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@article{Tam:2026:10.1016/j.jbusres.2026.116412,
author = {Tam, W and Merlo, O and Eisingerich, A},
doi = {10.1016/j.jbusres.2026.116412},
journal = {Journal of Business Research},
title = {How can hedonic digital services enhance consumers’ perceived quality of life?},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2026.116412},
volume = {216},
year = {2026}
}
TY - JOUR
AB - Hedonic digital services such as games and music streaming claim a growing share of consumers’ time, yet how they shape perceived quality of life remains poorly understood. Across one qualitative and two quantitative studies in gaming and music streaming, we show how distinct service benefits (productivity-enhancing, sensorially pleasing, and cognitively stimulating) enhance perceived quality of life through three mechanisms: dependability, entertainment, and flow. In both contexts, flow contributes over and above dependability and entertainment, and perceived quality of life predicts consumers' real-money purchase decisions, demonstrating that the well-being a service provides has direct financial consequences for the firm. By integrating flow into the consumer–digital service relationship literature, the research clarifies how functional and hedonic benefits operate through distinct psychological paths, and shows that providers can strengthen well-being and engagement by balancing dependability and entertainment with features that foster flow.
AU - Tam,W
AU - Merlo,O
AU - Eisingerich,A
DO - 10.1016/j.jbusres.2026.116412
PY - 2026///
SN - 0148-2963
TI - How can hedonic digital services enhance consumers’ perceived quality of life?
T2 - Journal of Business Research
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2026.116412
UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296326004479
VL - 216
ER -