通过调查问卷的方式考察了即时通讯市场中自网络效应、即时通讯工具的价格、即时通讯企业互联互通的选择以及交叉网络效应对用户选择即时通讯工具的影响。研究表明:自网络效应对于用户的选择具有较为强烈的影响力,市场呈现网络效应产生的成员外部性特征;即时通讯的价格对用户的选择具有一定影响,大多数用户偏向于免费或低资费的即时通讯产品;在即时通讯市场中,互联互通并不能完全消除用户多平台使用的倾向,多平台使用对互联互通具有一定的替代性。最后,交叉网络效应在我国即时通讯市场中并不显著,我国即时通讯市场仍然主要呈现自网络效应。
By analyzing statistically questionnaire, the empirical study shows: Firstly, the own-sided network effects affect the users' choice: more friends use, more possible users choose the IM. Secondly, Chinese users prefer cheap, even free IM, so charge large amounts of money from the users is unwise. Thirdly, Interconnection could not eliminate the users' preference of multi-homing. Finally,additional services have no significant effect on the users. That means, cross-network effect is not important factor in Chinese IM markets.