We met with Jessica Ratcliffe of GaBoom who told us all about her idea, what it was like to appear on BBC Dragon’s Den and much more! Enjoy the interview!
Tell us a little about what Gaboom is and what inspired you to create it…
GaBoom is a video game swapping site. We are a place where gamers can get the video games they want, using the games they own by swapping them with fellow gamers! Members simply list the games they want and the games they have to sell or swap and GaBoom matches them with the people they can swap with. We then provide two secure postage options through which members can post their games to one another.
I first had the idea to create a website where gamers could swap their video games with one another when I was 15. I used to swap my video games with my friends and neighbours and one day thought “what if you could do this on a larger scale” and the idea for GaBoom was born! I also didn’t agree with the cost of trading your games in with high-street retailers, such as Game, and wanted to offer gamers an alternative to having to trade their games in with such stores.
How hard is it to compete against the likes of Blockbuster who do trade ins for games? Why would you encourage a gamer to use Gaboom instead?
I would encourage gamers to use GaBoom instead of Blockbuster or Game because we provide them with a place where they swap their games securely with their fellow gamers and receive the fair value of their games! GaBoom was built with gamers in mind and our key priority is establishing GaBoom as a site that gamers trust and love. We put gamers first and always will 🙂
What did your friends think when you first started up? Were they supportive?
Yes, they were very supportive.
{AF template=round_quotes} It’s very important to have people that you can talk to about your business and my friends always have great advice. {/AF}
Do you do a lot of gaming yourself? If so, what are your favourite games? Anything you want to swap at the moment?
Yes I do. My favourite games at the moment are Assassin’s Creed II and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. I’m desperate to get my hands on Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood and Call of Duty: Black Ops. I’m in the process of swapping one of my games for Tomb Raider: Underworld (another game I’ve wanted for a while) as we speak!
How was your Dragon’s Den experience? What did you learn from it?
The whole experience was fantastic. It was very surreal but I had a great time and it has definitely helped with my public speaking – I don’t think I could ever be as nervous as I was on the day of filming! I learnt that I can survive under pressure 🙂 I also received an amazing amount of emails from GaBoom members and well-wishers after the show, which were extremely motivating.
What has been your biggest cost since setting up?
The biggest cost has been building and developing the website. I’m keen to keep things fresh and make GaBoom the best it can be, so I’m always finding things that can be improved or having ideas for features I would like to add to the site.
How do you market Gaboom? What has worked best in terms of ROI (Return On Investment)?
I have recently started getting our online marketing, including SEO and Google Ads, into shape and it is bringing in great results. This has worked best in terms of ROI so far, but my appearance on Dragons’ Den has definitely helped in raising awareness of GaBoom.
Any top tips for students thinking or just started their own business?
{AF template=round_quotes} I would encourage anybody thinking about starting their own business to go for it! It is the greatest thing in the world to see something that was once an idea turn into reality. {/AF} There are so many great resources out there to help you get started and grow that anything is possible. Have faith in your idea and business and always trust your gut feel.