Highlights •We portray the heterogeneity of consumer misbehaviors by moving beyond the normative view.•Consumer hacks are savvy misbehaviors that outmaneuver the company’s policies and guidelines surrounding the consumer experience.•Given access-based interconnections, consumer hacks can destroy but also create value for other consumers and the platform.•Consumer hacks benefit the platform when value creation is aligned along three layers: egoistic, mutualistic, and corporate.•In case of misalignment, consumer hacks damage the platform’s value creation process and the consumer experience.
