What won’t Google users switch to Bing? Understanding factors that promote and barriers that prevent software users from switching

Abstract

Abstract: In this study we investigate factors that promote and barriers that prevent software users from switching. This investigation is relevant. Providers of software products are interested in creating conditions to make it difficult for existing users to switch to competitive products and in making their product attractive for users of competitive products to switch to their own product. The findings of the study with users of search engines indicate that chronic “regulatory focus”, an enduring user characteristic, is the most important factor for switching. Users with the gain seeking “promotion focus” were three times more likely to switch than users with loss‑aversive “preventive focus”. Further the users’ regulatory focus moderated the impact on software switching of other factors such as the value (utilitarian/ hedonic) derived from the use of the software, software use experience, costs of software switching and the attractiveness of software alternates. These findings can help software product managers identify defection prone users and opens up new avenues for research in post‑adoption user behaviors.