eCommerce business or eCommerce stores have accelerated in the last few years. From large organizations like Amazon to small local businesses, everyone is now progressing to create an online store for customers. This has hugely influenced the digital competition among brands.
Customer is the king and to drive them on eCommerce platforms, it’s necessary to outline plans and strategies to stand out. Businesses regularly recognize ways to drive traffic on platforms and convert customers; eCommerce gamification is one of them.
Many businesses have initiated using eCommerce gamification to attract and engage customers. Keep on reading to learn the biggest benefits of this strategy and practical ways to implement it into your online store.
What exactly is eCommerce gamification and its benefits?
eCommerce gamification is a process of using rewards or achievements to stimulate customers to act, such as providing loyalty badges to regular customers and additional discounts on purchases.
Similarly, reward points are earned on every purchase that customers can utilize as a discount on their next purchase. The eCommerce gamification strategy is to lure customers to make purchases on the platform. In addition, eCommerce platforms can also utilize game-like features in their marketing.
So, when users come across such marketing campaigns, they can engage and make purchases. It is a powerful captivating and engaging tool for users to get rewards and achievements on making purchases from the platform. These attributes can provide various benefits for eCommerce platforms.
Here are the main eCommerce gamification platform benefits to check out:
1. Grab customers attention
One of the paramount reasons for eCommerce platforms to utilize gamification is customer attention. Such features grab customer attention quickly compared to regular marketing campaigns and other ways to encourage purchases.
Often, brands look for ways to gain customer attention, even after spending so much on campaigns, it's difficult to attract platforms.
However, this gamification attracts more customers as well as keeps them engaged. The more users engage with the platforms, the more eCommerce platforms have a chance to convert them into loyal customers.
2. Keep customers engaged
An eCommerce store using gamification can increase engagement between the platform and the customer. So, whether you have an existing customer or a new user, gamification will keep them engaged.
Users will enjoy earning rewards and achievements using these elements and spend more time on your platform. Moreover, if your competitor does not have gamification, this can be one of its distinctive features to attract customers. Also, if you keep your customers engaged on your platform for a long time, it will reduce the bounce rate.
3. Reduce cart abandonment
One of the biggest challenges an eCommerce platform faces is cart abandonment. Often, customers select products and leave them in their cart before finalizing payment options.
According to Baymard research, an average 70.19% eCommerce cart abandonment rate can be observed on eCommerce platforms. It states that more than half of eCommerce platforms face these issues on a regular basis.
Considering the number of eCommerce platforms and online shopping customers, this rate is alarming. So, using gamification elements like loyalty points and rewarding points when customers check out is one of the best ways to reduce cart abandonment.
4. Amplify customer loyalty
One of the paramount benefits offered by eCommerce gamification is customer loyalty. The more points you earn on every purchase, the more purchases you will receive. By offering discounts on these points, you can keep a hold on your customers for long.
By offering your customers discounts, providing delightful shopping options, and stimulating more purchases, you can increase customer loyalty to your eCommerce stores.
So, when you offer more experience and attributes, you can amplify customer loyalty. Having loyal customers is more effective and easier than attracting new customers.
5. Acquire customer insights
Customer insights for eCommerce platforms is a critical aspect. Brands can comprehend customer requirements, use this information during marketing campaigns, fulfill demands, and create more accurate target-specific content.
eCommerce platforms can receive customer insights when users engage with gamification attributes. You can collect basic information about users when they sign up for your platform.
In addition, you can also add customer insights such as what are the most exported products, which products they are searching for, where they are engaging the most, etc.
6. Enhance customer experience
An eCommerce platform like nopCommerce that uses gamification, as well as marketing campaigns, can provide a better user experience. Sometimes users feel monotonous and bored during the online shopping process.
To keep your users engaged by providing them with a way to enjoy and reward them, gamification is a good feature. Gamification elements like loyalty points, points on every purchase, loyal customer badges, etc., will bring more efficiency and enjoyment to the shopping process for users.
Therefore, by incorporating these features, you can improve the user experience on eCommerce platforms.
7. Rise brand visibility
Web users share brands and features that are entertaining and engaging. Gamification features are so entertaining and engaging that customers want to share them across platforms.
