Enhancing User Satisfaction and System Trust through Gamification in E-Commerce Platforms

Abstract

The increasing adoption of gamification in e-commerce platforms has significantly transformed how people use, engage, and develop their trust in digital systems. Despite this, few empirical studies have so far investigated the integration of gamification with the DeLong and McLean IS Success Model to develop theories of user satisfaction and system trust in emerging markets. This study examines the influence of System Quality, Information Quality, and Gamification Elements on User Satisfaction and System Trust in e-commerce in Indonesia. The quantitative nature of this research drew on data from 236 online shoppers. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling to test 10 hypotheses. Results showed that all proposed relationships were significant. Gamification Elements proved to be the most influential driver of satisfaction and trust. The results also revealed that User Satisfaction is a meaningful mediator between system-related variables and the establishment of trust. This model explains 21.5% of the variance in User Satisfaction and 43.1% of the variance in System Trust. These results suggest that user trust in e-commerce systems is driven not only by performance characteristics but also by motivational participation through gamification. The proposed model extends the IS Success Model by adding gamification as a motivational factor.