Impact of gamification on Genz impulse buying behavior: Evidence from Shopee application in the Vietnamese market

Abstract

purchasing behavior. Moreover, according to Lo et al. (2016), there are two primary types of purchasing behavior on e-commerce platforms: rational shopping and impulsive buying. Forty percent to eighty percent of individuals engage in aimless shopping (Rodrigues et al., 2021). This statistical evidence suggests that numerous influential factors are likely to influence the impulsive purchasing behavior of customers. This research has the potential to contribute to the e-commerce platform by providing valuable insights into the purchasing behavior of Generation Z on the Vietnamese market. The lack of research articles in this field on the Vietnamese market presents a challenge for platforms attempting to identify domestic examples. The application of gamification theory and theory of mind (ToM) (Russell et al., 2009; X. Zhang, 2006) enables the audience to gain insights that may be useful in formulating development strategies. In addition, the present study has referenced three widely recognized and utilized gamification elements in order to assess individuals' subjective responses when interacting with these elements and to motivate them to make purchases (Bitrián et al., 2021; L. Zhang et al., 2021). The objective of this research is to ascertain the stimuli that impact online impulse buying behavior by examining affective and cognitive responses. Furthermore, the objective of this research is to examine the degree to which gamification elements, namely badges upgrade, points, and random rewards, influence In the expanding e-commerce landscape, customer purchasing behavior, such as impulse purchases, has become more unpredictable. Online shopping applications are incorporating gamification techniques to increase user satisfaction and encourage unplanned purchases. This study employs the Theory of Mind (Tom) and PLS-SEM to determine the impact of these gamification elements on impulsive purchasing behavior as measured by individual cognitive responses. Six of the eight hypotheses are supported by the results of an online survey and data analysis, indicating that random rewards do not significantly influence impulsive purchasing. This demonstrates the need for administrators of e-commerce platforms to refine their gamification strategies and suggests that Generation Z consumers can adapt their purchasing behavior accordingly.