The quiet moment before the wheel spins

I was sitting at the counter after closing, the shop quiet for once. The wheel graphic was up on my screen, ready to go. I just kept looking at the list of prizes, making sure everything felt right.

Making sure it felt fair

I remember scrolling through the list one last time. It wasn't about making it flashy or exciting, honestly. It was more about making sure no one would feel let down or tricked by what they might win.I wanted the odds to be clear in my own head, even if we didn't show the percentages. A few bigger things, sure, but mostly smaller tokens that I could actually afford to give out. It had to be sustainable for a small shop like mine.

The prizes that made the cut

I ended up with a mix of things. Some were leftover stock from last season that was still perfectly good. Others were just nice little extras I thought people might actually use.It felt important that even the smallest prize was something I'd be happy to receive myself. Not a throwaway item, but a genuine thank you. That was the balance I was trying to find.

A list on a notepad

I had it all written down on a scrap of paper next to the register—a final, physical check before anything went live.