Free Ecommerce Simulator — Model Your Online Store Before You Launch
Run a virtual store in your browser: pick a niche, take monthly actions, and watch traffic, conversion, and cash interact. Free, no signup—built for learners experimenting with ecommerce and online store scenarios.
No signup · Progress saves in this browser · Optional leaderboard
About this ecommerce simulator
Learn how traffic, pricing, ads, and costs interact in a turn-based model—without risking real money. You get immediate feedback, optional challenges, and a dashboard that scales from a few headline metrics to a full advanced view. The goal is judgment and mechanics, not a perfect forecast of your real store.
How to use it
- Complete setup (business type, niche, difficulty, store name).
- Each phase, pick actions for marketing, product, conversion, and retention.
- Review revenue, profit, and cash; switch the dashboard to Advanced when you want valuation, full metrics, and profit layers.
- Expect random events (supply, seasonality, competition) and a leaderboard score based on estimated business value or XP. Run out of cash or exceed debt limits on stricter settings and the run can end early.
- Use our ROAS Calculator and LTV Calculator to connect the game to your real numbers.
Ecommerce simulator vs spreadsheet models
For deeper financial modeling, pair insights with our Pricing & Bundling Simulator and tools hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ecommerce simulator?
It is a turn-based model of a store: traffic, conversion, pricing, marketing, and costs interact each “phase” so you can see how decisions move revenue, profit, and cash. This one is built for learning—you get immediate feedback, random events, and challenges—not for audit-ready forecasting.
Is this the same as an ecommerce campaign simulator?
You can use it that way: each turn you allocate budget and actions across channels and see outcomes. For pure ROAS math on a single channel, the My Store dashboard and Marketing Channel ROI Comparator pair well with the game.
Is the Ecommerce Simulator free? Any limits?
Yes. It is free with no account. Everything runs in your browser; progress is stored locally on your device (not synced to the cloud). Optional AI-written debrief text uses our generator API when enabled—no payment. There is no export of a full financial model; use the game for intuition and practice, then model specifics in a spreadsheet if you need audit-ready numbers.
What can I learn from the Ecommerce Simulator?
You see how unit economics (AOV, margin, CAC, LTV), channel mix, and operational choices compound over time. The numbers are illustrative, not a prediction of your real business—use them to build judgment before you spend on ads or inventory.
How many turns or phases are there?
There is no fixed endpoint: each month is one “phase” and you keep playing until you reset or (on hard settings) hit a failure condition such as excessive debt. Phase 0 is setup; after that, each executed turn advances the phase counter.
Can I export my simulator results?
There is no export of a full financial model from the game. Progress stays in this browser only. Use the experience to inform a spreadsheet or your own models when you need audit-ready numbers.
What does the AI insights option do?
When “Use AI insights” is checked, some debrief and scenario copy can be rewritten by our /api/simulator/generate endpoint for richer wording. Core numbers and mechanics are unchanged; it is optional and works when the API is available.
How is business valuation calculated in the game?
The dashboard shows a simplified estimate (revenue multiple, EBITDA, customer value, assets, and a blended view depending on your metrics). It is illustrative—use it to compare relative progress between turns, not as a real appraisal.
Does difficulty change starting metrics?
Yes. Difficulty mainly affects starting cash (and related pressure): easier modes give more runway; harder modes start tighter so mistakes show up faster. Niche and your onboarding choices also shape starting traffic and economics.