Vendor Lock In

Vendor or customer lock in is what happens when switching from one vendor is discouraged by switching costs. These costs can involve money, time, effort, or emotional attachment.

While LiveJournal does almost everything it can to reduce negative types of vendor lock in, lock in still exists for most customers of its service due to the network effect.

Because vendor lock in is a strategy that does not depend on customer satisfaction to produce profits, companies with this advantage don't have to worry as much about customer complaints. This can explain a lot of LiveJournal's behavior.

A creepy tour through this business strategy/philosophy can be found in the book Higher Profits Through Customer Lock-In.


 * AntiPattern: Vendor Lock-In
 * Lock 'Em Up!