Purpose Based on consumers'' economic, psychological, self-development and conversion costs, this study discusses the relationship between consumers'' negative attitude to their shadow work during the course of using self-service in unmanned supermarkets and their behavior. Design/methodology/approach Along with the Hirschman(1970)’s EVLN(Exit, Voice, Loyalty, and Neglect) reviewed, the proposed model of this study is based on the S-O-R model(Mehrabian and Russel, 1974) and mental accounting theory(Thaler, 1999), having empirical validation. Findings In the process of visits and consumption in unmanned supermarkets, increasing economic and psychological benefits can effectively reduce consumers’ negative attitudes towards shadow work. In addition, the increase in switching costs will also effectively reduce consumers’ negative attitudes towards shadow work. When shadow work holds a negative attitude, all the three kinds of actions will occur. Unmanned supermarket operators use consumers to create value while giving a certain return to them, which is conducive to the sustainable development of unmanned supermarket enterprises.