A Configurational-Game Theoretic Analysis of Consumer Behavior and Platform Strategy in Paid Study Rooms: Evidence from a Chinese Platform

The rapid growth of Paid Study Rooms (PSRs) in China’s digital platform economy highlights a unique intersection of shared space consumption, self-improvement demand, and service-based business models. However, operators face persistent challenges such as homogeneous competition and sustainable profitability, while existing research often relies on linear models that overlook the complex, interdependent nature of consumer decision-making and its linkage to macro-level platform strategy. To address these gaps, this study develops a novel mixed-methods framework by integrating fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) with an extended Hotelling spatial competition model. First, based on a synthesis of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Customer Perceived Value (CPV) theory, we employ fsQCA to identify seven equifinal configurations of expected utility, perceived profit, perceived cost, perceived risk, facilitating conditions, and consumer intention leading to consumer behavior in PSRs. These findings reveal the nonlinear, conjunctural causality shaping user choices. Second, we translate these behavioral insights into a game-theoretic model to derive the platform’s optimal pricing and differentiation strategies. The analysis demonstrates that equilibrium pricing depends not only on cost and quality but also critically on the alignment between strategic parameters and the specific consumer profiles identified in the fsQCA. Theoretically, this research bridges micro-level behavioral mechanisms with macro-level market outcomes, showcasing the complementary value of configurational analysis and formal modeling in explaining complex platform-based markets. Practically, it offers PSR operators a diagnostic toolkit for strategic positioning and resource allocation to achieve sustainable differentiation.