Sell Games
How to Sell Games Online: A Step-by-Step Guide with Ordefy
The gaming industry is one of the largest and most lucrative in the world, with millions of players across various platforms including PC, consoles, and mobile devices. Whether you’re selling video games, board games, or card games, online sales offer a broad market of potential customers eager for new experiences and entertainment. If you’re an indie developer, game store owner, or an entrepreneur looking to sell games online, Ordefy offers an all-in-one platform that makes it easy to set up your online store, market your products, and drive sales.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps to start selling games online using Ordefy as your eCommerce platform.
Step 1: Determine the Type of Games You Want to Sell
Before launching your game-selling business, it’s essential to decide which category or type of games you want to focus on. There are a variety of games that you can sell online, and selecting a specific niche will help you cater to the right audience.
Types of Games to Sell:
- Video Games: This includes games for PC, consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices (smartphones/tablets).
- Physical Discs: Selling physical copies of games for consoles or PCs.
- Digital Downloads: Selling downloadable codes for games (Steam, Epic Games, etc.), or direct game files.
- Indie Games: Self-published games developed by smaller studios or independent creators.
- Board Games: These include classic games like Monopoly, Scrabble, Catan, or indie and strategy board games.
- Card Games: Games like Uno, Pokémon TCG, or even custom card games.
- Mobile Games: Apps or games for smartphones and tablets, including Android or iOS-based games.
- Game Accessories: Consoles, controllers, headsets, or game-related merchandise like t-shirts, posters, or figures.
- Online Games and Subscriptions: Selling game subscriptions (e.g., World of Warcraft, Xbox Game Pass), memberships, or online content.
Step 2: Source Your Games
Once you’ve determined the type of games you want to sell, the next step is sourcing your products. Depending on your business model, there are several ways to source games.
Sourcing Physical Games:
- Wholesale Suppliers: You can purchase games in bulk from wholesalers and resell them at a markup. Look for distributors like Alliance Game Distributors or Ingram (for board games).
- Retailers: If you plan to resell popular or mainstream video games, you can buy them from retail stores or online marketplaces at discounted prices.
- Direct Partnerships with Developers: If you’re selling indie games, you might partner directly with game developers or studios for exclusive distribution rights.
Sourcing Digital Games:
- Direct Licenses: Purchase licenses from game publishers or developers to sell digital download codes (e.g., Steam keys, PlayStation Store vouchers).
- Game Platforms: Use game distribution platforms like Steam, Epic Games, or GOG to source digital products and resell them through your platform.
- Self-Published Games: If you’re an indie developer, you can publish your own games and sell them directly on your platform.
Sourcing Game Accessories:
- Wholesale Accessories: Find bulk suppliers for gaming hardware, controllers, headphones, and other gaming peripherals.
- Official Merchandise: Partner with licensed merchandise companies for branded gaming products related to popular game titles.
Step 3: Set Up Your Ordefy Store
Creating an online store for your games is quick and easy with Ordefy. The platform provides powerful tools for building and managing a professional, user-friendly eCommerce site, no matter what type of games you’re selling.
How Ordefy Helps You Set Up Your Game Store:
- Customizable Store Design: Ordefy offers customizable templates and themes, allowing you to create a visually appealing and functional store that matches your game genre. Choose a layout that appeals to gamers (e.g., dark mode, vibrant images).
- Product Pages: Add detailed product pages for each game, including:
- High-Quality Images: Showcase the game’s cover art, screenshots, and gameplay images.
- Game Description: Write a compelling description of the game, including features, gameplay mechanics, and system requirements for video games.
- Price and Availability: Set competitive prices and let customers know if it’s a physical product or digital download.
- Digital Downloads: If you sell digital games, Ordefy enables you to automatically deliver download links or activation codes after payment.
- Inventory Management: Keep track of physical stock for board games, card games, and accessories. For digital products, manage download codes and keys.
- Payment Integration: Ordefy supports popular payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and Credit Cards to ensure seamless transactions for your customers.
Step 4: Implement Effective Marketing Strategies
With your store set up, it’s time to attract customers and drive traffic to your online game store. Marketing your game effectively will help you stand out from competitors.
