The relationship between subscription fatigue and user retention in subscription-based multimedia services among generation Z

Abstract

Subscription fatigue is a phenomenon associated with the feelings of frustration, exhaustion and guilt which arises after prolonged use of digital subscription services. This thesis examines this concept and its association with retention behaviour within Over-The-Top multimedia subscription platforms. The study focuses on how economic, cognitive and psychological factors contribute to subscription fatigue among users of different age groups specifically within Generation Z and older respondents. Additionally, the research investigates how contextual patterns, such as usage intensity and most-used type of multimedia subscription, influence user behaviour and retention outcomes.

The study was conducted using a quantitative survey, while data was collected using an online questionnaire featuring Likert-scale evaluation statements and questions related to the context of use. The collected responses were processed and analysed through factor-specific, contextual and age-group comparison approaches. The findings helped to identify behavioural tendencies associated with subscription fatigue, demonstrating that it is a multidimensional phenomenon associated with financial concerns, cognitive overload and psychological burden. The results also suggest that subscription fatigue is associated with passive retention, delayed decisions and habitual continuation of subscriptions despite user dissatisfaction. Moreover, behavioural and contextual differences between age groups were identified.

The proposed research contributes to deeper understanding of subscription fatigue within modern digital multimedia ecosystems and provides useful insights for future research related to digital consumption and user experience.