Combining two successful industries to keep customers engaged: Two of the biggest industries right now are eCommerce and gaming. The popularity of these industries is an ode to how much time people are spending online in their free time but also reveals what kind of experiences they are willing to include in their everyday lives. Shopping Roulette was created to give users the best of both worlds, fusing obsessions with gaming and shopping.
Shopping online has become part of our weekly routines, eliminating the thrill we used to get when scoring deals in a store. This feeling is comparable to winning something in a game. Emilie Edberg, Joseph D’Anna, and Elia D’Anna created Shopping Roulette to morph online shopping into a fun, competitive experience. Customers who purchase from the website are automatically entered for a chance to compete against five others and win their purchase for free. The way it works is by adding up the wholesale profit margin, or ‘markup’, received from each of the products sold on the platform. That margin is consolidated into a huge discount of 100% off that is given to one single user through a roulette game.
“Think about everything that you buy online. Now imagine 20% of all that would be for free. This is Shopping Roulette,” CEO Emilie Edberg said.
Instilling trust in a new concept:
Although the concept of Shopping Roulette seems simple, there were many concerns to address before launching something new. The site had to present the concepts in a way that felt safe and fun for the customer. Leaning into the gaming aspect too harshly would jeopardize gaining clients who are loyal to traditional eCommerce practices. Meanwhile, focusing entirely on shopping could overshadow the innovative gaming elements. The two worlds had to be carefully balanced.
Another concern the creators had was the possibility that the site would appear to be a scam. Many could perceive winning items for free as suspicious. The roulette idea was decided on to combat distrust and offer transparency. This format was also the best way to show the randomness of the selection process.
“It was really a long, gruelling process of coming up with and then discarding millions of different solutions to get where we are today and to find what ultimately made our product great,” CEO Emilie Edberg said.
Putting customers in the driver’s seat by choosing their own winnings instilled trust while adding to the excitement. The idea is a first for the market, but may not be the last.
Learn as much as you can before beginning your own journey
For anyone wanting to enter the eCommerce industry with their own ideas, creators say that it’s important to learn about yourself and what you love before embarking on an entrepreneurial journey.
“That’s where creativity comes from, not from books or from external experiences, but from something deep within us that needs to come out and be expressed. Once you find that thing that you love…then there is no limit to what you can achieve,” Emilie Edberg said.
The European School of Economics instilled core business values in the trio, and also provided strong mentorships to help them along the way. For this reason, they say it’s important to choose wisely on your education. But overall, dedication will get you far. “If you are completely dedicated towards a goal, if you give it your all and never give up, then success is inevitable.”
For more information about Shopping Roulette and the founders’ stories, visit their website here.
