e-Commerce: Complete. Configured. Connected.
Charlie Born
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Homepage: http://www.plimus.com
Posts by Charlie Born
Customer Profile: Yummy Interactive Talks Frictionless Gaming
Aug 27th
For today’s blog, I’d like to highlight one of our partners, Yummy Interactive. This week, Christopher Hennebery, VP of software distribution at Yummy Interactive, spoke with Rebecca Lieb from Econsultancy about making digital rights management as painless as possible. During the discussion, Christopher described how Yummy is now able to offer its customers a “frictionless” e-Commerce experience – with the help of Plimus.
Plimus announced its relationship with Yummy Interactive back in the middle of June at E3 and since then we’ve been working with them to offer a seamless online buying experience for gamers. Yummy Interactive’s GameShield In-Game Activation, developed with Plimus, provides game developers a way to turn the trial-to-purchase process into a hassle-free, immersive experience. This e-Commerce platform provides a one-click purchase experience, which helps maintain immersive gameplay throughout the transaction. This, in turn, gives these developers a new tool to use to increase revenue and convert trials into sales.
Rebecca’s post includes a great conversation with Christopher and provides some interesting statistics on how Plimus and Yummy Interactive are helping game developers increase their revenue streams, “We’ve seen one of our clients base a 19% increase in conversions from trial to purchase.” Click here to read the entire blog on the Econsultancy website.
Charles Born,
Head of Marketing
E-tailers Capitalize On Web 2.0 Era
Aug 18th
Despite the economic downturn, there is at least one group that’s flourishing – e-tailers. I read an interesting article the other day in Forbes.com about all the things e-tailers are doing right. The article discusses how online retailers have been able to increase revenue, while traditional retailers are struggling in the down economy. While thousands of traditional stores closed their doors last year, and notable chains such as Circuit City declared bankruptcy, forward-thinking online merchants enjoy continued growth. In her piece for Forbes, Patricia Nakache outlines how different tools have helped online merchants attract more customers than their traditional retail counterparts.
It did not surprise me that over the past 10 years online sales have grown. Since 2001, Plimus has experienced the phenomenal growth of e-Commerce first hand; however I was shocked to read exactly how much online sales currently outpace traditional sales! By targeting technically savvy consumers, e-Commerce sales have grown 19 percent per year, a rate much higher than offline sales. So how are these online merchants doing it and what can traditional retailers learn from these successful online vendors? E-tailers are capitalizing and cashing in on the Web 2.0 era, that’s how.
Social media is a tool that has become pivotal in driving viral traffic to retail websites. The rise of the social Web has created communities that are changing the online buying process, shifting focus away from brand-owned properties toward peer-to-peer recommendations on social networks. With more than 500 million active worldwide users, 56 percent of which shop online, Facebook allows consumers to advertise their purchases and encourage friends to participate in group discounts. Similarly, sites like Groupon encourage consumers to publicize deals with their friends by only offering subscribers a deal if they get enough people to sign up for the daily newsletters. Platforms such as these have already led 11 percent of retailers to report social media as their most effective acquisition tactic, and this percent will undoubtedly continue to grow.
The success of e-Commerce seems to be a light at the end of a dark economic tunnel. Plimus’ e-Commerce platform will continue to help e-tailers smooth out the online buying process and make the experience enjoyable for consumers and benefical for vendors. As Web 2.0 and traditional e-commerce continue to mesh making way for the rise e-Commerce 3.0, Plimus will be here to help e-tailers “flourish.”
Charles Born,
Head of Marketing
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdon/3229663883/
Social Gaming: Who’s Spending What, Where?
Aug 4th
As the popularity of social gaming continues to grow, the marketplace for virtual products is now offering consumers more options than ever before. Today gamers can purchase nearly any type of virtual object – from elephants to guns – nothing seems to be off limits. According to a recent report conducted by market researcher VGMarket, roughly 75 percent of online gamers are using their cold, hard-earned cash to purchase virtual goods. But how and where are these consumers spending their money?
Dean Takahashi took a look at the habits of these online spenders and broke it down in an interesting article for VentureBeat. In his piece, Takahashi highlights that not only are gamers buying, they are buying often! According to the 2010 Digital Goods Report, roughly 64 percent of users make at least one purchase a month and 9 percent buy virtual goods daily. And there seems to be no buyer’s remorse here, with half of these online shoppers reporting that they plan on spending the same amount on digital goods over the next 12 months.
