GAMIFYING SALES, ADD-ONS, AND ACCESSORIES
By Alan Miklofsky – November 22, 2025

Most shoe store contests are either childish, confusing, or dead by Wednesday.
Then owners decide “games don’t work” and go back to hoping staff will magically sell more socks and insoles on their own.

The problem isn’t the idea of contests. The problem is how they’re designed.

Gamifying sales in a shoe store should be simple, fair, and tightly connected to the behaviors that move your numbers: add-ons, second pairs, care products, and fit solutions. When you do it right, games bring energy and focus, not eye-rolling.

This article shows you how to use games as a serious tool to improve results without turning your store into a circus.

Why gamification works in a shoe store

Most people like to win. Almost everyone likes to make progress.

Gamification taps into that by turning daily selling behaviors into something visible and trackable. It:

• Makes invisible effort visible.
  
  

• Gives staff something specific to aim for.
  
  

• Adds fun to routine tasks.
  
  

• Creates friendly competition that can lift the entire store.
  
  

Importantly, the game is not the goal. The goal is better execution of the basics:

• Asking questions instead of just measuring and bringing shoes.
  
  

• Presenting insoles, socks, and care with confidence.
  
  

• Offering second pairs when the first pair fits and feels great.
  
  

The game is simply a structure that rewards those behaviors.

The rules of good gamification

If you want games that actually work, they need to follow a few rules.

1. Simple to understand
   If you need a chart, a spreadsheet, and a legal disclaimer to explain the contest, it is doomed. Staff should get it in thirty seconds or less.
   
   

2. Short time window
   Long contests die. Most of your games should run for one day or one week, not a month.
   
   

3. Visible scoreboard
   People play harder when they can see where they stand. Post results where the team can see them: whiteboard in the backroom, a simple sheet at the counter, or a daily text to the team.
   
   

4. Fair to different shifts
   Do not design contests where only the closer or the person on the busiest shift can win. Use ratios (like socks-per-ticket) rather than raw volume whenever possible.
   
   

5. Connected to your current priorities
   If inventory is heavy, build games around second pairs and clearance. If margins are tight, focus on care and accessories with strong profit. If new product just landed, design a game around trying it on every foot that fits the category.
   
   

Game types that actually work

Here are some specific game structures that adapt well to most independent shoe stores.

Sock and insole streaks
Purpose: Increase add-ons that improve comfort and margin.

How it works:
Each time a staff member sells at least one pair of socks or one pair of insoles with a pair of shoes, they mark a tally for that ticket.

You track either:

• Socks-per-ticket and insoles-per-ticket, or
  
  

• Number of tickets that included at least one add-on.
  
  

Prize ideas (pick just one):

• Winner chooses their schedule one day next week.
  
  

• Small cash bonus or gift card.
  
  

• First choice of a spiff pair or discounted personal pair.
  
  

Second-pair challenge
Purpose: Train staff to confidently offer second pairs.

How it works:
For one weekend or one full week, every time a staff member sells two or more pairs to the same customer, they earn a “2X” point.

You keep the score visible: names on a board with their 2X count.

Important: Reward attempts, not just wins, in your language. Praise people for consistently asking, “Do you need a second pair today?” That line will stick long after the game ends.

Care product hero
Purpose: Lift margin and protect footwear performance.

How it works:
Pick one or two key care products (spray, cleaner, leather cream). Run a three-day or one-week game where each unit sold equals one point.

Add a twist:
Award bonus points when staff can explain to you how that product helps a specific material (for example, “This spray protects knit uppers from staining”). It keeps product knowledge sharp.

The table turner
Purpose: Maintain high energy and presentation standards on the floor.

How it works:
During a busy weekend, give staff quick, rotating responsibility for the main display tables. Every hour, the “table captain” checks and resets.

At random times, you evaluate the table on a simple 1–5 scale for neatness and appeal. If it scores a 4 or 5, the captain earns a point. At the end of the day, highest score wins a small prize.

This ties game energy to store appearance, not just sales.

Keeping games positive, not toxic

Gamification goes bad when it creates jealousy, pressure, or embarrassment. Avoid that by:

• Never mocking the person in last place.
  
  

• Recognizing improvement, not just the top performer.
  
  

• Rotating the type of game so different strengths shine.
  
  

• Making sure you’re not rewarding bad behavior (like rushing through fits or ignoring customers who “look poor”).
  
  

You can also use team-based games: “If the store hits a socks-per-ticket of 0.8 today, everyone gets pizza Friday.” That way, stronger performers are motivated to help others improve.

Using tiny prizes and big recognition

You do not need huge prizes. In fact, huge prizes can backfire and create accusations of favoritism.

Aim for:

• Tiny prizes
  Coffee gift cards, a gas card, a free lunch, first pick of an upcoming markdown, an extra short break.
  
  

• Big recognition
  Announce the winner at the next huddle. Point out what they did well:
  “Chris won the care product hero because he consistently explained why the spray matters, not just pointed at it.”
  
  

Staff may forget the prize. They will remember the recognition.

Gamification across multiple locations

If you have more than one store, you can:

• Run the same game in all locations and compare results after the fact.
  
  

• Let each manager choose their own game focus, but share ideas in a group chat or weekly email.
  
  

• Occasionally run a “store vs. store” team game using ratios instead of raw volume so smaller stores can compete.
  
  

Always share best practices: “This phrasing worked at Store 3” or “This display setup really helped at Store 1.”

Try this in your store this week

Here is a simple one-week gamification plan.

Day 1–2: Sock and insole streak
Track any tickets that include socks or insoles. Use a whiteboard in the back. At the end of Day 2, small prize for highest streak and verbal recognition for everyone who improved.

Day 3–4: Second-pair challenge
Switch the focus to second pairs. Have staff write down one sentence they feel comfortable using to offer a second pair. Share the best lines with the team.

Day 5: Care product mini-sprint
For one day, highlight a single care product and run a quick game: every unit sold earns a point. At closing, share how many units the store sold compared with an average day.

By the end of the week, your staff will have had repeated, high-energy practice with the behaviors that actually move your numbers.

Closing thought

Gamification is not about gimmicks. It is about focus.

When you design small, clear, fair games around core selling behaviors, you convert normal work into a series of winnable challenges. Staff feel engaged instead of nagged. Customers feel better served, not “sold at.” Your margins improve without raising prices.

That is HIGH ENERGY put to work: not noise, not hype, just structured fun that drives real results.

© 2025 Alan Miklofsky. All rights reserved.
www.alanmiklofsky.com