Factors affecting the repeat purchase intention of users with special memberships on e-commerce sites

The primary aim of this study is to comprehensively examine the effects of increasingly widespread special membership systems on consumers' purchasing experiences in e-commerce platforms. The research analyzes the contributions of special membership applications—such as loyalty programs, premium memberships, personalized campaigns, and priority access—to perceived personalization, brand advocacy, repurchase intention, and emotional brand attachment. The study is structured into five main sections in line with these objectives. The first section discusses the importance and historical development of e-commerce businesses, along with the current state of the global and Turkish e-commerce markets, as well as consumer behavior and technological developments. The second section focuses on the definition of special memberships and strategies implemented in various special membership models. The third section addresses repurchase experience and influencing factors, analyzing consumer behavior and perceived value in e-commerce. The fourth section discusses the factors affecting repurchase intention, while the fifth section presents the findings of the quantitative research conducted on the subject. This research was carried out using a quantitative research method and a convenience sampling technique. The sample consisted of 314 participants who had previously shopped from e-commerce platforms. The data were collected between April and May 2025, using a questionnaire developed in line with the research objectives. The findings revealed that perceived personalization did not have a statistically significant effect on consumers' repurchase intentions. Therefore, it can be concluded that personalization does not make a meaningful contribution to explaining repurchase behavior within this model. On the other hand, emotional brand attachment was found to have a positive and significant effect on repurchase intention, indicating that emotional ties strengthen consumers' willingness to repurchase. Furthermore, brand advocacy was also found to have a positive and significant impact on repurchase intention, suggesting that advocacy behavior influences future consumer preferences toward the brand. It can be stated that special membership systems create positive effects on consumers and increase loyalty behavior.