Consumer preferences for super app services: E-commerce, social media, and banking dominate

Abstract

Super apps enable consumers to access multiple services through a single mobile application. Platforms like WeChat, Alipay, KakaoTalk, and LINE have already been widely adopted across many Asian markets. This study aims to develop a greater understanding of consumers’ preferences for super app services in a European context, where these apps are beginning to emerge. Using cluster analysis and multinomial logistic regression, we analyze data from 764 potential super app adopters in Germany, identifying five distinct preference-based clusters: (1) Urban Explorers, (2) Efficiency Experts, (3) the Versatile Majority, (4) Digital Enthusiasts, and (5) the Golden Triangle. Each cluster is defined by a unique combination of desired features, with e-commerce, social media, and banking/financial services emerging as the most in-demand categories. Our findings indicate that super app providers should work to strategically integrate highly demanded services rather than focusing on the incorporation of an increasingly wide array of features. To our knowledge, this is the first scholarly effort to quantify super app service preferences in a European context, offering managers and policymakers evidence-based insights to effectively navigate this disruptive technology.