Monetization of internet-of-things systems: how interoperability and safeguarding drive customer acquisition, retention, and expansion
本文通过实证研究，发现物联网系统的互操作性和安全保障在不同客户关系阶段（获取、保留、扩展）的影响大小不同，并据此提出三种货币化系统变体。
Companies increasingly offer a wide array of Internet-of-Things (IoT) systems, yet many still struggle to monetize them as consumers continue to question their value. This article presents an exploratory empirical investigation of two understudied categories of IoT-specific value drivers: IoT system interoperability—the system’s capability to enable devices, users, and providers to work together—and IoT system safeguarding—the system’s capability for security and privacy protection. The findings reveal that the effect sizes of these value drivers vary both within and across key phases of customer relationship management. For example, in general, device interoperability exerts the strongest influence in acquisition (willingness to buy and pay) and expansion (willingness to cross-buy), whereas user interoperability does so in retention (willingness to further use). Moreover, the effect sizes of value drivers in one category depend on the levels of the value drivers in the other and differ across consumers. Based on these findings, the article identifies three promising IoT system variants for monetization that differ in their configuration of interoperability and safeguarding: a top-tier system for short-term direct monetization through initial sales, a bare-bones system for long-term direct monetization through subsequent extensions, and an engagement-oriented system for indirect monetization through leveraging user data.