When Users Avoid What Matters Most, Growth Stalls

Tagline: If your core feature is underused, you’re not just losing adoption—you’re eroding your value proposition.

You built it—but they're not using it

Leak Description: What is the Core Feature Avoidance Leak?

Core Feature Avoidance Leak occurs when your users consistently ignore or avoid your product’s main features—the ones designed to deliver your core value. Instead, they stick to surface-level or secondary functionalities, depriving them (and you) of full value realization.

Why You Should Care

Feature avoidance sabotages true adoption, stifles retention, and slows expansion. According to Wudpecker, when users engage deeply, you're more likely to retain them and drive upgrades—missed engagement means missed revenue.

“Feature adoption is the bridge between awareness and ongoing engagement... When users rely on specific features, churn drops and NPS rises” .

Growth expert Jenna Peterson notes: “Ignoring the core is like building a house without a foundation—eventually, everything collapses.”

Why the Leak Happens

• Feature awareness issues: Users sign up, but never get shown your star feature.
• Complexity aversion: The core feature appears daunting—too many steps, poorly explained UI.
• Misaligned expectations: Users don’t recognize the feature’s value, so they don’t care to try it.
• Psychology, explained: According to Dan Ariely, users default to frictionless options—even minimal friction can deter deep adoption.

How to Detect the Core Feature Avoidance Leak

Diagnostic Steps

1. Track % of users who discover and use the core feature in week 1 and week 4
2. Analyze drop-off in journeys to the core feature (funnels, click-paths)
3. Survey users who avoid or abandon the feature

Avoidance Leak How ThriveStack Can Help with the Core Feature

Features:

Top Features Usage Analysis: Pinpoint Adoption rates, Frequency and Intensity across all your key features.

Understand Usage Distribution: Automated walkthroughs to reduce friction

Stickiness by Feature: Review which features are sticky (usage ratios)

Instrument Feature usage tracking with ThriveStack SDK

Use Feature Engagement report to spot friction

Fix Actions:

• Revamp onboarding to drive early core feature adoption
• Add in-app tips and rewards for first use
• Simplify feature setup and add live demos

Prevention Strategies:

• Monitor core feature adoption weekly
• Run user interviews for those who avoid or churn
• Continuously optimize CTAs and walkthroughs

Customer Psychology

Users avoid complex features when value isn't immediate or clear. Rory Sutherland says, 

“If it doesn’t feel effortlessly valuable, users won’t bother”. 

Contextual nudges, clear micro-learning, and social proof reduce mental friction and build confidence

Business Impact of Fixing the Leak

• Boost feature adoption from 30% → 60% can cut churn by up to 15%.
• Increase in usage leads to expansions: 10% growth in core-use = ~8% uplift in upsells.
• Customer satisfaction improves: core users report +1 NPS point.

Growth Expert Quotes

Jason Lemkin: “Engagement is the true archenemy of SaaS growth” 

Ready to Fix the Core Feature Avoidance Leak?

Stop this leak and start unlocking your product’s full potential. See ThriveStack’s product analytics and feature adoption tools in action—book a personalized demo today and begin fixing the leak in hours, not weeks.

Conclusion

The Core Feature Avoidance Leak is one of the most silent but costly growth blockers in SaaS. It’s not just about features being overlooked—it’s about your product’s core value going unused. When users don’t engage with your primary features, retention suffers, upsells stall, and customer satisfaction declines.

By proactively diagnosing, fixing, and preventing this leak, you can unlock deeper adoption, longer-term loyalty, and stronger expansion revenue. ThriveStack makes this process measurable, actionable, and repeatable—so your best features become your most used ones.

Stop Feature Avoidance Before It Stops Your Growth.

Try ThriveStack today to track feature adoption, reduce friction, and turn your product’s core features into everyday habits.

Get Started at ThriveStack.ai

FAQ

1. What is Core Feature Avoidance?

It’s when users skip your main product features and only use surface functions, reducing true value.

2. Why does ignoring core features hurt growth?

Without core feature adoption, retention drops, churn rises, and upsell potential stalls.

3. How can I detect feature avoidance early?

Track usage in the first 1–4 weeks, analyze funnels, and run surveys on non-adopters.

4. What causes users to skip core features?

Poor onboarding, complexity, unclear value, and friction in setup drive avoidance.

5. How does ThriveStack track feature adoption?

It monitors usage rates, frequency, and intensity across features with real-time analytics.

‍