What Is The Influence Of Gaming On E-commerce?

The gaming industry is growing by the day and is expected to become one of the biggest industries in the world in the next decade.

Therefore, its size and money in circulation will impact many different industries, including E-Commerce.

But how would games change the e-commerce industry?

Well, in a lot of ways. Games are creative, and they have been adapting and introducing new elements and game modes that have revolutionized how we play video games. Also, specific technologies, like Blockchain, emerged over the last couple of years, adding a new segment to the market that needs to be fully explored.

Since we speak about the video gaming industry, which is growing significantly at the moment, and the e-commerce industry has the same trajectory, it is fair to compare them and see whether they influence each other.

Let’s find out.

Gaming Industry

According to this website, the gaming industry has been growing in the past couple of years, and we reach a new all-time high every year. The video gaming industry in the U.S. alone is worth around $250 billion. But that is only game sales and in-game purchases. 

We also have game merchandise, eSports, cloud and VR gaming, and many more segments that must be considered.

The gaming industry is massive, but how does the industry influence the e-commerce market?

Game Product Sales

Games are a type of interactive entertainment that captivates individuals of all ages. As a result, consumer interest in games has driven up demand for gaming items such as video game consoles, gaming PCs, and hardware components. 

With the rising popularity of games, many gamers are turning to e-commerce to purchase the most recent releases and high-quality equipment.

The Rise of Video Streaming and eSports

Live gaming streams and e-sports have become a cultural phenomenon with a worldwide following. Platforms such as Twitch, Kick, and YouTube Gaming enable gamers to live-stream their gameplay to millions of people.

On the other hand, we have hugely popular eSports, bringing millions of fans together. These millions of fans are potential customers for e-commerce stores selling items that go along with their interests.

Additionally, eSports betting has been on the rise in the past couple of years, which opens up new e-commerce opportunities, partnerships, and gaming-related platforms that drive the industry.

This expanding tendency has helped to boost online sales of gaming-related items. When viewers see elite athletes utilizing specific equipment or objects, they are more likely to be interested in purchasing them.

Target Audience

Gaming companies recognize the value of making a connection with their target audience. They use marketing tactics specifically specialized and suited to gamers, engaging them in unique and compelling campaigns. 

This player-specific marketing method has shown to be quite effective, increasing online gaming product sales.

The Entertainment Factor of e-Commerce

All video games are built with the same purpose: to be entertaining. With the rise of e-commerce stores, we’ve seen a lot of creative websites that take the entertainment factor into account. 

This technique is called Gamification. Gamification is a strategy for incorporating game features into non-game environments.

Just because we talk about online shopping, it doesn’t have to be boring. Some e-commerce websites that follow the latest gaming trends added special on-website mini-games where customers can potentially win discounts or free shipping options.

With that, online shoppers will be entertained and have a much better shopping experience.

Increased Reach

E-commerce enterprises may profit from the gaming industry’s worldwide reach, engaged audience, and unique content production and interaction potential. 

Businesses may integrate e-commerce into games to allow players to purchase products with which they interact, establishing an extra sales channel and reaching a worldwide audience more quickly and easily.

On top of that, the popularity of games will help boost other niches in the e-commerce industry. Companies can also sell gaming merch with popular game names or logos, adding more value to the e-commerce industry.

Mobile is a platform to explore since gaming has a highly engaged audience and gives a direct conduit to contact people on their mobile devices, resulting in more significant revenue and a more extensive client base.

Partnership Opportunities

Partnerships between e-commerce corporations and game creators have also proven to be an effective strategy. 

Collaborations provide limited editions of game-themed merchandise, enticing fans to purchase them as collectibles. These innovative partnerships frequently sell out rapidly, highlighting the gaming industry’s ability to influence online consumer purchase behavior.

Final Words

The gaming and e-commerce industries go well together. Both drives can benefit from each other; having the gaming industry without e-commerce and vice versa is unimaginable. 

They will lose substantial revenue streams, resulting in lower game investments and fewer gaming products to sell.

So, if you are a gamer, know that you are already targeted by multiple e-commerce platforms that want to sell you some products, which is a good thing. At least you are served ads that are relevant to you.

In the future, we expect the relationship between eCommerce and gaming to intensify, and we may see in-game eCommerce stores that sell you real-world items.