Loyalty points, challenges, and exclusive rewards: Gamification opens up new ways to bring brands to life, establish digital touchpoints, and build loyal communities. In this article, we explore the benefits, challenges, and future prospects of gamification in retail.
Gamification creates experiences that go beyond the product itself. By integrating loyalty schemes, leaderboards, and other game-inspired elements, brands establish spaces for identity and interaction. These digital and physical touchpoints not only drive sales but also foster customer loyalty.
Photo: screenable.io
Photo: screenable.io
Photo: screenable.io
"Gamification means transferring playful elements into retail. This allows businesses to create spaces for experience and identity."
Gamification is rooted in psychology, leveraging various cognitive motivation patterns. "From dopamine release to behavioural changes or simply the fun factor in the moment – gamification taps into many of these effects," explains Benedikt Görges from screenable.io, a company that enhances shopping and customer experiences through gamification.
Challenges of Gamification
Like any strategy, gamification comes with its challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is ensuring that game-like elements remain subtle rather than intrusive. The key advantage lies in presenting advertising in a more interactive and engaging way, as opposed to traditional ads that are often filtered out and ignored by consumers.
Photo: screenable.io
With ongoing digitalisation, innovative approaches to gamification are emerging. A well-known example is McDonald's Monopoly, which has been around since 1987 and is now highly digitalised. This demonstrates how gamification can be successfully integrated into business models.
Gamification in Practice
A core principle of gamification is its simplicity. It must be easily accessible to consumers across all age groups, without barriers to entry. Implementation is fast and straightforward, allowing for a wide range of applications across different industries. Businesses can utilise these mechanisms to simplify complex processes or create interactive customer engagement.
Photo: screenable.io
Photo: screenable.io
Future Prospects and Technology
Immersive experiences are among the most exciting developments in gamification. Technologies such as Virtual and Augmented Reality enable even deeper engagement. However, as Benedikt Görges explains, "The necessary devices are not yet as widespread as smartphones." As a result, smartphones currently serve as the most practical platform for digital gamification.
"Gamification thrives on simplicity. It must be seamless and effortless. It only works if it can be implemented instantly. That’s why I believe that immersive trends such as AR and VR in gamification will take another five to ten years to truly take off."
In the future, artificial intelligence will play a key role in personalisation and data management, further enhancing gamification experiences. "This also applies to omnichannel gamification – meaning digitalised gamification across multiple sales channels, both online and offline," says Benedikt Görges. Industries such as furniture retail and interior design are already seeing benefits from these processes.
"AI is an excellent tool for personalisation and monitoring, allowing businesses to better understand and respond to their customers."
Conclusion
Gamification holds great potential for increasing customer loyalty and boosting sales. The concept is highly flexible and can be adapted to different industries and target groups. As technology continues to evolve, gamification is expected to expand and become even more effective over the next five to ten years. Businesses that embrace these developments early on will gain a significant competitive advantage.
Benedikt Görges
Business Psychologist
Benedikt Görges is a business psychologist who supports companies in business development, digital innovation, and growth. At screenable.io, he serves as a scale-up advisor and retail expert.