And there’s no shortage of sites offering virtual goods. Currently, social networks dominate the online marketplace with users reporting that they spend an average of $50 per year on digital goods through these platforms. Trailing shortly behind social networks, consumers in the multiplayer and causal gaming markets, shell out nearly $40 per year for digital goods ranging from weapons to puppets.
Surprisingly, while men play more online games and are the primary purchasers of virtual goods, women over the age of 24 report spending disproportionately large sums of money on certain products. Women surveyed in the study, reported spending an average of $55 dollars on social networks per year compared to males who only spent about $30 dollars per year. Similarly, women reported spending twice as much as their male counterparts when buying in-game currency.
It seems there is no end in sight. It will be interesting to see where this market will expand and what digital goods will emerge as a result. For now, we here at Plimus will continue to focus on making this buying experience as immersive, seamless, and enjoyable as possible for all.
Charles Born,
Head of Marketing
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bohman/219249582/
Boost Your Career with Video Games
Jul 28th
I read an interesting article last week on Forbes.com, “How Playing Videogames Can Boost Your Career.” Here at Plimus HQ, with so many gaming companies as our customers, we look at game playing as industry research. But, for most companies, playing games while on the job is taboo. In fact, it’s increasingly common for companies to track their employees’ computer usage, sometimes even blocking access to social gaming sites on the work computers.
According to Forbes, companies are beginning to notice that employees who have played online games during their youth are actually excelling at a higher rate than their non-gamer counterparts. “We’re finding that the younger people coming into the teams who have had experience playing online games are the highest-level performers because they are constantly motivated to seek out the next challenge and grab on to performance metrics,” John Hagel III, co-chairman of a tech-oriented strategy center for Deloitte, told the publication.
Organizations like Deloitte are noticing a similarity in gaming and behaviors at work. Sources in the article indicate that by playing online games, users can develop dispositions that are extremely valuable in the corporate setting. Many online games have trial-and-error processes that require players to become accustomed to and subject to loss, failure and frustration and how to learn from the experience.
Perhaps surprisingly, these games can also spur entrepreneurship. In 2004, 22-year-old David Storey bought what was reportedly the most valuable virtual object – a virtual island in the online game “Project Entropia” – for what some called a foolhardy $26,500. But David may have the last laugh: Today he makes more than $100,000 a year from fees he charges those who hunt on his island during the game. Being a virtual property owner, David told Forbes, taught him more about business than he ever expected to learn from a game.
So the next time you’re thinking that your company’s young employee who spends his evenings stuck in front of into his home computer playing an immersive and engaging fame isn’t going to amount to much – think again. Soon enough, he could be leading the pack. Check out the Forbes article, it’s a fascinating read.
Charlie Born,
Head of Marketing
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/seandreilinger/2063651675/
Plimus Enables Frictionless e-Commerce with Buy Anyware™ API
Jun 30th
This week has been an exciting one for Plimus, as we announced the availability of our Buy Anyware™ e-Commerce application programming interface (API). We believe that our new API will be an industry-changer and for the first time will enable e-Commerce to be conducted from anywhere at any time unleashing the power of the web.
The Plimus Buy Anyware™ API allows for complete control of the customer experience, whether nested within a browser, plug-in or installed software title. The BuyAnyware API is not simply a streamlined checkout process that eliminates the requirement of a virtual storefront; it also empowers sellers to revolutionize the buying experience by offering new customer-driven processes and business models previously not possible. Online transactions can now happen when and where it makes sense for the buyer, which we are confident will lead to higher conversion rates and increased revenue by turning shopping browsers into buyers.
Buy Anyware™ is a true manifestation of the next generation of frictionless online purchasing and gaming. It provides end-users the ability to buy anything, anywhere, at any time; truly e-Commerce 3.0. Developed from the knowledge we gained over the past 10 years, in developing this e-Commerce 3.0 vision, we have had the pleasure of working with several innovative companies, including Yummy Interactive and Gigya. These companies and others we will announce in the future are doing some really cool things with the API that we think will help them reap the new monetization channels it enables.
You can read the entire release by clicking here and we have further information and application videos are available here. And, please, let me know if you want to learn more about Buy Anyware™ or our thoughts on e-Commerce 3.0, I’m happy to chat.
