Examining the Interaction Effects Among Multiple Terminals in an Online Q&A Community

Substitution or Synergy

Bibliographic Data

ID16911468
AuthorsZhiliang Ying (0000-0001-6228-5433, Sichuan University), Li Jia (0000-0001-6532-4063, Sichuan University), Liang Zhou (0000-0003-4374-2242, North China Institute of Science and Technology, corresponding author), Zhou Liang (0000-0001-9093-2300), Zhou Sijia (0009-0008-5163-6398, Sichuan University)
Year2025
Volume15
Issue3
Publication date2025-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSAGE Open (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/21582440251367124
OpenAlexW4414044863
LanguageEN
References cited57

The rapid proliferation of multiple terminals in online communities has significantly transformed user behavior, making the effective management of these terminals crucial for user acquisition, retention, activation, and conversion. Despite the growing importance of multi-terminal environments, existing research has largely overlooked the interaction effects among terminals. To address this gap, this study investigates how multiple terminals interact in an online channel, specifically focusing on user transfer behavior between PC terminals and mobile terminals in an online Question-and-Answer (Q&A) community. Grounded in brand extension and expectation confirmation theories, we propose a theoretical model to examine the interaction effects among multiple terminals in Zhihu, a representative online Q&A community in China. We use SEM to analyze the data. Findings indicate that both substitution and synergy effects exist among multiple terminals, with the synergy effect being significantly stronger than the substitution effect. Furthermore, the results reveal that perceived quality, perceptual fit, expectation confirmation, and relative advantages affect the interaction among multiple terminals. Specifically, perceived quality and perceptual fit play significant roles in generating the synergy effect, while expectation confirmation and relative advantages drive the substitution effect. This study proposes a comprehensive framework for understanding multi-terminal interactions. The model holds both theoretical and practical relevance, as it helps in understanding user behavior in multiple terminal environments and provides implications for the design of multiple terminal strategies

Interaction · Perception · Social relation · Substitution effect · Digital Marketing and Social Media · Expert finding and Q&A systems · Knowledge Management and Sharing

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access