caused by terminating a relationship and the breaking of bonds, along with the time and effort involved in and forming a new relationship. There are two facets of relational switching barriers. Brand relationship loss costs are the losses associated with severing the bonds of identification that have been developed alongside the brand with which a customer has associated. These bonds are lost when switching providers. Personal relationship loss costs are the losses and discomfort associated with switching to a provider that a consumer is not familiar with, as familiarity creates comfort for the consumer. Collective switching barriers Collective switching costs are a unique macro form of switching barriers, appearing when the market presents collective externalities towards a service or product, and represents the combined switching costs of all entities in the market. These costs affect the competition by improving incumbents and withholding new entrants into the market, who must overcome individual and collective switching costs to advance in the market. In the presence of the product/ service externalities, participation in the dominant product or service provides the most value, while at the same time, it increases the value of the product or service. As a group, entities face collective switching costs that surpass the sum of the individual costs, because unless a coordinated desertion takes place, any individual deserter finds themselves cut out of the collective use of the product / service and its benefits. See also Barriers to entry Barriers to exit Closed platform Job lock Porter 5 forces analysis Transaction cost Vendor lock-in References Further reading Carl Shapiro and Hal R. Varian (1999). Information Rules, Boston: Harvard Business School Press. John T. Gourville (2003). "Why Consumers Don't Buy: The Psychology of New Product Adoption," Harvard Business School Case No. 504-056. (Revised April 5, 2004). Andy Grove, (July 21, 2003). "Churning Things Up," Fortune. Retrieved 13 December 2012. Strategic management Monopoly (economics) Marketing strategy