Charlie Born,
Head of Marketing
Highlights from E3 2010
Jun 23rd
I spent the past week at E3 as Plimus was exhibiting in the Game Connect hall. It was both a fun and busy time for the entire Plimus team. We met with dozens of current and potential customers and also got to cruise around the show floor. So much cool stuff in games and consoles, etc. that I could share with you. But, I’ve outlined my top 10 list below:
1.) Plimus and Yummy Interactive launched the In-Game Activation interface, which is helping limit the hassle of online, in-gaming transactions. Of course, I put us first, but for casual gamers this is big. Revenues are what drive innovation.
2.) Sony Corp. introduced a $49.99 motion-activated video-game controller, Playstation Move, in hopes of winning casual game players from Nintendo Co.’s Wii console.
3.) It was an all-out war on 3-D video game capabilities at the show. Sony demonstrated Playstation 3 games with 3-D capabilities and Nintendo introduced its 3DS handheld device that displays games in three dimensions without wearing 3-D glasses.
4.) Sporty Spice stopped outside the Plimus meeting room for an interview she had with the media. She’s surprisingly shorter than you’d think.
5.) We began to see the rise of Microsoft Kinect – new demos, new games and old favorites (Sonic the Hedgehog). There was a lot of chatter with people saying it’s going to overhaul the entire gaming industry. We shall see.
6.) Casual gaming was a key focal point at the show. I even noticed gamers checking on their Farmville crops and keeping their mind alert with a quick game of Bejeweled from their iPhones on the show floors.
7.) Oh, the things you see on the show floor. I can’t put it into words, so check out this photo spread from CNET.
8.) Did you know that Mickey Mouse has a long lost “half brother” named Oswald the Lucky Rabbit? Who knew?!? The soon-to-be-released Epic Mickey game from Disney Interactive Studios features this character along with Mickey and his magic paint brush.
9.) Richard Branson and Virgin Gaming are back after a decade. Branson turned up, in his traditionally exuberant manner, in an armored truck, $1 million in hand for the biggest prizes and most rewards his new website will offer. Every time I went by, there was not much action compared to the other booths – so we’ll need to see how this plays out.
10.) Underlying all the excitement and hype, were visible concerns about the future Supreme Court hearing on the legality of a California law regulating computer and video games.
Charlie Born,
Head of Marketing
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/2302573414/
Plimus and Yummy Interactive
Jun 21st
I have exciting news to share with you. Last week, Plimus and Yummy Interactive together announced the development of an e-Commerce platform for casual game publishers. In-Game Activation interface enables not only a one-click purchase, but maintains the game experience throughout the transaction. So what does this mean for casual gamers?
Previously, all casual gaming and other online purchasing services were forced to deploy e-Commerce platforms that required users to leave the game environment in order to complete a transaction. To enhance their gaming experience, such as buying additional credits or purchasing the game after an initial free trial, users had to launch another Web browser page and were bombarded with a “friction-full” experience.
In-Game Activation interface is helping limit the hassle of online, in-gaming transactions. Using the Plimus e-Commerce application and its own GameShield™ licensing protection solution, Yummy Interactive has developed an e-Commerce interface that keeps the player immersed within the game environment during the transaction, which not only enriches the user experience but also increases conversion rates and revenue.
You can read the entire release here.
Charlie Born,
Head of Marketing
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brewbooks/244365591/
The History of Casual Gaming
Jun 16th
I recently read a post from Gamasutra blogger David Wesley on “The Rise in Casual Gaming.” David was commissioned to author a chapter in the manuscript “Innovation and Marketing in the Video Game Industry,” and did a wonderful job sharing his insights. I downloaded the chapter via the website and found the read very interesting.
The casual gaming market is a big one for Plimus, and we’re working daily with game developers, publishers, and their affiliates. We find this industry to be extremely fascinating and are thrilled to be part of it and work with leading companies as we do.
Gaming has come a long way since the Solitaire and Minesweeper games we played on our old PCs. Since then, the Internet has prompted casual gaming to take off. The quick nature of casual gaming was extremely attractive to developers because its short form made it incredibly low-cost to make, which allowed developers to take greater creative risks. Casual gaming also allowed smaller development shops to enter the market.
Casual gaming also opened up new audiences, appealing to non-traditional players, such as stay-at-home mothers and business people on Wall Street. They were quick, simple to follow and typically light entertainment, not high intensity like first-person shooter games. Casual gaming found its sweet spot as time-fillers – games played on the bus to work or in between meetings.
