Weigel’s, a convenience-store chain based in Powell, Tennessee, is now offering gamification within its loyalty app in partnership with Rovertown, a St. Louis-based loyalty provider.
Weigel's is No. 79 on CSP’s 2024 Top 202 ranking of convenience store chains by store count.
Weigel’s soft launched gamification with customers playing and earning coins in mid-January. On March 3, Weigel’s launched its coin catalog, allowing customers to redeem coins for in-store products. For example, customers can save 50 cents on a Weigel’s Pint of Tea, Jessica Starnes, director of loyalty and tobacco category manager told CSP.
The convenience-store chain takes advantage of all 30 games that the Rovertown’s Game Room offers, said Starnes, such as Candy Blast and Flappy Chicken. Up to eight games can be active at once.
“We are currently gathering information to update [offers] based on redemptions for the summer,” Starnes said.
Weigel’s has seen an overall lift of 15.6% in app usage.
“We are continuing to drive engagement with the Gen Z demographic. It is estimated they are approximately 90% gamers, so having relevant gamification is an important piece to our strategy,” Starnes said.
The $36 billion U.S. mobile gaming industry leads in engagement and retention, with users returning despite today’s digital distractions, according to Rovertown.
“As both a mobile gamer and a former retailer, I know how powerful gaming can be for engagement,” said Tyler Cameron, head of strategy and analytics at Rovertown. “Gaming has already won the battle for attention. Now, retailers finally have a new way to compete.”
While apps in the industry have traditionally featured one or two simple games, Game Room delivers a curated, regularly updated selection designed to sustain engagement. Early results show a 176% increase in logins among players, giving retailers more opportunities to connect with customers and drive sales, said Rovertown.
“Game Room turns app engagement into a daily habit,” said Jeffry Harrison, president and co-founder of Rovertown. “When customers open your app every day to play and earn their daily rewards, they’re thinking about your brand constantly. That’s the kind of engagement every retailer wants.”
In addition to engagement-driven games, Game Room will feature Rovertown’s instant win experiences, including the recently released Scratch Offs game. Players earn coins based on daily participation, not skill.
“Rovertown is the right loyalty partner in my opinion because they do things the right way, not the easy way. In this fast-paced industry, I appreciate the thoughtfulness they put into every aspect of their business,” Starnes said.
Weigel’s operates 84 convenience stores, a dairy and a bakery. The family-owned and -operated business was established in 1931.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.