Work

An Experiment on Consumers’ Perceived Fairness of Gamified Incentives Toward Oneself and Others

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: With the growing use of gamification and gamblification in e-commerce platforms, marketing techniques have been designed to engage consumers through interactive and game-like experiences offering rewards and discounts. However, such as gamified ways of acquiring benefits raise concerns among consumers about fairness. This study investigates how consumers perceive the fairness of different kinds of gamified discount scheme designs. We collected data (N=735) in six conditions in a 3×2 between subject design: social dynamic (1: singleplayer, multiplayer (2: collaboration, 3: competition)) × agency (1: agency 2: no-agency). Results show that singleplayer design fostered higher perceived fairness compared to multiplayer conditions, and collaboration respectively compared to competitive design. Although no main effects were observed for agency on fairness, there was a positive interaction effect between agency and competition on fairness. This finding also highlights the importance of considering perceptions of others’ discounts and demonstrates that collaboration fosters stronger fairness perceptions than competition.

Source: Journal of the Association for Information Systems

Authors: Al‐Msallam, Samaan, Xi, Nannan, Hamari, Juho

Institution: Tampere University

Language: English

Topic: Educational Games and Gamification

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: Foundation for Economic Education, Liikesivistysrahasto, Opetushallitus

Awards: G2179493211, G4245594494

OpenAlex ID: W6991036404