How G2A Became the World’s Largest Digital Entertainment Marketplace with Bartosz Skwarczek (episode 469)
Bartosz Skwarczek is the founder and CEO at G2A, the world’s largest marketplace for digital entertainment enabling the trading of games and other digital items. Founded in 2010, they now have over 25 million users who have purchased over 100 million items.
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Dive in:
[05:14] Starting a business by grabbing the opportunities given to you.
[09:31] Ensuring the quality of sellers on the G2A marketplace.
[11:17] Strict verification process for sellers, but fast sell-through rate.
[16:20] To build your business, clearly communicate what you stand for.
[18:33] Community is essential for growth and success.
[21:46] Working with influencers to scale G2A.
[23:31] Bartosz shares his top tips.
Bartosz’s eCommerce Journey
Bartosz says he had an unexpected journey into eCommerce, starting with a steel business after university. Despite initial success, he faced a downturn, leading to his selling the company and starting anew.
A chance email from Dawid seeking mentorship led to a 6-month mentoring period. Dawid then proposed starting a gaming business. Intrigued, Bartosz researched the gaming industry’s potential. Impressed by its size, he decided to embark on the venture. The company began with just two people in a small room in Poland, marking the accidental yet transformative start of Bartosz’s eCommerce journey.
About G2A: The World’s Largest Digital Entertainment Marketplace
Bartosz explains that G2A, which means “Gate to Adventure,” is a marketplace aiming to be the largest gate to digital entertainment. It democratizes digital entertainment, providing access to games and digital items globally at reasonable prices.
The platform operates like eBay for games, with sellers competing to offer the best prices. G2A has been in operation for 13 years, spanning nearly 200 countries, and is the world’s largest marketplace of its kind.
How Security Plays an Important Role in the Business
Sellers on the platform, comprising verified business sellers, developers, and publishers, undergo a strict verification process involving over 100 parameters. This shows how much G2A values security. The platform’s success is evident in its remarkable sell-through rate, making it the preferred choice for sellers despite the strict security verification.
Bartosz says trust is important in the digital marketplace, especially with the fast-paced nature of digital transactions.
Communicating Business Values Through PR
Bartosz shares that G2A, as a bootstrapped business, struggled to decide where to put their budget. Initially, they prioritized other areas over communication, leading to a significant gap with clients. Despite having a strong business model and customer support, G2A faced negative press due to this oversight. Bartosz acknowledges the mistake and says it’s important for entrepreneurs to allocate resources for effective communication to build trust and reputation.
G2A now prioritizes open and transparent communication, actively engaging with the media to showcase the company’s operations and values.
The Significance of G2A’s Community
Bartosz emphasizes the significance of community in G2A’s strategy, considering clients to be everything in their business. He outlines six key parameters G2A uses to gauge their client-centricity: prices, payments, range of products, user experience, security, and support.
Despite initial skepticism and challenges, G2A aimed to be the world’s largest marketplace. They actively engaged with the gaming community, supporting eSports teams, collaborating with influencers, and implementing programs like G2A Goldmine and G2A Plus to strengthen their community connections.
eCommerce Book Top Tip
- Awaken the Giant Within : How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny! by Tony Robbins
- The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century’s Greatest Dilemma by Mustafa Suleyman
eCommerce Traffic Top Tip
- Influencer marketing
Tool Top Tip
- Miro visual workspace
Carbon Top Tip
- Bartosz suggests adopting a home office model. It’s an excellent way to reduce the carbon footprint of your business. He also mentions their commitment to ESG activities, conducting materiality tests, launching G2A Academy for employee education, and developing their first sustainable development strategy.
Interview Links
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- Do you need an App? With audiobook and ebook BCorp xigxag’s Kelli Fairbrother (episode 417)
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