Gamification software for fashion retailers: How and why it works

From Gucci to Nike, fashion brands around the world have been turning to gamification to improve their customers’ shopping experience. So, what exactly is gamification? It can be as simple as awarding points for purchases or as involved as creating different rewards for specific customer behavior. The guiding principle is the same: gamification makes a serious process, i.e. accessing a website to find out more information or purchasing a product online, more attractive, more compelling, and more likely to hold a customer’s interest.

Gamification is especially powerful as it taps into the brain’s reward mechanism to encourage sales. It’s also a tactic that can incentivize the entire customer journey, from acquisition to retention, when combined with coupons, discounts or loyalty points as prizes.

To implement these gamification mechanisms, retailers will work with software providers to help build their ideal gamified customer journey. These tools apply common game concepts such as badges, achievements, points, leaderboards, and more to enhance user experience.

3 ways fashion brands are using gamification software

• Quizzes: Running game-based quizzes on your website or app enables you to collect valuable, consensual insights into your customers' product preferences, behaviors, and individual traits. By incentivizing quiz completion with loyalty program points or discounts, you can also help drive purchases or boost loyalty program adoption.
• Rewards, points, and badges: Elements like badges positively reinforce certain behavior, while appealing to users’ inner collector. By earning a sufficient number of points and badges, they might qualify for rewards such as bonuses, discounts, or free items.
• Progress trackers: As customers approach the next loyalty program level, they usually become more active. Incorporating a visual progress tracker encourages users to enhance their involvement and earn better rewards.

What to look for in gamification software

The search for the right gamification software can feel overwhelming, with a huge number of providers offering a wide selection of features. While your search will depend on your particular gamification vision, we recommend looking for vendors that:

• Integrate seamlessly with your tech stack, such as your loyalty program software, CDP or CRM.
• Future-proof your strategy with a clear vision and a solid roadmap for their product.
• Modularize their solution, helping you cherry-pick the features you need and avoid purchasing redundant capabilities.

Looking for more insights into gamification and fashion promotions? Download the Talon.One guide "Promotion gamification: How and why it works".