Influence of Fitness Apps on Sports Habits, Satisfaction, and Intentions to Stay in Fitness Center Users: An Experimental Study

Manel Valcarce-Torrente, Vicente Javaloyes, Leonor Gallardo, Jerónimo García-Fernández and Antoni Planas-Anzano
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Manel Valcarce-Torrente: Department of Business Management, Universidad Internacional de Valencia (VIU), 46002 Valencia, Spain
Vicente Javaloyes: Centro Lleida, Department of Sport Management, Instituto Nacional de Educación Física de Cataluña, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
Leonor Gallardo: IGOID Research Group, Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Department, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 45004 Toledo, Spain
Jerónimo García-Fernández: Research Group of Management and Innovation in Sports Science, Leisure and Recreation (GISDOR), Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain
Antoni Planas-Anzano: Centro Lleida, Department of Sport Management, Instituto Nacional de Educación Física de Cataluña, 08038 Barcelona, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-13

Abstract: The use of technology in sports and fitness is proliferating thanks to advances to facilitate its practice and improve adherence. Beyond adherence, it is important that technology is understood as a facilitating medium. The main objective of this study is to know the influence of the use of the fitness application (app) on sports habits, customer satisfaction and maintenance intention of fitness center users. For this, an experimental, controlled and randomized study was carried out, characterized by being a field trial, with a sample of 66 participants divided into a control group ( n = 33) and an experimental group ( n = 33), with 38 (57.6%) men and 28 (42.4%) women who self-monitored their physical activity for 8 weeks. The dimensions analyzed between the pre- and post-intervention phases were the changes in their sporting habits (frequency of attendance and duration of the session), the changes in satisfaction and the intention to stay with respect to the fitness center. The results in general do not show significant differences between the two groups and conclude that the use of the fitness app did not directly influence the sports habits of the participants. There were also no significant differences in terms of satisfaction with the fitness center or in their intention to stay in the fitness center. Therefore, it is shown that the use of the fitness app, as a single download or use element, is not enough to improve habits, satisfaction or the intention to stay in the fitness center.

Keywords: fitness app; satisfaction; loyalty; fitness industry; experimental study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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