ABOUT THE BRAND

G FUEL accelerates growth by moving beyond a custom-built app

G FUEL found that managing a mobile platform shouldn’t be a roadblock — but their custom-built app had become exactly that. They needed a faster, smarter way to engage their community and scale their operations.

Founded in 2012, G FUEL set out with a mission to create the healthiest and most effective energy formula for gamers. Over the years, they have grown into a leader in both energy and hydration products, with recent expansions into protein offerings to meet a variety of customer needs.

Known as The Official Energy Drink of Esports®, G FUEL boasts the largest and most diverse community of fans, creators, and partners in the industry. 

Given their tech-savvy audience, G FUEL has always prioritized staying at the forefront of technology — and for a CPG brand, that meant having a functional mobile app. For several years, they relied on a custom-built mobile app. Until they needed a change.

A year ago, G FUEL switched to Tapcart, gaining the flexibility to manage their app in-house. With this new control, they can make real-time updates, streamline product launches, and introduce new features — creating a smooth experience for both their team and their customers. 

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THE CHALLENGE

G FUEL’s custom app became a roadblock

G FUEL’s custom-built mobile app initially provided a solid revenue stream. But as the brand evolved, managing the app became more of a burden than a benefit. 

The problem? Every update required heavy involvement from a contracted developer. This led to slow turnaround times and limited their flexibility. The team struggled to implement quick changes, often guessing how updates would appear once they went live.

Over time, several operational and functional challenges emerged:

• Frequent bugs made it difficult to provide a seamless user experience.
• No scheduling tools require updates to be made manually in real time, increasing stress and room for error.
• Lack of data insights meant the team couldn’t track user engagement or optimize performance effectively.

"[Working with our custom app] got a little complicated and convoluted. The main deciding factor was the ability to bring all of it in-house, which made it more cost-effective and easier.” 
‍Victoria Hana, Senior Ecommerce Manager at G Fuel  

Internal workflows were slow and cumbersome, but that bled into the user experience as well. The rigid structure of their custom app made it difficult to provide a smooth, enjoyable experience. Victoria Hana, the Senior Ecommerce Manager, noted that it was even impacting retention.

“We really wanted to increase loyalty and have people enjoy purchasing off of a more condensed version of our website,” she said.

They needed a more flexible solution to create a seamless shopping experience and foster deeper community engagement. Recognizing these challenges, the G FUEL team decided it was time to re-platform. 

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THE SOLUTION

Replatforming unlocks app agility and elevates G FUEL’s customer experience

G FUEL needed a mobile app solution that could cut out developer bottlenecks, enable real-time updates, and give them the flexibility to grow their operations and customer base. They found that solution in Tapcart. 

In just four weeks, the new app was live — empowering the team to manage everything in-house, save time, and reduce costs. 

A smooth replatforming shift app management in-house

Switching to Tapcart was faster and easier than the G FUEL team expected. After just 4 weeks of preparation, they launched the new mobile app In December 2023. Without the need for constant developer help, the team could finally make quick updates on their own. Customizations that used to take days now happened instantly.

"Compared to our previous app, the ease of use is monumental. Especially the way that we can change things on the fly. Before, we might have to reach out to the developer to make changes. Now, we don't have to do that. So it makes my life easier, and it makes my higher-ups happy.” 
‍Victoria Hana, Senior Ecommerce Manager at G Fuel  

By moving operations in-house, G FUEL gained speed, control and the ability to roll out features their customers love.

Easy adoption puts the G FUEL team in control

With Tapcart’s user-friendly platform, G FUEL’s team didn’t need technical expertise to take charge. After a quick onboarding meeting, Sr. Ecommerce Merchandiser, Katie Donnenfield, was able to get up to speed quickly.

"This was my first time managing the app side of things. I've always done the back end of websites… [Tapcart] has been extremely intuitive and easy. Victoria passed off her knowledge to me within a 30-minute meeting block. And since then, I've been able to manage it myself. The useability is super simple, and I love the drag-and-drop features. Managing two sites [the app and our website] can be a lot, but it's been very easy to manage.” 
‍Katie Donnenfield, Senior Ecommerce Merchandiser at G Fuel  

The drag-and-drop features made the app customizable without the need for deep coding knowledge. 

Scheduling tools eliminate last-minute stress for streamlined launches

With their custom app, every change had to be made manually by a contracted developer. And it needed to happen right when they planned to go live — a process prone to stress and human error. If something needed to go live at midnight, there needed to be someone on the other end to “push the button.”

“Being able to work ahead is always great,” said Katie. “We have a lot of product launches and changes to the website happening on a weekly basis. Being able to schedule out the calendar has been really nice.”

Now, the team can plan ahead, ensuring smooth product releases and reducing last-minute scrambling.

Seamless integrations enhance in-app engagement

Tapcart also opened the door to powerful integrations, making it easier for the G FUEL team to engage their audience and build loyalty.

