Game On: How Lazada is Leveling Up Online Shopping for Southeast Asian Consumers

In the ever-evolving world of eCommerce, businesses are constantly looking for innovative ways to engage and retain customers. One innovation that has grown in popularity with consumers seeking more immersive experiences is the integration of gamification into online shopping experiences.

“Gamification refers to the application of game elements – the mechanics, design, technology, rewards systems and so on – to non-game scenarios,” said Mu Qingsong, the team lead of gamification at Lazada. “This is often done to better achieve business goals. In eCommerce, offering interactive gamified experiences enables users to become more engaged and have more fun in the shopping process.”

By incorporating elements such as badges, rewards, challenges and other interactive features, online retailers create a sense of competition, achievement and fun that keeps customers engaged and coming back for more.

In Southeast Asia, where mobile gaming is a massive industry, the convergence of gaming and shopping is a natural fit. Lazada pioneered the ‘shoppertainment’ trend in 2018 and has continued to introduce features designed to boost consumer engagement during the shopping journey. Games have become particularly popular with consumers, especially as in-game mechanics such as tokens and coins can be redeemed for real-life discounts, vouchers or even free products.

For example, during this year’s 9.9 sales campaign, users across Southeast Asia collected a total of 755 million tokens and coins playing GoGoMatch, an in-app game developed by Lazada. These tokens and coins could be converted into ‘energy points’ that allowed users to continue the game and could also be turned into discounts for applicable purchases on Lazada. Meanwhile, at the recent 11.11 shopping festival, Lazada witnessed a four-fold increase in users playing Merge Boss – another in-app game – compared with regular days. The game allowed users to collect “golden tickets,” which could be exchanged for daily gift bags containing discounts, special offers and other benefits. Players across the region collected 136 billion golden tickets during the mega campaign.

“We believe gamification is a mainstay in the future of online retail,” said Melissa Yunibhand, chief business officer at Lazada Thailand. “By combining entertainment with savings and adding daily check-ins and missions to earn additional coins, we are not only keeping our customers engaged but also rewarding them for their loyalty.”

Gamification is more than just a buzzword. It’s a powerful tool that leverages human psychology to make eCommerce more enjoyable and engaging. Lazada’s success with games reflects consumers’ growing appetite for more interactive, dynamic and immersive shopping experiences.

“Humans crave fun, challenges and socialization, and these are lasting values that gamification in any context can provide to greatly benefit the overall user experience. We expect gamification to continue transforming both the offline and online retail scenes,” said Mu.