Firms actively launch co-production websites as a tool to gain ideas on new product development from customers and also to enhance customers’ engagement. However, firms’ introduction of these websites per se does not guarantee beneficial results from co-production. To achieve success, firms need to identify how to nudge customers to continually participate in and contribute to co-production. Drawing on self-determination theory, this research investigates how firms should manage three features of co-production websites – authority to select a final new product, option to track own submitted ideas, and firms’ response to customers’ submitted ideas – to stimulate customers’ motivation to participate and engage in patronage behaviors, including positive word of mouth and higher purchase intention. Our findings show that when firms cannot grant customers the authority to select a final new product due to the risk of a loss of control, providing an option to track customers’ own submitted ideas or to respond personally to their ideas could promote their participation intentions and patronage behaviors by enhancing their perception that the process is equitable. The findings have theoretical and managerial implications for how firms can strategically design and manage website features to achieve successful co-production.