Short answer
Design systems that allow for meaningful personalization, but be mindful that this can create a subtle form of lock-in, requiring careful consideration of user autonomy and long-term value.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- Journal of the Association for Consumer Research (2016)
- Method
- Conceptual analysis and comparative study
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Companies can leverage consumer labor in the creation and personalization of digital products to create a form of market lock-in, where consumers' efforts to make these items their own inadvertently bind them more tightly to the company's ecosystem. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2016 study published in Journal of the Association for Consumer Research. Using Conceptual analysis and comparative study, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design systems that allow for meaningful personalization, but be mindful that this can create a subtle form of lock-in, requiring careful consideration of user autonomy and long-term value.
Digital Consumption Objects Create Consumer Lock-in Through 'Possession Work'
Companies can leverage consumer labor in the creation and personalization of digital products to create a form of market lock-in, where consumers' efforts to make these items their own inadvertently bind them more tightly to the company's ecosystem.
Journal of the Association for Consumer Research · 2016
Key Findings
- 01Consumers' efforts to personalize digital objects (possession work) can paradoxically increase their entanglement with the market.
- 02This 'possession work' transforms digital objects into assets for companies while being perceived as possessions by consumers.
- 03This creates a new form of consumer lock-in, distinct from traditional brand loyalty or technical dependencies.
Application
Design takeaway
Design systems that allow for meaningful personalization, but be mindful that this can create a subtle form of lock-in, requiring careful consideration of user autonomy and long-term value.
How to apply
When designing digital products or services, analyze how user customization features might contribute to a user's difficulty in switching to a competitor.
Project actions
- 01Consider how features that allow users to customize or create content within a digital product might influence user retention.
- 02Investigate the psychological impact of 'ownership' in digital versus physical products.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Introduces a novel concept ('possession work') to explain digital consumer behavior.
- +Provides a critical perspective on the valorization of consumer labor in the digital economy.
Limitations
The study is theoretical and doesn't provide quantitative data on how many users are affected or the degree of lock-in.
Reliability & validity
The conceptual nature of the study means reliability and validity are assessed through the coherence of the argument and its grounding in existing theory, rather than empirical measurement.
Think critically
To what extent does the perceived value of a digital 'possession' influence the strength of this consumer lock-in?
Design Principles
"Personalization can foster engagement but must be balanced with user agency to avoid unintended consumer lock-in."
Understanding how digital products can create consumer lock-in is crucial for designers and strategists. It highlights the potential for long-term customer relationships, but also raises ethical considerations regarding exploitation and the user's sense of ownership.
What This Means for Your Design
When you spend time making a digital thing (like a game character or a playlist) your own, it can actually make it harder for you to stop using that service or switch to another one.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to discuss the long-term user engagement strategies in your design project, particularly for digital products.
- 2.Critically evaluate how your design choices might create user dependency or lock-in.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research by Molesworth, Watkins, and Denegri-Knott (2016) suggests that the personalization efforts users undertake on digital consumption objects, termed 'possession work,' can inadvertently lead to consumer lock-in. This occurs as users invest in making digital items unique, which simultaneously enhances their perceived ownership and strengthens their ties to the provider's ecosystem, potentially limiting future choices.
Source
Journal of the Association for Consumer Research
Possession Work on Hosted Digital Consumption Objects as Consumer Ensnarement
journal · 2016
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about digital consumption objects create consumer lock-in through 'possession work'?
- Design systems that allow for meaningful personalization, but be mindful that this can create a subtle form of lock-in, requiring careful consideration of user autonomy and long-term value. Evidence: Journal of the Association for Consumer Research (2016).
- Why does "Digital Consumption Objects Create Consumer Lock-in Through 'Possession Work'" matter for design?
- Understanding how digital products can create consumer lock-in is crucial for designers and strategists. It highlights the potential for long-term customer relationships, but also raises ethical considerations regarding exploitation and the user's sense of ownership.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Design systems that allow for meaningful personalization, but be mindful that this can create a subtle form of lock-in, requiring careful consideration of user autonomy and long-term value.
- What were the main findings?
- Consumers' efforts to personalize digital objects (possession work) can paradoxically increase their entanglement with the market.. This 'possession work' transforms digital objects into assets for companies while being perceived as possessions by consumers.. This creates a new form of consumer lock-in, distinct from traditional brand loyalty or technical dependencies.
- What research method was used?
- Conceptual analysis and comparative study.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2016 journal from Journal of the Association for Consumer Research.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing digital products or services, analyze how user customization features might contribute to a user's difficulty in switching to a competitor.
- What are the limitations?
- The study is primarily conceptual and does not present empirical data on the extent of this lock-in across different digital products or user groups.