The routine use of a niche product from a well-known company: An empirical investigation of applepay

To further expand or lock in consumers, contemporary well-known companies are making cross-discipline efforts by promoting niche products which were not their core products. However, seldom is known regarding routine use of these niche products, which is prerequisite for product success. Based on involvement theory, we propose a research model to predict consumers' routine use of these niche products. To validate the hypotheses, an online survey regarding routine use of ApplePay was conducted in China. Upon the analysis with 202 valid respondents, several insightful findings are obtained. Specifically, (1) consumers' routine use can be directly affected by product involvement, which in turn is positively influenced by brand loyalty, ideal self-congruence, and social influence; and (2) the effects of brand loyalty and social influence on routine use are fully mediated by product involvement. Research findings, implications for research and practice are discussed.