An exploratory study of factors influencing repurchase behaviors toward game items: A field study

•The factors that influence the repurchase behavior of game item are determined.•Numerous field data (a sample of 2,060,685 among 84,434,287) are used.•Time-related factors (purchase recency, frequency, and cycle) are significant.•Unconscious purchase behavior should be a focus in the future.

This study provides an exploratory analysis of the effects of the various characteristics of users, games, and repurchase behavior of users in an online game context. Many previous studies considered intentions to purchase and repurchase game items; however, few examined repurchase behavior. Our analysis included a sample of 2,060,685 observations (out of a total of 84,434,287) in one year based on the field data of purchase behavior from a game company. Analysis results show that users’ purchase behavior is the most significant factor, and time-related characteristics such as the recency of purchase, purchase frequency, and purchase cycle are important factors that influence repurchase decisions. In contrast, it is found that purchase amount, game characteristics, and user characteristics are not significant. Our findings imply that any analysis of repurchase behavior should address “unconscious” purchase behavior, such as habits, immersion, and impulse buying, in addition to conscious purchase behavior.