Understanding the Determinants of Consumers' Switching Intentions in a Standards War

Battles for market dominance are intense in the information technology industry. The outcome of a standards war determines which technology will win and which will lose. This study proposes a conceptual model to explain the factors driving consumers to switch from one technology product to another based on the standards. This model was developed around three types of effects: pushing, pulling, and mooring. Smartphones, the most popular devices for m-commerce, were chosen as the study context. A survey study was conducted to examine the proposed model and hypotheses. Our findings show that the pull factor of relative advantage and the push factors of low satisfaction and disconfirmation positively influence a consumer's intention to switch technology products. Moreover, the mooring factors of inertia, switching cost, and network effect negatively influence switching intentions. Inertia and the network effect have effects on the push and pull factors. This model helps firms devise proper strategies to maintain their existing customer base and incite users of alternative standards to switch.