The New Marketplace Revolution: Where Gamification & E-Commerce Meets.
The New Marketplace Revolution: Where Gamification & E-Commerce Meets.
One new thing is happening in the evolving online world: gamified VR shop windows. These new websites are making online shopping not just a chore but a game of fun using your average web browser. Bringing games to the shop, these online markets aren’t only revolutionizing the way we buy things, they are revolutionizing e-commerce as a whole.
The New World of Shopping The Rise of a New Era.
Imagine: you access your favorite online store, but you don’t see a website on the page; instead, you see an animated virtual world. When you shop in this online store, you’re not just searching for products, but also on quests, puzzles and competing against other consumers. The internet of things is going to be like this — your purchase is a game.
These gamified VR shop windows are not dependent on user touch to interact with products. Instead, they build gamified, virtual worlds that pull in consumers via online challenges, rewards and social aspects. The result is shopping less like a job and more like a vacation.
Understanding the Players
If we’re going to get a good idea of the creativity of these gamified stores, we have
to understand the kinds of users they serve. On the basis of Richard Bartle’s player taxonomy, we have four basic types of users:
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Superstars: These are players who love success. They’re the ones who’ll work all night to complete every challenge, try to reach the top of the leaderboards and rack up all badges.
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Explorers: Extroverts, curious ones love to explore all the corners of the digital landscape. They’re in it for the glitz and mystery of discovering special functionality or special content.
- Socializers: For socializers, the main appeal is other people. They like doing the challenges together and they love posting their wins on social media.
- Killers: Killers are competitive, so they’re driven by being better than others. They like competitions and games that are timed.
A Day in the Gamified Marketplace.
Follow Alex, a rookie on one of these VR shopping arcades. Alex is an "Achiever," so he is immediately drawn to the huge leaderboard and point system.
Alex starts out on a virtual scavenger hunt. Each clue takes you to another part of the store, where you’ll find new categories of products and special deals. The more Alex answers a riddle, the more points he receives, and the higher Alex climbs on the leaderboard.
And then a pop-up quiz asks Alex how well he knows the brands of the store. With every correct answer you receive more points and access to exclusive content—great for the "Explorer" in Alex.
During the shopping session, Alex also observes a challenge in which users coordinate to get a discount at the store. This plays on Alex’s "Socializer" side and he wants to connect with other shoppers to reach the same end.
Then, at last, there’s a temporal one that Alex is interested in, a competition to design the best outfit from the store’s inventory. This is competitive and appeals to Alex’s "Killer" side of the gamer psyche, and it really gives the experience of shopping a jolt of adrenaline.
The Psychology of Engagement
It is precisely the fact that these gamified retail outlets serve different game types at the same time that is brilliant. They make sure that each user can find something to love in their set of challenges and rewards, so no matter your gaming tastes, you can play something.
This holistic style draws on basic human desires: success, discovery, connection and rivalry. The end result is a profoundly addictive experience where people stay for not only to shop but to play, compete and win.
The Business Perspective
On the business side, these gamified VR showrooms are customer-engagement and data-collection goldmines. The quizzes and challenges — each question answered, every question cracked, all tell you something about your customer’s tastes and habits.
And the gamification elements are also effective lead generation platforms. Users are apt to input personal data or subscribe to newsletters if these activities are seen as a challenge or game. Reward promise or VIP status is one of the best reasons for customers to interact with a brand.
Challenges and Future Prospects
The opportunities for gamified VR storefronts are tremendous, but there are obstacles. It is very important to keep users interested long-term — the challenges and the prizes should always be refreshed to avoid getting old. Also, keeping the gaming element in check with the shopping aspect, so that entertainment doesn’t dominate sales.
In the future, we can expect more and more interlocking between these simulated shopping experiences and actual rewards. Now imagine getting points in a virtual store that can be traded in for physical stores and so it will be online, offline.
Conclusion
Gamified VR storefronts are the future of online retailing. If they can turn shopping into an emotional experience, then they can boost engagement and customer loyalty in an exponential way. The future of technology means we will see such platforms get more and more advanced and will have more and more reasons for consumers to visit these virtual worlds.
The possibilities are endless for companies who accept this new reality. Those who can develop the most immersive, valuable virtual experiences are probably in front of the next e-commerce revolution. For shoppers, gaming and retail are no longer the same thing, and the future holds a world in which each transaction becomes part of a bigger, more exciting experience.
The virtual shop of the future is not just a place to purchase goods — it is a destination, an experience and a game all in one. Welcome to the future of online transactions, where every mouse-click is not only a purchase, but a victory, discovery, friendship and competition.
