Factors Driving Consumer Engagement and Intentions with Gamification of Mobile Apps

Abstract

The advent of smartphones revolutionized and took the market to a new level. Now a days, majority of internet users spend their maximum time on smartphones, specifically on mobile apps. The emergence of numerous apps in smartphones with games features has brought about a different trend, mobile app gamification. The emerging popularity of smartphone technologies and their mobile apps have led various companies to engage their consumers with mobile apps, specifically through gamification. Therefore, companies gain consumers attention integrate their mobile marketing into their overall marketing strategy. This study explores the domain of consumer engagement and their intentions through the gamification of mobile apps. The research focuses on how mobile app gamification drives consumer engagement and their intentions drawing upon SDT and TAM. Using survey method data collected from 270 respondents, data analysis was done with structure equation modeling (SEM). The findings assert that various features of gamification of mobile apps (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and enjoyment) have a significant influence on consumer engagement. However, convenience was unexpectedly found not to be significantly associated with consumer engagement. Additionally, consumer engagement was found to be associated to smartphone user's intentions to use gamification of mobile apps. The results of present study have theoretical and practical implications.