How Ordefy Helps You Market Your Games:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimize your product listings with keywords related to the specific games, platforms, and genres you’re selling. For example, include keywords like “action adventure game for PS4,” or “best strategy board games.”
- Content Marketing: Start a blog on your store’s website where you can post game reviews, tips, and news updates. You can also offer walkthroughs, gameplay videos, or developer interviews to build engagement.
- Social Media Integration: Link your store to social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. Share visually engaging posts, gameplay trailers, and promotions. Host giveaways, or collaborate with gaming influencers to build hype around new game releases.
- Email Marketing: Build an email list and send newsletters with game updates, special offers, or new arrivals. Segment your audience based on game preferences to send personalized recommendations.
- Paid Advertising: Run ads on platforms like Google Ads, Facebook, and Instagram targeting gamers based on their interests, browsing behavior, or game genre preferences.
- Affiliate Program: Consider launching an affiliate program where influencers, gamers, and bloggers can promote your games in exchange for a commission on each sale.
Step 5: Offer Competitive Pricing and Shipping Options
Competitive pricing and flexible shipping options are critical in the eCommerce game industry.
Pricing Strategies:
- Discounted Launch Prices: When launching new games or indie titles, offer discounts for early buyers to generate initial sales and reviews.
- Bundle Offers: Offer bundle deals where customers can purchase multiple games (or related accessories) at a discounted rate.
- Seasonal Sales: Run promotions during special seasons like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or holiday sales.
Shipping Options:
- Free Shipping: Offer free shipping on physical items over a certain price point (e.g., “Free shipping on orders over $50”).
- Flat-Rate Shipping: Offer a flat-rate shipping fee for all physical orders to simplify the process for customers.
- Global Shipping: If you’re selling internationally, make sure to offer worldwide shipping options, especially for physical products.
- Digital Delivery: For digital games, no shipping is required, and the buyer will receive immediate access to the content after purchase.
Step 6: Provide Excellent Customer Service
Customer service is crucial for retaining customers, especially in the gaming community, where support and feedback are key to building long-term relationships.
How Ordefy Helps You Provide Excellent Service:
- Live Chat Integration: Integrate live chat on your website so customers can ask questions about games, availability, or technical issues before purchasing.
- Easy Returns and Refunds: Ordefy helps you set up easy return processes for physical products. Digital downloads typically have no returns, but be clear about your policy.
- Order Tracking: Allow customers to track their physical game orders in real-time via the Ordefy platform.
- Customer Reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews on products, which helps build trust with new customers and provides valuable feedback.
Step 7: Track Sales and Optimize Your Store
After your store is live, it’s important to monitor your sales performance and customer behavior. Use analytics to optimize your store and improve conversions.
How Ordefy Helps You Analyze and Optimize:
- Sales Analytics: Track how your games are performing, identify top-selling titles, and adjust your marketing strategies based on data.
- Customer Insights: See which demographics and game genres are attracting the most attention. Use this data to tailor future product offerings and marketing efforts.
- Inventory Management: Keep track of your stock levels and set up automated alerts for when it’s time to restock or order more products.
- A/B Testing: Test different pricing models, images, or product descriptions to see what works best with your audience.
Step 8: Scale Your Game Business
Once your online game store is established and generating sales, it’s time to scale your business.
Ways to Scale Your Game Business:
- Expand Product Range: Continuously add new games, accessories, and related products to keep your store fresh and appealing to
returning customers.
- Collaborate with Developers: Partner with indie developers to sell exclusive or early-access titles through your platform.
- Host Tournaments or Events: Create a community of gamers by hosting online tournaments, stream events, or exclusive game releases on your store.
- Offer Subscriptions or Memberships: Consider launching a subscription model where customers receive new games or game content each month.
Conclusion
Selling games online can be an incredibly profitable business, and with Ordefy, you have all the tools you need to get started. By following these steps—choosing the right types of games, sourcing your products, setting up a user-friendly store, marketing effectively, and optimizing your sales—you’ll be on your way to building a successful eCommerce business.
Start selling your games today with Ordefy and bring the excitement of gaming to customers around the world!