Research on the influence of online fitness user engagement on value co-creation behavior

PurposeValue co-creation is a new initiative for enterprises to form a competitive advantage, and user engagement is the basis for achieving value co-creation; nevertheless, few studies have discussed the influence mechanisms of user engagement on value co-creation behavior. In this study, the authors aim to reveal the influence mechanisms of online fitness user engagement on value co-creation behavior by considering emotional resonance and immersive experience as mediating variables.Design/methodology/approachThe authors proposed and empirically tested a research model based on a survey involving 461 Chinese respondents through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe results of this study confirm that consumer engagement, contributing engagement and social engagement are important drives of value co-creation behavior among online fitness users. Furthermore, emotional resonance and immersive experience have been revealed as important mediating mechanisms to explain why user engagement drives value co-creation behavior.Practical implicationsThe results of this study suggest that practitioners need to focus on the social engagement and consumer engagement of users in online fitness communities and to provide the appropriate environment and conditions for online fitness user to achieve mutual value co-creation.Originality/valueThis study makes two main contributions. It examines user engagement in an online fitness community context and helps to understand its applicability in other contexts. It explains the influence mechanisms of online fitness user engagement on value co-creation behavior and enriches the studies related to the drivers of value co-creation behavior.