Information Systems Review (경영정보학연구)

The Korea Society of Management Information Systems (한국경영정보학회)
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Subscribing to an All-You-Can-Read E-Bookstore: Tariff Choice, and Contract Renewal for E-Book Purchases

전자책 무제한 정액제의 소비자 이용행태 분석: 가격제 선택과 구독 갱신, 그리고 전자책 구매에 관하여

  • Jinpyo Hong (College of Business, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) ;
  • Wonseok Oh (College of Business, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology )
  • Received : 2019.07.27
  • Accepted : 2019.11.04
  • Published : 2020.02.29
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Abstract

E-book markets are currently moving through a period of disequilibrium as new pricing structures (i.e., flat-fee subscriptions) are rapidly embraced by major vendors. On the basis of a novel dataset, we investigate how the availability of "all-you-can-read" pricing programs influences consumers' tariff choice and contract renewal behaviors. Consistent with the rational choice framework, the findings suggest that most e-book consumers significantly gain from subscription-based tariffs. Power readers prefer flat-fee subscriptions, and those that have economically benefited renew their subscription. However, we also find some other intriguing results. Among the three subscription designs examined, the 1-week plan affords consumers more economic benefits than do 1-day or 1-month programs. Finally, iOS users are more inclined to select subscription models than are Android users because of the absence of in-app purchase functionalities for the former. The unavailability of in-app purchase affects tariff choices and transaction patterns as it increases transaction costs.

최근 디지털 콘텐츠 시장의 패러다임이 소유에서 소비라는 관점으로 바뀌는 가운데, 전자책 시장에서는 무제한 정액 구독 서비스가 빠르게 보급되고 있다. 본 연구는 무제한 정액제가 새로이 도입되는 상황에서 소비자들의 가격제 선택 행태와 더불어, 구독 후 실제로 어떠한 전자책 구매 패턴을 보이는지에 대해 실증적으로 검증하였다. 분석 결과, 소비자들은 합리적 의사결정을 바탕으로 정액제에 지불한 금액 이상의 도서를 다운로드 받으며 경제적 실리를 취하고 있었다. 헤비유저일수록 정액제를 선호하였으며, 과거 구독을 통해 실제로 경제적 효용을 경험한 유저일수록 정액제 이용을 갱신하는 경향이 나타났다. 한 편, 구독 기간과 관련해서는 1일 혹은 1달 단위의 정액제 구독 보다 1주일 정액제 이용 시에 경제적 효용이 가장 큰 것으로 나타나, 기간이 너무 짧거나 길지 않을 때 미래 수요를 가장 합리적으로 판단할 수 있음을 시사하였다. 마지막으로 인앱결제 기능 유무에 따라 iOS와 안드로이드 유저 간에 정액제 선호와 전자책 구매패턴이 다르게 나타남을 발견하였다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2015S1A5A8016848).

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