Brands are using Roblox to increase sales in the real world.
In April 2024, Walmart became the first brand to sell real-world items on Roblox. Months later, Roblox announced their partnership with Shopify, meaning brands will be able to sell physical products directly from the platform in 2025.
Marketers have traditionally viewed gaming as a tool for creating buzz and raising brand awareness.
But here’s the truth:
Like social media, virtual worlds are evolving in response to increased investment by brands. Platforms like Roblox are now opening up brand-new revenue streams for marketers.
Forward-thinking brands aren’t just selling—they’re experimenting with and establishing a new way to engage their audience and convert interest into purchases.
This blog dives into how three brands—Lunchables, Starbucks, and Superdrug—are already using Roblox to increase sales.
Ready to see how it’s done? Let’s get started. 👇
1. Lunchables increased sales velocity by 22%
When Lunchables launched Lunchables Playables in August 2023, its goal was to connect with younger audiences. Its team wanted to create a bridge between virtual engagement and sales performance.
Lunchables became the first brand to create a loyalty program on Roblox. QR codes on real-world packaging unlocked ‘Lunch Points’ on Roblox, which could be redeemed for in-game items. This tied Lunchables sales to popular Roblox rewards, incentivizing both parents and their younger target demographic to choose this iconic Food & Drink brand’s product.
The results?
Packs with Roblox QR codes sold at a 22% higher rate than non-QR code packs. Their QR code scans surpassed industry benchmark rates by 20%. On Roblox, players redeemed six billion loyalty points, showcasing the program’s ability to drive significant engagement and translate it into measurable sales growth.
According to GEEIQ, the Lunchables Roblox experience attracted 2.4 million total visitors over eight months, averaging 12.2k daily visits. Compared to other Food & Drink related experiences, like Vita Coco or Chipotle on Roblox, these numbers could be considered modest. However, the experience’s noteworthy 91.8% approval rating and sales uplift demonstrate how brands can effectively use Roblox to increase sales by engaging a small but highly dedicated audience.
2. Starbucks achieved 75,000+ coupon redemptions
In October 2024, Starbucks integrated multiple virtual pop-up cafés into popular Roblox experiences. These pop-ups, modeled after real Starbucks locations, were strategically placed in games like Bilberry City (186.3m visits), Seaboard City RP (484.8m visits), and NewSmith RP (64.8m visits).
This is where it gets interesting.
Players embarked on a Starbucks-themed treasure hunt to collect ten virtual items and unlock in-game achievements. These could be redeemed for real-world rewards, including free coffee, snacks, and discounts at Starbucks stores across 13 APAC markets.
So, what results did they see?
In terms of engagement, over 1 million users interacted with NPCs in the game, 586,191 virtual drinks were ordered, and 303,385 players completed the treasure hunt (a 29.2% success rate).
But the campaign also impacted real-world sales and conversions. 75,564 coupons were redeemed on Roblox. That is over 75,000 people who are more likely to enter a Starbucks because they have a discount they can use.
We spoke with Andrew Douthwaite, Chief Commercial Officer at GEEIQ partner Dubit, the developer behind Starbucks’ campaign:
“By choosing role play games that mirrored real-world urban environments, Starbucks ensured its integrations felt natural and relevant. This strategy not only drove engagement but also successfully brought players into physical stores, demonstrating the potential of gaming for driving foot traffic and sales performance.”
3. Superdrug drove 15,000+ people in-store
For its 60th anniversary, Superdrug set out to engage Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences while driving in-store visits and sales in the UK.
Superdrug worked with Dubit and Banana Studios to integrate into three popular Roblox games: Ultimate Easy Obby, Chill Obby, and Super Fun Obby. These games were redesigned to maximize brand impressions and engagement, incorporating Superdrug products such as toothbrushes, floss, and more. The activation was also geo-locked to the UK, ensuring the brand was reaching its target audience with the initiative.
Here’s where it gets exciting.
Completing all three courses unlocked access to a virtual Superdrug store, where players could redeem a code for a free real-world shower gel.
The campaign attracted 1.2 million visits, and players claimed 170,000 virtual items, showcasing the broad reach and engagement Superdrug achieved within Roblox.
But what about real-world results?
15,000 people visited their local Superdrug stores to redeem their Roblox codes, turning virtual engagement into real-world foot traffic. Once in-store, many customers made impulse purchases, picking up additional items as they shopped.
Even more impressive, the campaign achieved a 43% increase in purchase intent among participants, demonstrating its effectiveness in driving visits as well as strengthening customer connection and loyalty.
Corin Duffin, CEO at Banana Studios, elaborated on how brands are leveraging Roblox to drive direct results:
“It was great to see the names of our experiences on billboards around the UK as well as convince over 15,000 people to leave their homes, go to a physical store, and use a code to receive something for free. That ability to convince people to go from the virtual world to the real one is unparalleled and incredibly powerful.”
Key takeaways
Let’s wrap it up.
Roblox is no longer just a platform for brand visibility—it’s a proven channel for generating measurable sales growth. These examples demonstrate how brands are using Roblox to engage dedicated audiences, boost purchase intent, and increase sales.
By combining immersive experiences with clear data-driven strategies, forward-thinking brands can turn virtual engagement into real-world ROI.
To learn more about virtual strategies and brands in gaming, download our latest report, The State of Virtual Brand Experiences III. Next one coming soon.
