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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.

New to unit economics? Follow our learn ecommerce fundamentals path, then return here to stress-test decisions in a game loop.

New to the mechanics? Start with the fundamentals learning path, then come back and run a few turns.

How to use it

  1. Complete setup (business type, niche, difficulty, store name).
  2. Each phase, pick actions for marketing, product, conversion, and retention.
  3. Review revenue, profit, and cash; switch the dashboard to Advanced when you want valuation, full metrics, and profit layers.
  4. 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.
  5. Read our what is an ecommerce simulator guide when you want a plain-language definition and when to use a game vs a spreadsheet.

Connect gameplay to vocabulary with our unit economics glossary and supporting articles when you need precise definitions.

Ecommerce simulator vs spreadsheet models

Comparison of spreadsheet modeling versus this browser-based ecommerce simulator
SpreadsheetThis simulator
You build every formula firstScenarios and feedback are built in—you learn by playing turns
Easy to break a cell and not noticeConsistent mechanics; random events test your plan
Usually static rows and columnsVisual trends, challenges, and optional AI-flavored debrief copy
Great for audit-ready forecastsGreat for intuition and trade-offs before you model details elsewhere

For audit-ready forecasts, export assumptions you trust from the simulator mindset into your own spreadsheet model.

Frequently asked questions

What is an ecommerce simulator?

An ecommerce simulator is a free, browser-based, turn-based model of a store where traffic, conversion, pricing, marketing, and costs interact each phase so you can see how decisions move revenue, profit, and cash—before you launch on Shopify, WooCommerce, or another stack. This Growthegy simulator 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?

Yes, in the sense that each turn you allocate budget and actions across channels and see outcomes for DTC-style unit economics. For pure ROAS math on a single channel, pair the game with our guides on paid social and conversion.

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 learn how AOV, gross margin, CAC, LTV, ROAS, channel mix, and operational choices compound over time for dropshipping, DTC, or general ecommerce. 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.

How accurate is an ecommerce simulator?

It is illustrative, not a forecast of your real profit and loss. Mechanics are simplified so trade-offs are easy to see; use it to practice decisions, then validate with your store data, benchmarks, and spreadsheets. For what simulators are meant to do, read our guide on what an ecommerce simulator is, how it works, and when to use it.

Is it good for students or teachers?

Yes. Assign it as a low-stakes way to teach ecommerce unit economics, cash discipline, and channel trade-offs without real ad spend. Pair turns with discussion questions or our learning path on ecommerce fundamentals.

Can I export my simulator results?

No—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 adjusts starting cash (runway), modeled funnel health, baseline CAC, and marketing spend as a share of revenue—so pressure shows up in unit economics, not only your balance sheet. Harder modes also skew random scenarios slightly tougher.