Unlocking Engagement: Why Gamified Shopping Experiences Win Customer Loyalty
The retail landscape is a vast, highly competitive space. How might brands stand out from the crowd and engage their target audience? One solution many retailers are implementing in order to boost customer acquisition, increase engagement and foster loyalty is through gamification. With several different gamification concepts and approaches to consider, this up-and-coming marketing strategy can be challenging to navigate.
To help, here is a brief overview of what gamification is and how it can be used to boost business.
Captivating your shoppers’ interest is no easy feat. Often, it requires a personalized shopping experience complete with incentives to interact, convert and, ideally, remain a loyal customer. The goal of gamification is to transform the shopping journey and provide such buying incentives through entertainment and unique experiences designed to keep the user engaged and satisfied. It applies certain gaming elements and mechanics to not only captivate the shopper, but also to facilitate a personalized journey and ultimately impact consumer behavior.
Gamification in retail has seen great success in the limited time since its inception. In just a short time, this novel sales and marketing tactic has grown exponentially in popularity as it attracts new users, strengthens relationships with existing ones and improves the overall shopping experience. Such potential benefits are drawing in companies large and small with one study revealing 87% of merchants looking to employ it in the next 5 years.
As mentioned above, there are numerous ways to incorporate this valuable marketing tool. A common approach is to develop an app allowing mobile users to interact with the brand to earn and collect virtual rewards. As humans are naturally reward-driven and drawn to competition, gamification can effectively capture the users’ attention as they work to solve puzzles, play games or are otherwise amused. The rewards can vary from free shipping and little promotional gifts to simple prizes that only exist virtually.
Another gamification approach is through interactive kiosks. Available in all shapes, sizes and designs, these self-service freestanding retail displays are effective in grabbing customers’ interest while simultaneously promoting the brand’s services or merchandise. The goal of retail or gaming kiosks is to create an immersive, customized experience through virtual consultation and product exploration. This opens a world of opportunities for retailers to motivate and educate the users so that they’re ready to buy.
Want to learn more about gamification and its other possible applications in the retail marketplace? Check out the accompanying resource from Frank Mayer and Associates for further information.
