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There are more than 24 million online stores worldwide. One third of consumers shop online at least once a week, while 82% do so at least once a month.
44% of all purchases begin with online research*, and the average conversion rate hovers between 2 and 3%.
Although these figures are general and vary among industries, countries, and devices, they clearly show one thing:
Capturing users' attention is extremely difficult!
Not only is the competition immense, the range of options (usually) too large, and the opportunities for departure always plentiful, but users also (typically) need time to make a purchase. They require multiple contacts with a brand, product, or store. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity if modern technologies are used in the right and thoughtful way.
The answer to these challenges can be gamification.
With proper implementation, online stores can effectively attract attention, motivate visitors to interact with new products, services, or promotions, and offer suppliers attractive promotional opportunities.
Using gamification to enhance the user experience involves not just gaming elements and mechanics, but also the motivation that can be awakened in users.
Gamification as a tool for improving user experience (and conversion optimization)
People are interesting beings. On one hand, pragmatic and cautious guardians of our wallets, we quickly sweat when a product or accommodation shows a notification that it is the last at this price. In reality, we are aware that this is not the case, but it still plunges us into a minor emotional war, thinking perhaps there will be no more.
And it won't be possible to buy.
And then, then ... we are in a bad mood.
But not without reason.
Behind this lies the effect of scarcity, which is a very powerful emotion. This is exploited by almost all major accommodation providers and increasingly more traditional online stores.
In addition to the feeling of scarcity (possibility of loss), users can also be addressed with more noble feelings - such as the feeling of triumph, victory (accomplishment).
For this, for example, educational, trivia, or entertainment quizzes are a perfect tool.
They are great for combining interesting and educational content with the commercial or official content of a brand or product.
A good example of such a quiz includes:
In addition to quizzes being a good tool that educates and entertains, they are also an excellent source of quality remarketing lists, converting users into newsletter subscribers at above-average rates (ranging from 10 to 40%).
Educational - trivia quizzes record extremely high rates of newsletter sign-ups.
Similarly, advertising games can be used to achive similar effect – good examples include Bosch's Pure Fun, Lidl's Christmas Game, or OMV's Smile & Drive game – however, advertising games are developmentally and financially demanding and perform some roles even more appropriately, such as branding and returning users (retention).
Challenging games with a prize pool greatly increase the return of users to the website.
If intrinsic motivational factors are added to extrinsic ones, those more rewarding in the form of prizes, discounts, and benefits, then a whole new spectrum of tools opens up.
A good example is Big Bang's wheel of fortune in collaboration with Rowenta and Tefal, and Argeta or Favorina's Advent calendar, Lidl's scratch card, and various forms of time benefits and promotions.
Gamification thus allows the online store to involve users in a more interactive and fun way, which increases their engagement, loyalty, and ultimately also conversions.
Example A: A quiz as a remarketing channel and lead-gen tool
An online store on a subpage hosts an educational quiz about gardening tricks and tips. It addresses a clear target group of home and hobby gardeners. It also appeals to lovers of organic and locally produced food. Users are tested on their knowledge of gardening, vegetable production, storing these goodies, tools, and aids that make working in the garden easier. Every user who completes the quiz to the end receives exclusive educational content and tips from an expert. Everyone who subscribes to the newsletter also gets an additional discount coupon for online or physical store purchases in the category of garden tools and gardening equipment.
In this way, we clearly distinguish users who have actively engaged in the content and interacted with the brand for a longer time from those who left the content after a few clicks. Therefore, it is right to further reward such in-depth interaction. All those who also subscribe to the newsletter are simply marked as 'gardeners' in the email system and are addressed segmentally with content relevant to this segment of users.
For all those who have played the quiz during a certain period, we can still show them Facebook, Instagram, Google... customized ads about garden news, content, and benefits.
Example B: A wheel of fortune as a tool for returning to the cart
Returning users to the cart after they have once left it is always a rather creative and challenging process. Contents and solutions that encourage return and conversion with minimal margin loss are always welcome.
One such tool is, for example, a spin wheel, scratch card, or slot machine. These are self-explanatory types of solutions that require no or very basic explanation (no learning curve) and clearly communicate their purpose. 'Return to the cart, spin the wheel of fortune, and buy today at a lower price.' Direct, simple, understandable.
The user returns to the online store, uses the gamified solution, earns a discount, free shipping, a gift, or some other extrinsic benefit, and completes the purchase.
Of course, such solutions can be used in more ways and not just for users who have not completed a purchase. Such a solution, which encourages adding products to the cart, can also be used when a user intends to exit the website (exit intent), when they reach a specific part of the website (scroll to content), after X seconds/minutes on the website (time on site), and so on.
