This special issue addresses the phenomenon of enshittification—the progressive deterioration of products, services, platforms, and brand experiences that initially attracted consumers through convenience and trust, but later reduced quality, added surveillance, intensified monetization, or fragmented offerings. While related issues like service decline and planned obsolescence have been studied separately, this call seeks to establish enshittification as an integrative framework within product and brand management research.
The issue emphasizes the consumer perspective, particularly how degradation affects those who have embedded these offerings in their identities and routines. Drawing on theories of extended self, the call recognizes that product deterioration may be experienced as emotional and personal violation, opening research opportunities around consumer attachment, trust, resistance, and long-term brand relationships. The issue invites conceptual, empirical, and methodological contributions across marketing, consumer research, information systems, strategy, and related fields to advance theory and inform practice.