Often, eCommerce platforms use marketing tactics and a lot of ways to attract customers and improve brand awareness.
However, without spending much on these, you can use gamification for brand awareness and visibility. Users can check many eCommerce gamification examples to understand the use and impact of features on platforms.
Reasons or aim to implement gamification features on eCommerce platforms
Apart from benefits, there are some major reasons and core ideas for implementing such features. We are enlisting a few reasons to help you:
- Rewards on interactions: Users can interact on many platforms, but only a few provide rewards on interactions. To offer incentives for customer engagement, gamification can be used.
- More conversations: To avail discounts, and rewards from the brand, there are high chances users will make purchases. So, an eCommerce store will have increased conversions.
- Promotion of eCommerce brands: Gaming activities and features will receive more social media shares compared to other marketing campaigns.
- Collecting customer data: To use gamification to get customer insights and use this information for creating target-specific marketing.
Examples of gamification features to add to your eCommerce platforms
There are endless gamification ideas to use and implement in your eCommerce store. You can implement gamification ideas and features in different sections of your website to keep customers engaged.
Here are some of the top gamification features you can add to your platform:
1. Reward point system for registered members
Reward points for registered members are one of the common and popular eCommerce gamification examples on your platform. You can offer a certain number of points on registration. In addition, you can award these points on every purchase they make on your website.
Users can collect these reward points and earn discounts at checkout. For instance, if a customer collects 2000 reward points, they can earn 20 cents off on the total purchase. These discounts will increase with the increase in point collection. This way, you will not only encourage loyalty but also reduce cart abandonment.
2. Referral rewards
Offer referral rewards to your registered users to encourage your existing users to refer others to your website. Why? Web users are more likely to make purchases when someone recommends or refers to their products or services.
According to research, referrals have a more positive impact on brand awareness than marketing campaigns. So, every time you get a new registration through a referral from an existing user, you can provide discounts or other rewards.
It will encourage your existing users to bring more referrals and drive loyalty. So, use this feature for all your registered members.
3. Fun recommendations
One of the fun gamification elements you can use on your platforms to engage and attract customers. To keep your young and creative audience engaged on the platform, offer fun recommendations.
Use creative ways to recommend products based on their personality, favorite players, or cartoon characters. For instance, using copywriting like " Are you a Hulk-like Iron Man or Captain America?" Similarly, you can use fun product recommendations to engage your customers.
4. Loyalty programs
Loyalty programs and rewards for your loyal customers are one of the top ways to keep them engaged.
Moreover, this feature will drive more loyal customers to your platform. For instance, starting a loyal custom program where you can offer rewards like access to the latest product launches before other customers, an additional 10% discount on products, and gift coupons on placing large orders.
You can recognize various customers who often make purchases from your eCommerce platform and offer them loyalty programs. In addition, you can provide more reward points to loyal customers such as 2x points compared to new users.
5. Product quizzes
Quizzes are the most engaging, useful, and fun way to enjoy shopping for customers. eCommerce platforms can use these product quizzes on some of your most searched or saved products to encourage purchases.
Give 2-3 quizzes related to the product or brand listed on your eCommerce platform. If the user can solve the quizzes in a given time, offer additional discounts or rewards as per your requirements.
It will not only keep your customers engaged but also ensure they spend more time on platforms. You can encourage your customers to explore more products, make purchases, and receive such quizzes to earn rewards. Often customers enjoy such things and feel valued when receiving discounts.
6. Spin wheel
Have you ever seen websites with a popup of a spin wheel? Many websites add spin wheels right after customers visit an eCommerce store. There are a range of rewards and features written on the spin wheel and users can click on the wheel to spin.
Wherever the pointer stops on the spin wheel, the user will receive the given reward on purchases they make. Such features attract users and keep them engaged. Even if the web user clicked on your website by mistake, they are most likely to spin.
This way, you can reduce the bounce rate, increase brand awareness, and develop purchase intent right when users visit your platform. If not regularly used, you can use the spin wheel during the festive season to increase your sales.
