從免費到付費：免費增值模式下SaaS用戶的使用者行為研究。

From Free Using to Paying: Differences Between Users’ Attitude and Behavior in SaaS Freemium Model

蔡偉智(Tsai, Wei Chih)

指導教授 ： 許裴舫

國立清華大學/科技管理學院/服務科學研究所/碩士(2015年)

https://doi.org/10.6843/NTHU.2015.00189

摘要

此篇研究主要是在探討在免費增值模式下的SaaS，其使用者的使用以及付費行為。對於免費增值模式的SaaS公司，如何轉換免費使用者到付費使用者是相當重要的議題。在免費增值模式下，使用者一開始會先使用免費的服務，之後才會變成付費的用戶。在過去的文獻中，大多數的學者在研究資訊科技接受度時往往只針對使用者的使用行為去做分析。但是，在免費增值的SaaS裡，資訊科技接受度可以分為兩個階段，也就是使用者的使用行為階段以及付費行為階段。此篇研究參考UTAUT理論，發展出一個包含使用者兩階段行為的模型，對於使用者的態度以及行為做分析研究，讓過去的理論架構能夠更符合現在資訊科技使用的現況。此份研究蒐集了573份有效的網路問卷，並針對樣本執行PLS以及ANOVA量化分析。根據分析結果，此份研究針對使用免費增值模式的SaaS公司，在初期、中期以及後期分別給予了不同的建議。結果顯示，初期公司須將重心集中在產品本身，強化產品品質以及易用性，並可將一些資源投入宣傳，增加社會影響。中期則是可以將資源慢慢投入交易的安全以及效率性，建立友善的交易環境，跟第三方支付合作或者增加通路等等都是可以參考的策略，而後期則是要對於產品做持續性創新，以增加競爭力。此外，我們也分析了付費客群的特徵，讓公司能夠更清楚的鎖定他們的目標客群。此份研究提供了免費增值模式的SaaS公司實際的策略應用，使其資源能夠更有效發揮。

關鍵字

免費增值模式 ； 軟體即服務 ； 使用行為 ； 付費行為 ； 商業策略 ； 使用者行為

並列摘要

In this study, we investigate the user’s using and paying behavior in freemium SaaS. For SaaS companies, how to convert their free users into paid customers is very important. In freemium business model, users use the services/products for free in the beginning and then become premium user. In previous studies of traditional information technology acceptance, scholars only dedicated in user’s using behavior. However, the situation of IT acceptance in freemium SaaS have two stage, using and paying. In order to bring it in line with current situation in freemium SaaS, we base on UTAUT theory, propose a new technology acceptance model for freemium SaaS industry. The proposed model includes two parts, user’s using behavior and paying behavior. We analyze user’s attitude as input to figure out the key factors in each stage and also found out the characteristics between different groups of people that have different paying behavior. This research involved 573 valid respondents of online survey. The quantitative analysis of the online questionnaires is conducted through partial least squares and ANOVA test in order to indicate the relationship between user’s attitude and behavior. The results of this study show that in the beginning stage, companies should focus on the quality, usability and social influence of their products/services. But in the middle stage and the last stage, they should put more resources in security and transaction efficiency. Furthermore, in the last stage, the continuous innovation is needed to make their product/service unique and irreplaceable. These findings provide empirical support for a new conceptual model of freemium SaaS acceptance. Furthermore, these findings provide practical guidance to SaaS companies or startups that want to use freemium as their pricing strategy. The results of this research could help them better allocate resources.

並列關鍵字

Freemium ； SaaS ； business strategy ； using behavior ； paying behavior ； UTAUT ； user behavior

參考文獻

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