How does gamification affect customer behavior and revenue?

Abstract

Many e-tailers use gamification to boost engagement across the customer journey, yet it remains unclear how specific gamified actions influence customer behavior and revenue. In this study, we use quantitative methods to explore the impact of various gamification actions, such as subscribing to newsletters, adding items to a wish list, liking, sharing, and commenting on social media. Our field study reveals distinct effects: subscribing to newsletters and writing product reviews shorten the time between purchases but do not increase revenue. Adding items to a wish list is associated with lower purchase frequency and reduced spending. In contrast, liking and sharing content increase purchase frequency and lead to greater spending. These findings highlight the importance of designing gamification strategies to engage customers and support revenue growth.