From Enjoyment to Impulse: Effects of Gamification and Promotions on Online Buying Behaviour

The transformation of digital commerce in recent years has markedly reshaped consumer behaviour, with impulsive buying emerging as a prevalent phenomenon within online retail environments. Drawing upon the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) theoretical framework, this study investigates how gamification and promotional pricing influence impulsive buying, both directly and indirectly, through the mediating role of shopping enjoyment. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 300 active online shoppers in West Java, Indonesia, a region characterised by its high digital adoption and varied consumer demographics. The research employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyse the relationships among four key constructs: gamification, promotional pricing, shopping enjoyment, and impulsive buying. The results reveal that both gamification and promotional pricing exert significant positive effects on shopping enjoyment and, subsequently, on impulsive buying behaviour. Furthermore, shopping enjoyment was found to partially mediate the relationships between the stimuli and impulsive buying, emphasising the pivotal role of affective engagement in e-commerce. These findings substantiate and extend the applicability of the S-O-R model to contemporary online shopping contexts, highlighting the intertwined effects of psychological triggers and marketing strategies on consumer decision-making. The study offers theoretical insights into digital consumer psychology and provides practical recommendations for retailers aiming to design ethically persuasive, emotionally engaging, and commercially effective digital experiences.