GAME readies online for biggest trading year
By Retail Technology | Friday August 2 2013
UK gaming retailer develops enhancements with e-commerce partner to capitalise on omnichannel sales and growth
UK gaming retailer, GAME has released a number of online developments in preparation for what is anticipated to be its biggest trading year ever.
GAME Retail has worked with e-commerce and multichannel IT specialists Salmon since implementing IBM WebSphere Commerce as its strategic e-commerce platform in 2011.
In 2012 Salmon successfully migrated Gamestation’s online platform to GAME.co.uk, following its decision to provide customers with one unified brand. Since then Salmon have delivered a number of enhancements to GAME’s omnichannel strategy and is currently carrying out extensive performance testing and upgrading software to equip the retailer for a record-breaking peak period.
Preparing for a busy festive season
Andrew Grainger, GAME chief technology officer, commented: “With two new consoles, the Xbox One and PS4, and some stunning new games being released before Christmas, we expect our website will come under an exceptionally heavy workload. Preparing now will ensure customers continue to receive a positive experience through both the website and mobile site.”
Salmon has developed and enhanced GAME’s multichannel offering using WebSphere Commerce’s Extended Sites functionality. Grainger continued: “As an omnichannel games specialist, it is important for us to continue to deliver excellence and value for gamers across all our channels.
"Salmon has helped our online proposition stay strong and with the collaboration, we look forward to continuing to provide access to the best range of games and products, growing our digital market share and delivering excellence to gamers.”
Customers are now benefitting from GAME’s 'Endless Range' giving stores the ability to order any game that is out of stock instore for either home delivery or collection by the customer. This ensures that customers leave the store with what they came in for, even though it is not on the shelf.
Updating checkout processes
Following usability testing carried out by Salmon, GAME now has a new improved checkout reducing the number of steps from six to four. This change has improved checkout conversion significantly. The addition of PayPal online is also making it simpler for customers to purchase and a large proportion of customers are already choosing this method of payment.
IBM Product Recommendations provide customers with recommendations that are behaviour-based, relevant and timely, and generating increased revenue – and GAME is seeing an upsurge in attach rates as a result.
The IT partner is also implementing IBM Coremetrics web analytics and marketing optimisation, providing GAME with real time insight into how consumers are interacting on the site and empowering marketers to turn visitors into repeat customers, by creating a compelling experience through the customers’ lifecycle.
The retailer also said that customers could also expect to see an ever-developing homepage that will give the site a modern, fresh look that is appealing and easy to use.
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