Zomato’s Gamification Strategy | Business | Sarthak Ahuja

Summary

Zomato employs the Ukai Octalysis framework, utilizing dark patterns like empowering creativity, PBL (points, badges, leaderboards), urgency, scarcity, and the epic principle. These tactics gamify the payment process, encourage consecutive orders, create a sense of urgency, and prompt reviews, ultimately driving more sales and user engagement.

Takeaways

• 🎲 Zomato employs gamification techniques to encourage more spending on their app.
• 🎟️ 'Empowering Creativity' is a strategy where users are given multiple coupon codes, adding a fun element to the payment process.
• 🏅 The 'PBL' method (Points, Badges, and Leaderboards) involves rewarding users with badges for consecutive orders, promoting a sense of achievement.
• ⏰ 'Urgency and Scarcity' is used by creating a sense of urgency through notifications that a restaurant is about to close, pressuring users to order quickly.
• 🏆 The 'Epic Meaning' principle prompts users to leave reviews, making them feel like they are contributing to society and helping others make informed choices.
• 💡 The 'Ukai Octalysis' framework is named after its eight methods of dark patterns aimed at increasing user spending.
• 🤔 The script suggests that these gamification tactics can make users feel more engaged, even though some of the rewards might be perceived as pointless.
• 📈 These strategies are designed to boost sales by manipulating user behavior and emotions.
• 📱 Notifications are used as a tool to create a sense of urgency, potentially influencing users to make quicker purchasing decisions.
• 📚 The remaining principles of the 'Ukai Octalysis' are hinted at but not detailed in the script, suggesting there are more tactics in this framework.

Q & A

What is the Ukai Octalysis and how is it related to Zomato's marketing strategy?

The Ukai Octalysis is a framework that consists of eight methods of dark patterns designed to encourage users to spend more money. Zomato is said to use this framework in its app to make users spend more through gamification and other psychological tactics.

How does Zomato use the concept of empowering creativity to enhance the user experience?

Zomato employs the concept of empowering creativity by providing users with a selection of coupon codes. This adds a sense of joy and gamification to the payment process, making it more appealing to users.

What does PBL stand for in the context of Zomato's strategies?

PBL stands for Points, Badges, and Leaderboards. Zomato uses this system to reward users with foodie badges for consecutive orders, creating a sense of achievement and driving more sales.

How does the principle of urgency and scarcity work in Zomato's app?

The principle of urgency and scarcity is implemented by sending notifications to users who browse a restaurant and then exit the app. The notifications warn that the restaurant is about to close in 21 minutes, creating a sense of urgency to order quickly.

What is the fourth principle mentioned in the script, and how does it influence user behavior?

The fourth principle is EPIC, which stands for Epic Meaning and Importance. When users are prompted to leave reviews, they feel they are contributing to society by helping others avoid poor dining experiences, indirectly promoting the app further.

What are dark patterns and why are they considered unethical in user experience design?

Dark patterns are deceptive user interface design techniques used to manipulate users into actions they might not have taken otherwise. They are considered unethical because they exploit psychological triggers and can mislead users.

How does Zomato's use of gamification impact the user's perception of the payment process?

By incorporating gamification elements like coupon codes, Zomato transforms the payment process into a more enjoyable experience. This can reduce the perception of the payment as a 'pinch' and make users more likely to complete transactions.

What is the psychological effect of earning badges on a user's motivation to continue using an app?

Earning badges can create a sense of achievement and progress, which can be highly motivating. This can lead to increased engagement with the app and a higher likelihood of making repeat purchases.

How do notifications about restaurant closures influence a user's decision-making process?

Notifications about imminent closures can create a fear of missing out, prompting users to make quick decisions and potentially increasing the likelihood of placing an order.

Why might a user feel a sense of contribution when leaving reviews on Zomato?

Users may feel a sense of contribution because they believe they are helping others make informed decisions about where to eat. This perceived social benefit can be a powerful motivator for engagement.

What are the remaining four principles of the Ukai Octalysis mentioned in the script, and where can one find more information about them?

The script does not detail the remaining four principles of the Ukai Octalysis but suggests that more information, including examples, can be found in the description of the content.