vendor lock-in

In economics, vendor lock-in, also known as proprietary lock-in, customer lock-in, lock-in is where a customer is dependent on a vendor for products and services and cannot move to another vendor without substantial switching costs, real and/or perceived. Frequently, the term connotes some level of intention on the vendor's part to create a lock-in situation, but often a client may be said to be "locked in" in situations that arose unintentionally.
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