Cloud Storage Services: Converting the Free-Trial User to a Paid Subscriber

In this paper, we explore and explain the factors that directly or indirectly affect free-trial users’ willingness to subscribe to a paid cloud storage service (CSS). To this end, we emphasize the system usage construct and model it as a central construct and investigate both its antecedents and consequents. Data from 181 actual CSS users is analyzed to show that while cognitive costs and service uncertainty negatively influence free-trial CSS usage, the innovativeness of the user may mitigate these hindrances. Furthermore, while system usage has a positive effect on free-trial users’ willingness to convert to a paid CSS subscription, that effect is fully mediated by users’ perception of value toward the cloud storage services. We discuss the theoretical implications of our research model as well as the practical implications related to a free-trial CSS.