In-Store Gamification Research Paper

Engage and Conquer: A Marketer’s Guide to Gamification

Why does the building of customer loyalty have to be a serious endeavor? Customer engagement should be all fun and games.

By appealing to the kid in consumers of all ages, businesses won’t cause a “game over” conclusion to their customer experience efforts. Offering in-store gamification will give consumer service brands – especially QSRs – a fighting and fun chance of not just survival but an opportunity to stand out from a crowded field of competitors.

Gamification is, as you probably know, the application of game-playing elements such as point scoring and competition in an attempt to engage consumers with a product or service.

By offering gamification as an in-store experience,

Taken a step further, in-store gamification – pardon the pun – ups “the game” between a brand and its competitors. Offer fun games that consumers can play only in a restaurant, and they will come.

You still probably remember the corner store from your childhood that offered a prize if you could guess how many jellybeans were in a jar. Digital in-store gamification has the same effect: a QSR that has a memorable in-store game will differentiate itself from competitors. That kind of impression sets the stage for unparalleled engagement, with consumers hungry to learn more about a brand so they can collect points and win games.

An in-store game will trigger consumers’ emotions – determination, resolve, elation and a desire for more – which will then prompt them to share this experience with friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media sites. When a QSR connects its in-store game to social media outlets, stand back and watch the tweets, likes and shares multiply. It’s worth noting that, thanks to social media, the global gamification market is set to grow to $11.10 billion by

The QSR has no real menu. Instead, customers create their own meals, naming, branding and marketing their creations while they’re in store, via social media and to existing 4food groups. They earn 4food cash credits with every sale of their creations. New creations and best sellers are displayed in-store on a menu board and interactive media wall, as well as online and social media feeds.

In-store Gamification Wins

On-location gamification does online games and apps one better by placing consumers in a physical spot where a brand can be fully absorbed in a natural way. Consumers’ minds are on an engaging game, and are subtly absorbing all the positive feelings a brand engenders.

Wrapped up in a competition, this marketing effort won’t feel heavy-handed but naturally captivating. Moreover, consumers won’t notice wait times or other operational things like short staffing on a busy night.

A Domino’s Pizza store in the Netherlands used in-store gamification to stop consumers from aimlessly loitering for 5-8 minutes while they waited for their orders. Domino’s turned to SCREEMO to install an in-location gamified experience. A large screen, strategically placed near the waiting area, acts as an activator, attracting consumers to play a competitive, addicting multiplayer game on their mobile