Mobile apps in retail: Effect of push notification frequency on app user behavior

Abstract

Push notifications are a core functionality of mobile apps and allow app publishers to interact with existing app users and send promotional content. Since every push notification can also interrupt or annoy app users, the frequency of push notifications is a critical success factor. This study investigates how different frequencies of push notifications affect the behavior of app users of mobile apps in retail. In an experiment with 17,500 app users, five different frequencies are tested over seven weeks, and the effects on real observed app user behavior are analyzed. The results show that as the frequency of the non-personalized push notifications increases, uninstalls increase, and the direct open rate of push notifications decreases. A significant influence on indirect opens cannot be proven. The results provide practitioners with important insights into the potential harm that a too high frequency of push notifications can cause. Furthermore, the results support the importance of relevant content tailored to the respective user.