Symbolic value, consumption ritualization and consumer loyalty towards digital platforms.

The concept of ritual originates from religion and has become a core concept of symbolic consumer behaviors. Symbolic value, as part of product value, may also play a role in promoting consumer loyalty. More importantly, this approach can be implemented by relying on a consumption ritualization process. Following the ritualistic path to discuss the realization of platform loyalty is even more urgent in the digital age. This may be attributed to the gamification trend and social features of digital platforms. In this paper, we focus on the symbolic value of digital product as an antecedent to the consumption ritualization process, which is expected to have a positive relationship with platform loyalty. This study has two purposes: (1) review the literature on symbolic value and consumption ritualization, and (2) propose a plausible conceptual model to illustrate the relationship between symbolic value, consumption ritualization, and platform loyalty in the context of digital platforms in China, as moderated by the platform's gamified feature and social feature. More detailed empirical research will be based on structural equation modeling approaches. The research findings will be particularly important for digital platform marketers to timely respond to external events and actively participate in the consumption ritualization practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]