Sweatcoin revamped its in-app live bidding system, creating a thrilling virtual auction experience. Real-time bidding increased user engagement, bringing the excitement of auctions to the digital space
problem
Sweatcoin’s Auction feature had potential, but it was only available to long-term pro users with lots of sweatcoins, which left most of our users out. This limited engagement and made the feature feel exclusive. On top of that, many users didn’t trust the system and wondered if the winners actually got their prizes. Our challenge was to make the auction open to more users, create a more exciting bidding experience, and build trust by showing clear proof that winners were real and received their rewards.
solution
To revitalise the Auction feature, we set out to achieve three key goals: make the auctions more accessible to a wider group of users, increase daily active users (DAU) by introducing more competitive dynamics, and provide social proof to reassure users that the auctions were legitimate. Our approach involved reimagining the Auction as a virtual, real-time bidding experience, replicating the emotions and competition of a live auction house. We introduced varying prize tiers, from high-value items like PlayStation 5s to mid-range prizes, and even allowed multiple winners for certain auctions, creating more opportunities for users to win. To address the issue of social proof, we gathered feedback and photos from auction winners to create a Hall of Fame within the app. This showcased real users who had won prizes, along with their quotes about the experience, building trust and engagement within the community.
We began by conducting market research on both digital and real-world auctions. I even participated in a few physical auction houses to gain insight into the emotional dynamics involved. From this research, we developed the concept of a real-time, virtual auction experience in the Sweatcoin app, where users could see bids increase in real-time on their devices, motivating them to continue bidding or step back and reconsider.
Next, we built high-fidelity wireframes and tested them rigorously with both internal teams and users. This ensured that the user experience was seamless and glitch-free, as any technical issues could undermine the competitive environment we wanted to create. While our developers worked on the backend, we focused on refining the bidding experience, ensuring that it was accessible for both high-end and mid-range prizes.
To encourage more participation, we introduced auctions with varying prize levels, and for certain auctions, we allowed the top five bids to win, with the grand prize reserved for the highest bidder. For example, the top bidder might win a PlayStation 5, while the next four could win accessories like controllers. This approach kept the bidding competitive while making it more inclusive.
In terms of social proof, while we had grand ideas—such as sending offline reward boxes and conducting interviews with winners—we decided to start small. We contacted auction winners, asking them to share photos and feedback about their rewards, which we then featured in the app’s Hall of Fame. This provided much-needed transparency and reassurance for users, building trust in the system.
Lesson learned
The key takeaway from this project was the importance of starting with a manageable scope and iterating over time. We had ambitious plans, but focusing on the most feasible elements allowed us to launch quickly, test effectively, and improve upon the feature. We also learned that external factors like user market trends and inflation can significantly impact digital currency marketplaces, and these must be carefully considered when building auction systems.
The details page displays all key auction information, including a countdown timer to create a FOMO effect, the current highest bid, and the user’s bid if they are participating
The Hall of Fame page showcases past auction winners, providing confirmation to all users that the auctions are legitimate and winners receive real prizes
