Sanlo, a fintech startup specializing in financial management for gaming companies, has announced the closed beta launch of its webshop tool. This tool provides select game developers and studios with a plug-and-play solution that seamlessly integrates with their existing tech stacks. Gaming companies interested in using this tool can join the waitlist starting today.
In a landscape where Google and Apple charge a 30% fee for in-app purchases, small to mid-size gaming companies face challenges in running profitable businesses. Epic Games, a major player in the industry, has criticized Apple’s revenue share model, calling it harmful to smaller businesses.
As a response to these challenges, many mobile game developers are shifting away from app stores for monetization and adopting external webshops. This trend allows companies to operate their own stores on their websites at a significantly lower fee (around 4-10%). Additionally, webshops are believed to increase revenue as players make direct purchases from the gaming company, bypassing app store fees. Sanlo claims that developers can see a revenue increase of up to 25% with a webshop.
Olya Caliujnaia, co-founder and CEO of Sanlo, explained the benefits of webshops: “A webshop is a tactical step that has proven to generate revenue. Engaged and loyal players visit the webshop and receive special offers that enhance their gaming experience.”
Image Credits: Sanlo
The new webshop tool by Sanlo offers game developers various promotional mechanics such as exclusive digital items, bundle packs, discounted offers, and loyalty programs to attract more players. Developers also have access to player data, enabling them to track profiles and purchase activity to personalize offers to individual users.
Sanlo allows companies to test and set pricing with no price caps, and webshop earnings are deposited into the developer’s account weekly.
While a limitation of webshops is the inability to advertise in-app on Apple and Google platforms, Sanlo provides marketing tools like in-game prompts, email campaigns to returning visitors, and ROAS tracking to address this issue.
Several gaming companies, including Fusebox Games, have already adopted Sanlo’s webshop platform. Terry Lee, COO of Fusebox, praised the ease of integration and support provided by Sanlo for their small team.
The official launch of Sanlo’s webshop tool for all developers is planned for this summer. Founded in 2020 by Olya Caliujnaia and William Liu, the company’s team brings experience from prominent companies like Capital One, Electronic Arts, and Facebook.
With $13.5 million in total funding raised, Sanlo has received backing from investors such as Initial Capital, Index Ventures, and Portage Ventures. Various webstore solutions are available in the market, with popular games like Clash of Clans and Marvel Strike Force utilizing webshops for revenue generation.
