Abstract

As subscription-based access has become increasingly common, a wide range of products and services are offered through subscriptions. While consumers often respond favorably to subscription services, strong resistance is also observed. This study aims to identify the attributes of subscription services that lead to such divergent consumer responses and to explore the underlying psychological mechanisms. A 2 (product type: tangibility vs. intangibility) × 2 (subscription type: partial vs. full) between-subjects experimental design was adopted. The results revealed that while product type did not directly affect perceived control, it interacted with subscription type to influence perceived control. Participants reported lower perceived control when tangible products were offered under a partial subscription type (compared to full subscription type), whereas for intangible products, perceived control remained relatively unaffected by the subscription type. This perceived control sequentially influenced psychological ownership, perceived value, and subscription intention. However, the direct effect of product type on perceived value was found only in relation to economic value. This study contributes to understanding the differential consumer responses to subscription services by identifying key service attributes and highlighting the contexts in which perceived control and psychological ownership play a more or less significant role.