An Understanding of the Impact of Gamification on Purchase Intentions

Gamification is a diverse application of game elements implemented by firms in various circumstances to motivate customers for frequent and loyal patronage. Due to the advancement of information and telecommunication technologies, more dynamic and interactive gamified experiences have been developed as strategies to retain customers and encourage repeat purchasing. As the increasing application of social and mobile games plays important trends in culture today, enterprises need to understand the value of adding the elements of games into customer’s every encounter. This study consolidates the different gamification design elements and demographics to explore purchase intentions of customers of different types. We reviewed the literature about game design and identified seven motivational elements that have been incorporated in the design of gamification. Using case analysis, we verified these elements and proposed hypotheses about gamification design for customers of different attributes. Further study is planned to test the hypotheses by collecting responses from 500 participants regarding their perceptions of the elements of the gamification activities. It’s hoped that the findings can provide a basis for enterprises to leverage the emerging strategy properly.