Game on: curbing impulse buying and returns in apparel e-tailers

This study explores the effectiveness of gamified strategies in addressing impulsive e-buying behaviors and mitigating subsequent product returns. Impulse buying in apparel e-tailers is a prevalent phenomenon with significant implications for both consumers and businesses. While impulse purchases contribute to e-tailers' sales, they also result in undesired consequences such as regret, dissatisfaction, and high return rates. This research investigates the potential of gamification, specifically distraction and substitution strategies, in counteracting impulsive online purchase decisions. Through online experimental and field studies involving participants from the United States and a European apparel e-tailer, respectively, we examine the impact of gamified interventions on impulse buying behavior and product return rates. The findings indicate that gamified distraction strategies are more effective than substitution strategies in reversing impulse e-buying behavior. Additionally, the field experiment demonstrates a significant reduction in product return rates among customers exposed to distraction interventions. These results highlight the potential of gamification as a nonpunitive approach to intervene in the e-decision-making process of consumers, offering practical implications for e-tailers seeking to minimize returns and enhance customer satisfaction.