 4 x 110 v outlets for laptop or camera charging and a
By placing four stools around the charging table you also create a great hub for networking and sales pitches. They also use a smaller footprint and you can brand them with a 3M vinyl wrap. This is a great way to highlight your brand directly in front of the person charging their device.
Phone Charging Towers
Some would say that Phone Charging Towers are the cats meow when you’re looking at purchasing a charging station for phones. They are generally the most expensive recharging stations to pick from and range in price from $3000 to $11,000 USD.
Aesthetically, these are probably the most impressive looking charging stations and they offer a great opportunity for you to showcase you brand in style
Growcharge Gives Back to the Planet
This doesn’t have anything to do with commercial cell phone charging stations but we want to let our customers know that we are serious about giving and serious about protecting our planet. The word Grow isn’t in our name for nothing.
Every time someone rents or purchases a charging station from Growcharge, we will plant trees to help offset the effects of the electricity used by consumers. We started this as a “one off” campaign last year and it was such a huge success that we were able to plant 11 acres trees last year after just 8 months of the campaign.
Summary
Whether you’re renting a charging station for conference or trade show or purchasing one for your business or venue, I can promise you that you will greatly increase your patron’s overall experience and they won’t forget it.
You can read a little more about Growcharge’s mission and all of our mobile charging station products through these links. I can promise excellent customer service, quality charging stations, competitive pricing and of course the guarantee that by working with us, you’ll be helping the planet.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and I hope it was informative!
James Neal
President @ Growcharge Inc.
USA & Canada
O: 1.800.403.1560