This study examines the influence of gamification on customer loyalty, retention, and brand recall in the South African fashion retail industry, tackling the increasing challenge of customer disengagement in a fiercely competitive digital retail environment. The research underscores a major concern: the imperative for fashion retailers to encourage customer engagement and improve differentiation amid a multitude of customer choices and transient loyalty. An abductive qualitative research design was utilised, implementing the Morse and Field approach to thematic analysis using ATLAS.ti of data gathered from three diverse focus groups with a total sample size of 25 participants. The outcomes indicate that gamification-driven initiatives substantially enhance customer loyalty by creating emotional bonds, promote customer retention through the establishment of habitual behaviours, and bolster brand recall through engaging, memorable interactions. These insights provide practical guidance for South African fashion retailers to develop successful gamification strategies that resonate with their target market, thereby ensuring enduring business achievement in a challenging commercial landscape.