In this episode, host JC Granger sits down with John Cheng, founder and CEO of PlayAbly — a gamification platform that’s redefining the online shopping experience through personalized, shoppable games powered by AI.
Born from a team of ex-Unity veterans, PlayAbly blends behavioral science, AI personalization, and interactive design to help e-commerce brands boost engagement, loyalty, and sales — all without relying on discounts. From swipe-to-shop denim quizzes to leaderboard-driven product discovery, PlayAbly transforms static storefronts into playful, memory-making brand destinations.
John shares how he went from Wall Street to the gaming industry — and ultimately launched PlayAbly as a way to rescue beloved brands struggling to compete in a crowded, transactional retail landscape. The conversation explores the psychology behind gamified commerce, the challenge of educating a market on an entirely new approach, and how PlayAbly’s model is helping brands thrive in a world where attention is scarce and loyalty is everything.
If you’re curious about the future of e-commerce, customer engagement, or how gaming mechanics can drive real-world business results — this episode delivers a fresh, founder-led take on the intersection of play and purchase.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.