Platform bypassing, which occurs when users find providers on a platform but complete transactions off-platform, undermines revenue, governance, and trust. This research examines whether relational message framing can deter bypassing in ride-hailing contexts. Three experiments compare communal appeals that emphasize shared responsibility and collective trust with exchange appeals that stress fairness and mutual gain. Study 1 shows that communal framing reduces bypassing intentions. Study 2 identifies communal relationship norms as the main psychological mechanism linking framing to reduced intentions. Study 3 confirms this mediation for actual behavioral choices and tests boundary conditions, showing that social value orientation moderates the activation of communal norms by relational framing, resulting in a stronger negative indirect effect on bypassing behavior among prosocial participants than among pro-self individuals. The findings position relational framing as a psychologically grounded governance strategy that enhances compliance and strengthens cooperative engagement in digital platforms.
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Muhammed Sajid
Mukul Dev Surira
Muhammad Vasil
Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani
Cochin University of Science and Technology
Birla Institute of Technology and Science - Hyderabad Campus
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Sajid et al. (Sat,) studied this question.
www.synapsesocial.com/papers/69a7611bc6e9836116a2eb38 — DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2026.104770