Streaming Services: A Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis to Untangle Service Switching

Millions of subscribers switch back and forth between streaming services. When considering switching from one streaming service to another, subscribers usually compare them side by side and either completely switch to the alternative streaming service or partially switch by using both streaming services. To understand when subscribers engage in complete or partial switching and identify nuanced differences in these switching behaviors, we draw on expectation disconfirmation theory, conducting a mixed methods approach based on interviews (N=44) and a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (N=224). We contribute to switching research by illuminating the different configurations that lead to complete and partial switching, suggesting that relying on the same explanation for these different switching behaviors falls short. While we reveal a unifinal explanation for complete switching, partial switching requires more complex, equifinal explanations. We advance research on streaming services by identifying affordability and perceived content exclusiveness as important constraints for switching behavior in this context.