身边的经济学·社会常识英语30篇（2）

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换号成本与锁定效应

When customers adopt a product, they often face high costs to switch later.
These switching costs include time, money, training, and lost data compatibility.
Firms sometimes design systems that make migration difficult on purpose.
For example, proprietary file formats discourage users from adopting rival software.
Even if better alternatives exist, people stay because leaving feels too costly.
This behavior creates market power without requiring monopoly pricing.
Regulators watch for lock-in tactics that reduce competition unfairly.
Consumers may accept lower quality just to avoid relearning new tools.
Network effects often amplify switching costs in platforms like messaging apps.
Understanding lock-in helps explain why some markets resist innovation.