Encouraging Sustainable Consumption through Gamification in a Branded App: A Study on Consumers’ Behavioral Perspective

Gamification, an innovative tool for interacting with consumers that can be seen as a new trend in marketing, could enhance customer behavior, such as greater loyalty. This paper investigates the relationship between gamification, attitude, and customer behavioral intention. Using the Starbucks branded app as the tool, this study aims to identify the influencing factors of the app from a gamification perspective (achievement, challenge, rewards) on customer engagement, perceived playfulness, attitude, and behavior. The Technology Acceptance Model and Mechanics Dynamics Emotions were employed, using perceived playfulness as an intrinsic motivation of the Technology Acceptance Model. The subjects of this study were 581 customers in Taiwan who have used the Starbucks branded app. The primary data were gathered to test the hypothesis and propose a model. The findings showed that game elements have a positive influence on customer engagement and perceived playfulness. Gamification positively enhances customer engagement on the Starbucks branded app and creates joyful emotion and sustainable consumption. Thus, the game element positively affects subsequent behaviors, such as attitude and behavioral intention.