• Lyvecom: G FUEL uses LyveCom to transform static product pages into dynamic, shoppable videos, creating more interactive shopping experiences in the app. This helps engage their customers and delivers an experience beyond their website.
• Okendo: By integrating Okendo, G FUEL showcases positive reviews, customer success stories, and user-generated content alongside products. This leverages social proof to build trust and encourage conversions.
• Klaviyo: G FUEL continues to use Klaviyo for push notifications, relying on its segmentation capabilities to deliver targeted messages and product updates. Staying with Klaviyo allowed them to maintain consistency across their messaging strategy while using Tapcart’s platform to enhance the app experience.

These integrations give G FUEL the tools they need to engage their audience, build trust, and create meaningful app experiences.

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THE STRATEGY

Speed and flexibility enable G FUEL to drive user engagement

In just under one year, G FUEL’s mobile app has become a significant revenue driver, accounting for 20% of total online revenue. During Q3 2024 alone, the app contributed to 21% of overall store revenue, a testament to its growing importance in the overall sales strategy. The G FUEL team has focused on building the app into a key sales channel as the go-to platform for customers — both new and returning alike.

By making the app a core part of its operations, G FUEL is reducing friction in the shopping experience, offering a seamless alternative to its website. This mobile strategy has been critical for capturing repeat purchases and deepening customer loyalty.

"Everyone's on their phones all the time and an app is easier to open compared to going into the web browser and searching for GFUEL.com.  The app increases our conversion rate, retention rate, and AOV just because of this ease. Everything that someone would want is going to be right there for them to see with push notifications too, which is awesome.” 
‍Victoria Hana, Senior Ecommerce Manager at G Fuel  

Conversion rates (CVR) in the app are outpacing those on the website. In Q3, the app boasts a 4.38% CVR compared to 3.18% on the web — a 31.7% increase. The app’s streamlined design and exclusive features create a more engaging and frictionless shopping experience.

The average order value (AOV) also tells a compelling story. With our 90-day measurement, that app has a 16.64% higher AOV than the website. With the new app, users are more engaged and willing to spend more per session, likely driven by targeted promotions, exclusive offerings, and a smoother shopping experience.

The revenue per session (gross merchandise value, or GMV) is also higher on the mobile app, with a 47.05% increase over the website. The app’s ease of use and engaging features encourage more frequent and higher-value transactions per visit, reinforcing the app’s role as a top revenue driver.

The key to G FUEL’s results lies in their ability to foster community and connection. The app provides a platform for their most loyal fans to come together, offering benefits that make users feel like part of an insider group. The ability to interact with their customers in this authentic way deepens this sense of belonging, turning ordinary transactions into experiences.

"G FUEL has created a community. The app brings that all together. With the app, we offer waitlists so people are able to get notices ahead of time. We plan to maximize that even more as we continue to grow with the app. We already have that customer base — it's already a large community, and there's a lot of value in that.” 
‍Katie Donnenfield, Senior Ecommerce Merchandiser at G Fuel  

App usability enables easy execution

Tapcart’s platform gave the G FUEL team operational ease — but it also unlocked the freedom to strategize and experiment with their mobile app. With full control, the team no longer has to rely on external developers to execute their ideas. This new agility allows them to move quickly and make updates in real time, keeping their content relevant and engaging. Whether updating a banner or refreshing seasonal designs, they can do it quickly and on their own terms.

G FUEL now has the ability to test and refine their app strategies. With the ability to make changes and customize their app, they’re able to do more than their custom app ever could.

This level of control allows G FUEL to experiment, test new strategies, and build campaigns on the go, ensuring they stay ahead of trends and customer expectations. 

Here are some of the features they’re using in their app:

• Waitlists for product launches, offering early access to highly anticipated products.
• Gift with purchase Custom Blocks, offering tiered rewards based on spending.
• Flavor quizzes that gamify the shopping experience and increase conversions.
• Live shopping events and a news and events calendar to keep users engaged.
• Pre-orders and exclusive discounts only available in the app.
• Store credit tracking within the app to encourage repeat purchases.

Direct communication through push notifications power conversions

G FUEL’s app has become a critical channel for direct and timely communication. Push notifications ensure G FUEL’s most loyal customers are the first to know about new product launches, restocks, and exclusive offers. 

As part of their app strategy, push takes priority over SMS whenever a user is signed up for both, ensuring notifications align with G FUEL’s goal of driving in-app engagement.

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THE FUTURE

Personalization, powered by Tapcart data, drives G FUEL’s 2025 strategy

As G FUEL looks toward 2025, personalization will be the next major focus in their mobile strategy. The team plans to leverage Q1 to better understand their customers and refine how they deliver content, offers, and product recommendations. With Tapcart’s data insights, they’re equipped to experiment with targeted promotions and tailored experiences that resonate with individual users.

This shift toward personalization aligns with the growing expectations of their tech-savvy, community-oriented audience. G FUEL’s goal is to move beyond mass communication and create moments that feel personal and relevant — whether that’s through segmented push notifications, exclusive product recommendations, or personalized rewards based on purchase history.

By honing their personalization strategy, the team is not only planning for the next wave of customer expectations but also building stronger, longer-lasting relationships. With the freedom to test and refine strategies quickly, the team is well-positioned to keep innovating and deliver a mobile experience that meets the evolving needs of their community.