Will gamification soon be everywhere in the online retail space?

More people than ever are enjoying online games, with an estimated 66% of adults in the USA playing one form or another.

On top of that, other aspects of the entertainment industry have started to include more elements of user interaction. For instance, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, and other choose your own adventure style programmes have been an early indicator of the way the industry is heading.

Online retail is a hugely competitive sector, worth around £300 billion in Western Europe (UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy and Spain), and businesses need to do everything they can to get the edge over their rivals.

Gamification has already started to permeate the retail industry in many ways, but the businesses that expand on this could win the most customers in the next few years.

Why is gamification likely to be ubiquitous in the future of online retail?

Live streaming has brought people closer by allowing for real-time comments.

This is a concept that was first introduced in the gaming industry on Twitch.

Online retailers quickly adopted the use of this platform, and it has been hugely successful in boosting sales and raising awareness of products. It makes sense for retail to look to gaming to see what other aspects they can appropriate.

With interactive and fun facets showing up across all other areas of the internet, consumers are growing accustomed to experiencing some immersion in the content they are viewing.

Introducing instances of gaming in the online retail experience is the next logical step forward and an amazing way to boost engagement on a site.

Gamification can be used by retailers in a variety of ways. Spinning wheels can be a good way to release random rewards, while points and leaderboards can keep customers coming back for more.

Earning badges for regular shopping and levelling up to receive better rewards are all concepts that have been introduced at some sites.

Useful ways to attract people to online gamification

Everything is more fun with games. You just need to make your customers see that too.

So, how can you attract more users to online gamification? Well, one of the best ways is by offering different welcome promotions and bonuses.

This method is already being used by numerous online casino sites all over the world. Casino fans are always eager to try out a new 10 free spins no deposit UK site. And these types of welcome promotions also help the operator to promote its other games to players who decide to visit their platform.

So, depending on your line of business, you can offer free points or shopping gift cards as an incentive for new visitors. 

How can businesses take advantage of this trend?

Gamification has already started creeping into the retail industry, and the businesses that take it to the next level could be the ones to reap the rewards.

With lucky spins and point systems already becoming ubiquitous, business owners now need to look to areas in which they can get ahead of the curve. Turning shopping into a game could be hugely exciting for consumers, and something that could easily be explored.

Online retailers could look to integrate games using a prebuilt system developed by online gaming platform providers. Because these tools are fully customisable and come with expert insights, it is possible to combine a retail and gaming site.

An interesting marketing approach would be to try to attract customers by advertising games, and then incorporating purchasable items into the levels.

Another option could be to have customers go on a game-like adventure when looking for products in the online catalogue.

Gamification has been gradually emerging in the online retail space as a way to boost engagement. This could soon be taken up a few notches with new ideas about how to include more gaming in retail.

There could even be a surge of sites that combine shopping and gaming in the same place.