The Dual Facets of E-Commerce Politeness: Positive and Negative Critical Incidents Shaping User Experience in Chinese Digital Music Ecosystem
Abstract
In the evolving post-copyright era of the digital music market, platforms have shifted their competitive focus from the accumulation of licensed content to the refinement of service experiences and the strengthening of user relationships. Existing scholarship has largely emphasized technical functionality, while the dimension of politeness in user–platform interactions remains underexplored. To address this gap, the present study applies the framework of E-commerce Politeness and employs the Critical Incident Technique to analyze 300 user reviews from six leading Chinese Digital Music Platforms, including NetEase Cloud Music and QQ Music. The findings reveal that user satisfaction is primarily driven by smooth operations, accurate recommendations, extensive music libraries, warm social interactions, and fair pricing structures. Conversely, dissatisfaction is often linked to copyright disruptions, unstable functionality, untrustworthy transactions, weak community governance, and unfulfilled audio quality promises. Further analysis demonstrates that polite service experiences enhance users’ sense of control and trust in the system, thereby positively reinforcing loyalty. Based on these insights, the study proposes a politeness service model centered on Respect, Anticipation, and Responsiveness. Theoretically, this research extends E-commerce Politeness into the domain of digital content services; practically, it provides actionable guidance for Chinese Digital Music Platforms seeking differentiation and sustainable user relationships in an increasingly homogenized competitive landscape.
Keywords
Digital Music Platforms; E-commerce Politeness; User Experience (UX); Critical Incident Technique
References
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