However, gamified and interactive content – especially when we talk about the context of online stores and retail brands – are excellent for one more thing.
Expanding and supplementing the ad inventory with interactive formats.
In addition to improving the user experience, gamification also offers numerous opportunities for promotion and expanding the ad inventory. It allows your suppliers and partners to attract the attention of users in the online store in an attractive and innovative way and present the benefits of their products and services.
Traditional banners and ads often go unnoticed, especially if placed in less visible spots on the website. For example, the sixth spot in a specific category or product group.
Gamification allows the creation of interactive promotional content that is more engaging and actively involves users. Moreover, the exposure of such formats in online stores is different from classic banner positions. Although they can occupy that, of course.
Interactive elements, such as wheels of fortune, scratch cards, educational quizzes, recommendation quizzes, and many other mechanics, not only increase the visibility of promotions but also encourage users to interact with the brand.
Big Bang's wheel of fortune, for example, allows users to spin the wheel and win prizes, which increases engagement and loyalty to the brand. Similarly, Advent calendars, such as those from Argetin and Braun, offer a new opportunity for participation and prizes every day, keeping users active and interested throughout the promotional period.
Gamification also allows the collection of valuable user data, which can be used to tailor offers and improve marketing strategies. With the help of quizzes and games, merchants can gain insights into users' interests, preferences, and behaviors, allowing them to create more personalized and effective promotions.
For example, Lidl's wine quiz not only educates users about different types of wine but also collects data about their preferences, which can be used to tailor future offers.
Advertising games and competitions not only increase user engagement but also encourage returning to the online store.
With mechanics such as leaderboards or Advent calendars, brands can create a sense of competition, reward, and surprise, which motivates users to return and participate in new activities.
OMV's Smile & Drive game, for example, during the soccer championship rewarded users for achieved results and encouraged them to return daily and try to improve their score. And thus increase the chance for promotional prizes.
With the help of analytical tools, merchants can track how many users participated in games and quizzes, how much time they spent on the website, and what the final results were, allowing them to optimize future campaigns.
Two examples of using gamification mechanics to increase ad space
Example A: A recommendation quiz with a presentation of a new product line
Online store owners can offer their suppliers attractive exposures at various levels of the online store during their current promotional activities. Hero banners, wallpapers, blog posts, newsletters, banners on categories, and so on. When a user clicks on one of them, they are redirected either to a blog newsletter or a blog post about a new product line, perhaps to a product list. In all cases, the user is placed in the passive role of an 'observer' or reader of these contents. Quite low and non-interactive involvement, if we're honest.
But we can actively involve the user in the brand communication and introduce them to the new product line in a more interactive, dynamic, playful way. A recommendation quiz is just one in a series of such solutions that not only present the benefits and novelties in a fun way to the user but actually learn a whole mountain of other information from users that can be important for re-addressing.
Example of Braun recommendation quiz in an online store.
Example B: A wheel of fortune for encouraging the sale of products of a certain brand (or product group)
One example of how a wheel of fortune can be used to address users who have left the cart, I mentioned a few lines higher. But this same tool is also very suitable for presenting products of a specific brand. Or two, three brands within one product group (garden tools, for example).
When users arrive at the entry web page of the store, a category subpage, or product group, they are greeted there by a cute animated button that triggers the aforementioned spin wheel module. Users can of course close such a button, but all those who click on it will open a gamified solution (in our case a spin wheel) with a whole host of possible mechanics and communication tactics.
From encouraging another product in the cart and rewarding it with additional benefits, past classic discounts for purchase, all the way to special gifts and messages that users would otherwise not notice.
The process of display, activation, and encouragement of sales using the spin wheel tool.
Gamification in online stores offers numerous opportunities to improve the user experience, increase user engagement, and expand the ad inventory for suppliers. With the help of interactive elements and mechanics, such as quizzes, games, wheels of fortune, and challenge prizes, online stores can attract users' attention in an appealing way, motivate them to interact and convert, and offer suppliers innovative promotional opportunities.
Gamification also allows for a better understanding of users and tailoring offers to their interests, which increases the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. By incorporating extrinsic and intrinsic motivational factors, merchants can create a more dynamic and fun shopping experience, leading to higher levels of engagement, loyalty, and sales.
In today's competitive world of e-commerce, the use of gamification is key to standing out from the crowd and providing a unique and appealing user experience. With innovative solutions and a thoughtful approach, online stores can achieve better results and create lasting connections with users.
*https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/ecommerce-statistics
For more solutions, ideas, and posts, visit our Knowledge base, where we help brands build emotional relationships with users. We use gamification and artificial intelligence in this process.