身边的经济学·社会常识英语30篇（2）
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Switching Costs and the Lock-In Effect
换号成本与锁定效应
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When customers adopt a product, they often face high costs to switch later.
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These switching costs include time, money, training, and lost data compatibility.
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Firms sometimes design systems that make migration difficult on purpose.
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For example, proprietary file formats discourage users from adopting rival software.
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Even if better alternatives exist, people stay because leaving feels too costly.
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This behavior creates market power without requiring monopoly pricing.
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Regulators watch for lock-in tactics that reduce competition unfairly.
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Consumers may accept lower quality just to avoid relearning new tools.
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Network effects often amplify switching costs in platforms like messaging apps.
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Understanding lock-in helps explain why some markets resist innovation.