The moderator role of gamification in the relationship between service experience, value co-creation, brand loyalty and customer engagement

In the field of marketing, various approaches have been developed to engage with customers in order to achieve business objectives. In particular, gamification practices have increasingly been utilized to enhance customer satisfaction, deliver personalized experiences, sustain repurchase intentions and foster brand loyalty, especially in contexts where services are directly experienced by customers. This study aims to examine the impact of gamification applications on the relationships among service experience, value co-creation, customer engagement and brand loyalty, based on the theoretical framework of Service-Dominant Logic (S-D Logic). To this end, the existing gamification application of a coffee enterprise with a chain-store structure was examined and it was decided to conduct the research based on this application. Participants were categorized into two groups—users and non-users of the gamification application—according to their self-reported usage status and the same questionnaire was administered to both groups. A total of 341 participants were included in the study, comprising 179 non-users and 162 users of the application. Initially, descriptive analyses were performed, followed by structural model analyses. To test the relationships among the variables, the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method was applied. The analysis revealed a strong and positive relationship between "Service Experience → Customer Engagement," with this relationship being more pronounced in the non-user group. Furthermore, significant effects were observed in the relationships "Service Experience → Value Co-Creation" and "Customer Engagement → Brand Loyalty," which were also stronger in the non-user group. The relationship between "Value Co-Creation → Brand Loyalty" was found to be statistically significant but relatively weak. Based on all the findings, the study discusses both theoretical and practical implications. Finally, the limitations of the research are addressed and several suggestions are offered for future studies. Key Words: Gamification; Customer Engagement; Valu Co-creation; Service Experience; Brand loyalty.