Streaming without borders: How content diversity and flexibility shape perceived exclusivity in cross-border video consumption

• The study concluded that cross-border consumers are important for OTT providers. • Large content libraries boost cross-border users' sense of continuity and engagement. • Flexible OTT platforms are key for cross-border consumers. • Accessibility is crucial for lower-income users, who prioritize affordable streaming. • OTT providers do not need to change their strategy to access cross-border residents. The increasing social and economic impact of digitalization is changing customers' expectations of streaming platforms. The research examines the factors shaping Perceived exclusivity in video streaming consumption among Hungarian-speaking residents of Slovakia, a cross-border minority audience operating under linguistic and geographic constraints. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and consumer value perspectives, the model integrates Content diversity and platform Flexibility to explain why users continue subscribing beyond initial adoption. Using survey data from 370 respondents and Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modelling, the results show that Content diversity and Flexibility jointly explain 58% of the variance in Perceived exclusivity, with Flexibility mediating the effect of Content diversity. The study contributes theoretically by demonstrating that Perceived exclusivity is not generated solely by access to content, but by the ability to convert available content into usable, personally meaningful viewing experiences under constrained cross-border conditions. By focusing on a national minority context, the study provides a theoretically relevant boundary condition, highlighting how identity, language fit, and access constraints reshape value formation processes in digital media consumption beyond country-specific or platform-level explanations.