When players in my game are prompted to or try to purchase an item they don’t have enough in-game currency for, they’ll receive a feedback message. I’m curious to as which of the methods is most effective for the average game, where the shop can be accessed at any time. I feel as if A is the choice I should go with, but I’d be happy to hear more perspectives on this!
Option A:
Tell the user they don’t have enough currency, with a button leading to the shop.
I like this option the most because it can give the opportunity for the user to purchase enough currency and finish the transaction. To prevent the user from having to do any sort of math, I could highlight the options which provide enough currency, or only the options equal to and higher than the amount needed to purchase the item.
Option B:
Tell the user they don’t have enough currency and open the currency shop.
I like this option because it doesn’t have much click friction, however I feel immediately prompting the user is slightly too pushy and can result in manipulation I’m not fond of.
Option C:
Prompt the purchase of the closest amount product of currency available in the shop.
I like this option because it allows for the least friction and can allow the player to get what they want faster than the rest of the options by a significant margin.
My biggest issue with this option is that it can pressure the user into purchasing the product, which isn’t something I want to do. This could also lead to them not purchasing a higher option because they weren’t presented with it.
Tell the user they don’t have enough currency, with a button leading to the shop.
Tell the user they don’t have enough currency and open the currency shop.
Prompt the purchase of the closest amount product of currency available in the shop.
I think Option B is the best because you have to consider circumstance. What circumstances is someone attempting to buy something without having enough money for it in? Probably if they don’t know the game that well or don’t know the game at all yet. In which case they probably do want to be taken to the shop to see what it is.
I think that your users who are experienced already are unlikely to be annoyed by option 2 since they’re probably not going to hit it in the first place. And if there’s some “normal” workflow that does cause people to hit the case where they need to go to the shop, then the popup from option A will be just as annoying for them as automatically being taken to the shop.
As a consumer I have to go with Option A, I hate being pushed into purchases. But I’m also not a kid, so from a developer and monetization standpoint I would go with Option B, since that provides the least amount of friction and effort.
I chose Option B over Option C, because Option B allows for the user to think critically about their purchase and consider other options (maybe a bundle deal for a higher price is more valuable to them).
I would go for option A.
The people who are funding your game are “whales” - players who invest large amount of money over a long period of time, and will happily click to go to the shop if they’re prompted to, and would probably be fine with any of the options you’ve provided.
If a user needs to be forced towards the shop then odds are that, at that moment in time, they aren’t looking to spend any Robux, and will likely be frustrated if redirected as in Option B. Option C could work, but then you miss out on the opportunity to display your lovely and enticing shop store, and any sales you may have on.
I choose for option A because as a player myself I hate to be prompted to buy something with robux unless I want to buy it.
And it that way you don’t do that but still gives them a option to open the currency store if they want to.
Only problem with this is, people can complain about prices being immediately shoved in their faces after failing to purchase something and usually resort to calling games “money greedy”.
As much as I agree with your opinion, people will still complain about it.
Personally, I’m not a fan of games that just suddenly open up a GUI for dev products. As a player, it seems invasive and forced. Thus, I’m a fan of Option A. Option A provides the user with a choice if they want to buy more money or not. For example, a simple GUI that says “You don’t have enough money. Would you like to buy some more?” isn’t invasive and provides the user with a choose. That’s why I voted for Option A.
I would say that Option C is way too much of a force. Option A & Option B are both within reason, and while Option A might give the person “more work” I feel that it’s not shoving the shop down their throat so much so that they might consider “wow this person just wants my money.”
From a customer perspective I prefer A and B, from a developer perspective I have the most success with C, for what I believe is two reasons.
Firstly, since the prompt is in-front of them, it makes them react faster and put less thought into the purchase,
Secondly, While it is rather ruthless, option C may cause the buyer to miss click, especially if they are spam clicking in the place of the purchase button.
As a player and a developer I would have to go with option A. The inclusion of a button is seemingly less forceful and allows the player a choice, which is always a plus. However, the location of this button is crucial. A few games I’ve seen around the community like to place this button/prompt in the middle of the screen which can prove to be annoying. In my opinion it’s better to place this button on either the right or left side of the screen and include a sound or tween to grab the players attention.
As a follow-up to option B, if the user feels the need to spend money on your game, they will. While instantly being taken to a shop may seem like a good idea, in a sense you’re basically rushing your player to make a decision and essentially “force feeding” them. Morally, I don’t see this as a viable option, though your wallet may say otherwise.