Achievement gamification affordances in e-commerce platforms: An empirical study involving online shopping festival

The implementation of achievement gamification mechanisms in e-commerce platforms has been regarded as a pivotal strategy for enhancing consumer engagement and driving sales during China's online shopping festival. However, empirical research on how achievement gamification affects consumer behavioral with e-commerce platforms remains limited. Drawing from affordance theory, this study investigates how achievement gamification affordance in e-commerce platforms influences consumers’ basic psychological needs, subsequently shaping their shopping decisions and continued use intention. A survey was conducted, and the results revealed that achievement affordances (i.e., rewards giving and visibility of achievement) foster consumer purchase intention and continued use intention by satisfying their needs for relatedness, competence, and autonomy. This study sheds light on the pivotal role of achievement gamification in online shopping and provides valuable implications for e-commerce practitioners to effectively employ achievement gamification strategies to accomplish their marketing objectives.