{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,31]],"date-time":"2026-01-31T18:35:19Z","timestamp":1769884519167,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":61,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Purpose<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>As fitness trackers rise in popularity, user retention and engagement become critical for commercial success. This study investigates the motivators for use and reasons for abandonment of fitness wearables.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Using a qualitative approach, data were collected through open-ended essays from participants who had adopted fitness trackers but subsequently discontinued the usage.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Findings<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The analysis revealed four external stimuli (market push, social pull, technology appeal and environmental dynamics) and five internal motivators (health monitoring, design and technical attributes, social engagement, ease of use and psychological well-being) driving use. Challenges leading to abandonment included design limitations, technical limitations, technological anxiety, tracking anxiety, motivation deterioration and value and privacy concerns. Discontinuation patterns include complete abandonment, alternative solution adoption, temporary pause and device upgrade considerations for personalization. Improvements desired are expansion of health metrics, technical improvements, design and comfort and customization and flexibility.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Originality\/value<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The findings extend theoretical understanding of technology discontinuance and provide valuable insights for technology manufacturers and marketers in developing more sustainable user engagement strategies and improving device features based on user preferences and abandonment patterns.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/jeim-03-2025-0162","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,5]],"date-time":"2025-09-05T16:15:06Z","timestamp":1757088906000},"page":"410-437","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Deep dive into why consumers stick with or ditch fitness trackers: implications for wearable fitness industry"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"39","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6759-5684","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Rekha","family":"Attri","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Jaipuria Institute of Management \u2013 Indore Campus , ,","place":["Indore, India"]}]},{"given":"Diana","family":"Korayim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Alfaisal University , ,","place":["Riyadh, Saudi Arabia"]}]},{"given":"Nourah O.","family":"Alshaghdali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Business Administration, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Department of Business, , ,","place":["Riyadh, Saudi Arabia"]}]},{"given":"Dhruv","family":"Galgotia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Business, Galgotias University , ,","place":["Greater Noida, India"]}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0942-3099","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Steven T.","family":"Walsh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anderson School of Management, University of New Mexico , , ,","place":["Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA"]}]}],"member":"140","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,8]]},"reference":[{"issue":"10","key":"2026013100171198900_ref001","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2142","DOI":"10.1080\/10447318.2022.2074668","article-title":"Psychological predictors of intention to use fitness apps: the role of subjective knowledge and innovativeness","volume":"39","author":"Acikgoz","year":"2023","journal-title":"International Journal of Human\u2013Computer Interaction"},{"issue":"1","key":"2026013100171198900_ref002","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1057\/s41599-022-01452-6","article-title":"Motivations for user satisfaction of mobile fitness applications: an analysis of user experience based on online review comments","volume":"10","author":"Ahn","year":"2023","journal-title":"Humanities and Social Sciences Communications"},{"key":"2026013100171198900_ref003","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.3390\/informatics11030047","article-title":"Healthcare and the internet of medical things: applications, trends, key challenges, and proposed resolutions","volume":"3","author":"Al Khatib","year":"2024","journal-title":"Informatics"},{"issue":"4","key":"2026013100171198900_ref004","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1229","DOI":"10.1108\/jeim-02-2020-0052","article-title":"Examining the roles of students\u2019 beliefs and security concerns for using smartwatches in higher education","volume":"34","author":"Al-Emran","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of Enterprise Information Management"},{"key":"2026013100171198900_ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"240","DOI":"10.4018\/979-8-3693-1214-8.ch012","volume-title":"Emerging Technologies for Health Literacy and Medical Practice","author":"Aminabee","year":"2024"},{"key":"2026013100171198900_ref006","unstructured":"Autentika\n           (2024), \u201cWhy do users abandon fitness apps?\u201d, available at:\u00a0https:\/\/autentika.com\/ (accessed\u00a011 November 2024)."},{"issue":"July","key":"2026013100171198900_ref007","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/K-03-2024-0792","article-title":"The dark side of gamification: an experimental study on digital fitness apps","author":"Bai","year":"2024","journal-title":"Kybernetes"},{"issue":"6","key":"2026013100171198900_ref008","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1093","DOI":"10.1108\/mip-10-2023-0569","article-title":"How and when does gamification level up mobile app effectiveness? 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