"Bortom Play-knappen" : En kvalitativ studie om att förstå konsumentbeteende inom ljudströmningsbranschen

With the massive digitalisation wave, it has formed the market of subscription-based service models, which has truly built a new path and transformed the global audio streaming industry. The consumers have had a shift in their consumption, from previously physical ownership to now having access to everything seamlessly, on-demand access. With Apple Music and Spotify dominating today's landscape of digital music, they have put a lot of effort into their digital ecosystems by leveraging behavioural economics and advanced personalisation. What this thesis explores is the psychological and structural part of what truly drives consumers to make the switch from freemium to premium services and how it fosters long-term retention of consumers. With a focus on understanding the lock-in effects, along with the other parts, it is included to analyse how these shape loyalty to services. Focus being on international business and behavioural science, this study has gone for an abductive approach with a qualitative research method, based on semi-structured interviews with participants from different cultural backgrounds. What the findings present is that beyond the functional value which is accessed through these different services, there are still a lot of psychological triggers which influence their decision-making process. Connections to fear of missing out (FOMO), routine, and perceived fairness in pricing get investigated. As the thesis draws a conclusion with ethical reflections and practical recommendations for global digital companies to reflect upon, who are striving to balance user engagement alongside focusing on responsible business practices.