The Positive and Negative Effects of Switching Costs on Relational Outcomes

Jones, Michael A.; Reynolds, Kristy E.; Mothersbaugh, David L.; Beatty, Sharon E.

doi:10.1177/1094670507299382

Cited by 446Customer Service Quality and LoyaltyCustomer churn and segmentationConsumer Market Behavior and Pricing

The Positive and Negative Effects of Switching Costs on Relational Outcomes

Jones, Michael A., Reynolds, Kristy E., Mothersbaugh, David L., Beatty, Sharon E.·2007·Journal of Service Research

DOI 10.1177/1094670507299382

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Abstract

Research increasingly suggests the importance of switching costs in customer retention strategies. However, research on the downstream effects of different types of switching costs is lacking. This study seeks to address this issue by proposing and testing a framework for examining the alternative routes through which different types of switching costs (i.e., procedural, social, and lost benefits) operate in affecting relational outcomes. Consistent with our hypotheses, social switching costs, and lost benefits costs appear to bolster affective commitment, which subsequently increases positive emotions and repurchase intentions and decreases negative word of mouth. Furthermore, and again consistent with our hypotheses, procedural switching costs appear to bolster calculative commitment, which subsequently increases repurchase intentions in some instances but also increases negative emotions and negative word of mouth. Overall, this study's findings suggest that service firms should use caution when utilizing procedural switching costs as a retention strategy.

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Favorable or positive emotion/affect or behavioral intentions influence customer retention, and customers are less likely to switch to another service provider.
“Favorable or positive emotion/affect or behavioral intentions influence customer retention, and customers are less likely a switch to another service provider (Burnham et al. 2003; Colgate and Hedge 2001; Jones et al. 2007).”
From Health insurance policy renewal: an exploration of reputation, performance, and affect to understand customer inertia (2022) · cites this paper as Jones et al. 2007

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Authors: Jones, M. A., Reynolds, K. E., Mothersbaugh, D. L., & Beatty, S. E.
Affiliations: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (US)
University of Alabama (US)
ORCID: Jones, Michael A.
Beatty, Sharon E.
Venue: Journal of Service Research
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2007-05
Volume: 9
Issue: 4
Pages: 335-355
ISSN: 1094-6705 (ISSN-L)
1552-7379
DOI: 10.1177/1094670507299382
OpenAlex: W2127228059
Cited by: 446
References: 81
Citations by year: 2026: 9 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 42 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 41 · 2014: 36 · 2013: 26 · 2012: 31
FWCI: 35.53
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: Journal of Service Research (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Customer Service Quality and Loyalty
Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Customer churn and segmentation
Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Consumer Market Behavior and Pricing
Keywords: switching costs, customer retention, affective commitment, calculative commitment, repurchase intention, word of mouth, consumer emotions, relationship outcomes

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The Positive and Negative Effects of Switching Costs on Relational Outcomes

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