Engaging e-commerce and shopping app users with gamification

App users love games; in fact, gaming once again had the most downloads of any vertical in mobile in 2024. Successful app marketers and developers across all categories have taken note—incorporating gaming elements into advertising, onboarding, user experience, and retention strategies have all become commonplace. In 2025, gamification is expected to generate US$32 billion in sales revenue.  

While gamification in the e-commerce and shopping app space isn’t new, harnessing its power to captivate users, boost loyalty, and drive revenue is becoming increasingly prevalent—70% of global 2000 companies already use it in some way. 

By integrating game-like features into the shopping journey, apps can transform mundane transactions into interactive adventures. From points systems to virtual challenges and classics like ‘spin-the-wheel’, gamification taps into our innate love for competition and achievement, making the entire shopping process more enjoyable and rewarding—and making users stickier.

At its core, gamification it's the art of incorporating gaming mechanics into non-gaming environments. For online retailers, this means sprinkling elements of play throughout the customer experience. These playful additions serve a dual purpose: they keep customers engaged and provide tangible benefits like discounts or exclusive offers.

Popular gamification techniques for e-commerce apps include:

• Points systems and rewards programs
• Daily bonuses
• Badges
• Spin-to-win and scratch-offs
• Trivia or product quiz
• Competitions, such as giveaways on social media
• Countdown clocks
• Scavenger hunts
• Progress bar during check-out

The psychology behind gamification is simple yet effective. By offering rewards for specific actions, e-commerce apps create a sense of accomplishment that encourages repeat visits. A well-designed loyalty program, for instance, can transform casual browsers into dedicated shoppers eager to earn their next tier of benefits. Similarly, interactive quizzes not only educate customers about products but also personalize the shopping experience, leading to more satisfied users and increased sales.

Many successful e-commerce brands are leveraging gamification as a critical part of their user acquisition and sales strategies. Shein, the fast-fashion powerhouse, has mastered the art of engagement through its points system. Users earn points for daily check-ins, product reviews, and participation in outfit contests. These points can then be redeemed for substantial discounts, creating a virtuous cycle of engagement and purchasing. This approach has been particularly effective with Gen Z consumers, contributing to Shein's meteoric rise in the fashion industry.

• AliExpress: Owned by Alibaba Group, AliExpress has integrated mini-games reminiscent of hyper casual mobile games into its UX. Users can earn digital coins through daily app usage and play, which can be used as in-app currency. The games include Lucky Forest, where users water virtual trees to win coins, Coins Park, offering chances to multiply coins or win coupons, and merge game MergeBoss. This approach keeps users engaged even when not actively shopping.
• Starbucks: Taking the gamified loyalty approach, Starbucks engages users by rewarding them with “Stars” for purchases. These can then be redeemed for free drinks, food items, or merchandise. The app includes challenges and personalized offers, creating a sense of progression and achievement. This approach has significantly increased customer retention and average order value, with rewards members accounting for a substantial portion of Starbucks' sales.
• Temu: Rapidly growing on the global stage with its “Shop like a billionaire” slogan, fashion and lifestyle e-commerce platform Temu is no stranger to gamification. One of the mechanics the leverage most often is a spin-to-win, which aims to boost email sign-ups and overall engagement. New users are invited to spin a virtual wheel offering the chance to win discounts ranging from 10% to 50% off their first purchase. This tried-and-true approach increases subscriptions, conversions, and overall motivation to shop.

Incorporating gamification elements into shopping and e-commerce apps—therby transforming the purchasing process into an engaging and rewarding experience—offers a wide array of advantages for developers and users. 

Let's explore the key benefits that make gamification a powerful strategy in the digital marketplace:

1. Increased customer engagement: Game-like elements keep users coming back, increasing time spent in the app.
2. Improved loyalty: Rewards and achievements foster a sense of investment in the platform.
3. Boosted sales: Engaged users are more likely to make purchases and spend more over time.
4. Enhanced brand awareness: Shareable achievements and contests can lead to organic user acquisition.
5. Valuable data collection: Interactive elements provide insights into customer preferences and behaviors.

Gamification is a powerful tool for e-commerce apps seeking to stand out in the crowded mobile marketplace. By tapping into our love for play and achievement, adding gaming mechanics to the user journey can transform the shopping experience from simple and transactional to exciting and engaging. 

To get the full picture of performance on any campaign, including gamification tests and strategies, it’s crucial to measure and analyze rigorously. Understanding different user preferences and which sources and campaigns are driving the highest-quality installs, along with how you can optimize to better meet the needs of diverse audiences, allows for a targeted, effective, and scalable approach. 

As technology continues to evolve, the possibilities for creative gamification in e-commerce are boundless. The most successful brands will be those that can seamlessly blend fun, rewards, and shopping into a cohesive and memorable user experience, all while continuously measuring and optimizing their efforts. 

To learn how Adjust can help you measure the success of your gamification strategy and power your e-commerce app’s growth, request a demo today.