Analysis of Strategies to Increase User Retention of Fitness Mobile Apps during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the fitness-related field. More people started working out at home, and the use of fitness mobile apps that can measure the amount of exercise through a scientific method has increased compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. This phenomenon is likely to continue even after the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore this study aimed to investigate the importance of and satisfaction with a fitness app’s functions according to consumers while using the fitness mobile app. Through this study, we intended to provide data for creating an environment where users can use fitness mobile apps consistently. A total of 420 questionnaires were distributed through Google Survey for about 3 months, from 13 September to 20 November 2020, and a total of 399 complete questionnaires were analyzed in this study. Regarding the data processing methods, frequency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, and IPA were used. The results are as follows. First, the first quadrant of the IPA matrix indicated the high importance of and satisfaction with the fitness mobile app, and included five attributes: cost-effectiveness, easy-to-understand information, ease of use and application, privacy protection, and compatibility with other devices. Second, the second quadrant of the matrix indicated relatively low satisfaction in association to high importance and included five attributes: accurate exercise information provision, design efficiency, daily exercise amount setting, convenient icons and interface, and provision of images and videos in appropriate proportions. Third, the third quadrant of the matrix, indicating low importance and low satisfaction, included five attributes: not sharing personal information, overall design composition and color, customer service, reliable security level, and providing information on goal achievement after exercising. Fourth, in the quadrant of the matrix, indicating low importance and high satisfaction, five attributes were included: exercise notification function, continuous service provision, step count and heart rate information, individual exercise recommendation, and individual body type analysis information.

Factors Influencing Use of Fitness Apps by Adults under Influence of COVID-19

“…To measure indicator B2 (PEOU), we used the scale developed by Gong et al: the technology level (H4), interaction effectiveness (H5), and system compatibility (H6) [ 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 ]. For B3, the perceived value indicator, we measured the financial cost (H7) and privacy cost (H8) based totally on the evaluation by San et al, who focused on the effects of the perceived advantages and perceived dangers of people’s transactional conduct [ 46 , 47 , 48 ]. To measure B4 (personal motivation indicator), we applied the scale developed by Park et al and set three measures: health concerns (H9), outcome expectations (H10), and social influence (H11) [ 49 , 50 , 51 ].…”

Feasibility of Mobile Health App-Based Home Aerobic Exercise for Physical Performance in Healthy Young Adults

“…Considering these circumstances associated with restricted mobility, the interest in and demand for non-contact health care and home-based exercise (HBE) has increased [ 16 ]. Not only have the sales of fitness equipment for home exercise increased by 59%, compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, but also the use of fitness-related applications has increased significantly [ 17 ].…”

Instrument’s Reliability and Validity of Continuance Intention toward Using Mobile Fitness Apps Model: Pilot Study

“…Mobile fitness apps are among the top popular categories of Mhealth apps and have been found to offer social and emotional utilitarian benefits such as competition and a sense of accomplishment which can serve as incentives for users to boost their levels of physical activity, particularly among younger and technologically savvy generations (Cheng et al, 2021;Yousaf et al, 2021). Additionally, the pandemic of COVID-19 has prompted a shift to home-based workouts, leading to a spike in the utilization of mobile fitness apps that offer precise exercise measurements (Kwon et al, 2022).…”