According to the Casual Gaming Association, women make up 75 percent of the casual gaming audience and more than 72 percent of casual gamers are over the age of 35.
Now, 15 years after PC gaming caught on, casual gaming is big business. This week’s E3 show in LA, while historically very platform and device centered, has a large amount of buzz around PC and social gaming. Casual gaming is maturing. Today’s gamers include men, women, children and even senior citizens. These gamers simply enjoy playing, whether it be a puzzle game, sports game or an arcade game. Game on!
Charlie Born,
Head of Marketing
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/45688285@N00/82128314/
Casual Gaming – Who Knew It Could Improve Cognition?
Jun 4th
Last week, there was some very interesting news about casual gaming. While some may say those long hours spent on casual gaming is a waste of time or that it turns the brain into mush, those arguments no longer hold up. I knew it! Here’s why: initial results from a new study being conducted by East Carolina University’s (ECU) Psychophysiology Lab found that casual games may have a positive effect on cognition. The study is in its sixth month of trial and currently has 40 participants who are 50 and older. Specifically for this study, the subjects are playing PopCap’s games such as Bejeweled and Peggle though the company did not commission the study.
A recent an article in Gamasutra states, “Thus far, the study’s finding [show] visible improvements in short-term cognition among the participants playing casual games — promising news for health professionals interested in ways to provide mental exercise for the aging and those with dementia-family disorders like Alzheimer’s.”
Additional findings of the study showed that participants who played casual games for 30 minutes demonstrated an 87 percent improvement in cognitive response time and an overwhelming 215 percent increase in executive functioning.
So what does this mean? Experts from ECU believe that this makes casual gaming just about as effective as other medical treatments for cognition. The longer a subject plays a casual game, the greater the impact on their overall health. So, let me hypothesize that therefore, it is important for game developers, such as PopCap, to build games that provide a “frictionless,” e-Commerce 3.0 immersive gaming experience. Limit the number of distractions or unwanted variables during the gaming experience and it stands to reason developers can have a positive impact on the gamers’ cognition… and their revenues too!
Given the 30th anniversary of Namco Pac-Man and my current focus on being a master chef in Youda Games’ aptly-titled Sushi Chef, do you think maybe if I kick my game playing up a notch I could count on always finding where I put the car keys?
Charles Born,
Head of Marketing
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lollaping/2853820634/
E-Commerce 3.0: A New Era of Online Retail
Jun 2nd
To reach 50 million users it took radio 38 years, TV 13 years, the Internet 4 years, and the iPod just 3 years. But Facebook added 100 million users in less than 9 months and iPhone applications hit 1 billion in just 9 months. Web 2.0 has blurred the boundaries between content and commerce. It has changed the way people engage with, produce, purchase, and consume content. As corporate brands give way to peer recommendations and lifestyle-oriented social media, consumers increasingly seek frictionless commerce – frictionless in that the transaction becomes part of the content experience.
This is e-Commerce 3.0 in action: simple to use frictionless interactions that leverage the power of a social network or from within an application, game, or content site – anywhere, anyplace, anytime. Yes, there could still be an online store front in this world (the first wave of online commerce didn’t kill bricks and mortar stores as many predicted) and e-Commerce 3.0 won’t necessarily kill the online retail storefront. However, it will change it dramatically and possibly render it obsolete or unnecessary in some markets.
Ultimately, the inevitable progression of e-Commerce is toward this distributed, e-Commerce 3.0 model. Social communities are beginning to dominate brand names and customers are already demanding comfortable and simple-to-use processes that match their true usage patterns. The vendors first to offer them will enjoy the benefits. Clearly, companies must rethink the way they engage with consumers in this new environment. And although the opportunities inherent in round-the-clock, round-the-world e-Commerce may seem tempting, the complexities of global payment processing, the marketing and sale of goods across diverse cultures, and support of a global customer base challenge even the most web-savvy companies. The emergence of commerce that is freed from the restrictions of domain and browser exclusivity will ultimately drive greater revenue volumes for all businesses and create new challenges for online merchants: the need to upgrade to e-Commerce 3.0, or risk being left behind. Friction full or Frictionless? I think the consumer is telling us the direction we need to take.
Charles Born,
Head of Marketing
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tracy_olson/872011539/
