The Effect of Process Consistency and Gratifications on User Satisfaction and Continuance Intention in Super Apps

Abstract

With the rapid evolution of mobile technologies, single-purpose independent applications are giving way to super apps that consolidate distinct vertical services under a single roof. The purpose of this study is to examine the motivational and structural factors influencing the continuance intention of e-commerce-based super app users in Türkiye from the perspective of the Uses and Gratifications theory. Adopting a quantitative research design, this study collected data via an online questionnaire from 345 participants who are active super app users in Türkiye, utilizing a combination of non-probability convenience and snowball sampling methods. The developed research model and hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and bootstrapping analysis. The analysis findings confirm that utilitarian gratification, hedonic gratification, and process consistency exert a positive and statistically significant effect on user satisfaction. Particularly, process consistency, which reflects uninterrupted transitions between different service modules, emerged as the most prominent predictor of satisfaction and enduring loyalty. On the other hand, it was determined that social gratification generated a suppression effect within the structural model, thereby negatively affecting satisfaction and consequently losing its potential for a mediating effect. The mediation results prove that user satisfaction serves as a robust bridge in the relationships between utilitarian gratification, hedonic gratification, process consistency, and continuance intention. This research offers a theoretical contribution to the literature by extending the traditional Uses and Gratifications theory with a structural system antecedent, namely process consistency. From a managerial perspective, it provides a strategic vision for super app developers to focus on an integrated cross-service interface and integration design, rather than coercive strategies aimed at forcing platforms into social networks.