To switch or not to switch? Investigating users' switching behaviours of fitness wearable devices

Abstract

Fitness wearable devices (FWD) have become an increasingly popular and competitive market with many alternative products. A large number of studies on FWD have been carried out, mainly focused on the user's early adoption. However, limited attention has been given to the post adoption stage, especially user's switching behaviours. This research aims at examining the determinants of users' switching intention in the context of FWD. This study draws upon the push-pull-mooring (PPM) framework to construct a conceptual model with low enjoyment and low satisfaction as push effects; alternative attractiveness, health benefits, and subjective norm as pull effects; switching cost and the need for variety as mooring effects. The findings demonstrated that low enjoyment, switching cost and all pull factors had significant impacts on a user's switching intention. Moreover, the switching cost partially moderated the relationship between the push factor and a user's switching intention. The results, theoretical, and practical implications are further discussed in this paper.