7. Giveaways
Giveaways are one of the most common yet popular ways to engage customers and increase purchase intent. Many websites post giveaways on social media accounts where users must follow the page, like, comment, and share the brand to earn giveaways.
It's one of the best ways to promote your brand without investing in large marketing campaigns. You can get your users to promote your brand. Such giveaways can be used when you are launching a new line of products.
Therefore, you can bring more brand visibility and customer registrations to your platform. Think about ways you want to engage your customers and offer giveaways accordingly.
8. Digital challenges: Solve the puzzle
Digital challenges are the most unique gamification features, it might take efforts by eCommerce to implement but bring high engagement. As the name suggests, you can create small digital challenges for your website’s users to face and get heavy discounts.
For instance, offering them a puzzle to solve in a given time, hunting Easter eggs digitally on your website, and similar games. These small games are exciting because users want to engage and earn rewards. So, based on business niche, product launch, and requirements, eCommerce platforms can create digital challenges for users to solve.
9. Scratch coupons
A simple way to offer discounts and rewards and engage your customers. You can offer your loyal customers random scratch coupons in emails to receive discounts.
Users can digitally scratch these coupons and earn rewards that they can use to make purchases on your platform. It's like a spin wheel, where users can just move their mouse or interact with the coupon area, and instantly a price is revealed.
10. Developing a gaming app
Developing gaming to increase your eCommerce brand visibility and purchases is a standout idea. However, it can be complex and time-consuming.
If you consider the specifications of your users and business niche, you can use this idea as the highest level of gamification features on your eCommerce platform. Platforms selling gaming products like laptops, gaming consoles, or other such products can develop a gaming app to increase sales.
Apart from these, you can create your own niche-specific gaming app, such as Victoria's Secret. The brand developed an app for mini-games where a more personalized product catalog is provided to users.
11. User avatars
Many social media platforms allow users to create avatars on their platforms. Users use these avatars as stickers to communicate with people.
Similarly, you can provide customer avatars for registered users. Your registered users can create their own custom avatars and shop for products. In addition, they can share these avatars on social media platforms.
It offers a sense of ownership and competitiveness among your customers on your platform. Users can unlock other perks with avatars and play with each other using these avatars to earn more rewards.
Some brands and their creative gamification features for customers
Many top eCommerce platforms have used gamification to engage customers. Here are some of the top examples you can check:
- KFC-Shrimp Attack Game: Japan KFC developed a mini-game to promote their new shrimp menu. Users had to cut the ebi shrimp at the bottom of the screen to protect the chicken castle. The game attracted 600 hours of playtime and 8,000,000 players.
- Starbucks- Loyalty points program: Users can earn points every time they buy a drink. They can later use these points to get free drinks, free menu items, and rewards.
- Duolingo: To increase users and engagement, Duolingo offers various educational puzzle games. It allows users to learn languages with enjoyment. These quizzes increase a sense of competitiveness among users. Users get certificates, badges, coins, and more during these educational quizzes to keep them hooked. These rewards make them feel valued and encourage them to learn more.
- M&M: Product Customization: The customization feature on the M&M platform allows users to design everything individually. From packaging to designs and colors, individuals can customize some batches of M&M.
Key takeaways of using eCommerce gamification for platforms
- Build a community of loyal customers.
- Reduce bounce rates on your platform.
- Plan treasure hunts and more such games to give better experiences and features to your customers.
- Retain more loyal customers as well as attract new ones using gamification.
- Implement various gamification features on your eCommerce platform to achieve your business goals.
Final thoughts
An eCommerce platform like nopCommerce can attract and engage users immensely. In a digital marketplace where every platform is looking for ways to attract customers, gamification can help you stand out.
The best part of gamification is that it gives brands creative liberty that they can use to attract customers. Similarly, it keeps users hooked at a place for some time, thus giving you a chance to convert them into customers.
Therefore, if you have an eCommerce platform, you can use these gamification features on your platform for your users.
| Rahul Mathur is the founder and managing director of the ARKA Softwares, a company renowned for its outstanding Website, Mobile App, and nopCommerce Development Solutions. He has been in the IT industry for more than 15+ years with a specialization in .Net, PHP, AngularJS, etc |
