Factors Affecting the Purchase of Mobile Phone: A Theoretical Study

Transcription

1 Volume: IV Issue: II July-Dec ISSN(P) ISSN(O) Abstract Factors Affecting the Purchase of Mobile Phone: A Theoretical Study Dr. Durgesh Batra 1 Dr. Himanshu Shekhawat 2 The whole success of the business nowadays in this competitive world depends on the marketing efforts. The main aim of marketing is to meet and satisfy target customers needs and wants and conduct activities and together with the impact of various influence on them towards making decision on purchase of product and service in a market. A mobile phone market in India or rather in any country nowadays is one of the most dynamic and unsettled market environments today due to high competition and numerous players in the market. Thus, it is highly needed for any manufacturer to understand the underlying factors which affects the consumer of mobile phones during their purchase. It is important to understand and rank the factors of consumer buying behavior in the market. The factors like brand, price, features, application, quality, durability, social factors, peer pressure and many other influences the consumer to make one company as order winner from order qualifier. Thus it is very important for a company to understand the factors and their impact on consumer during the mobile purchase decision. Through this study researcher also made an effort to find out the various factors which affect the buying behavior and purchase decision of consumer for mobile phones. Keywords: Mobile phones, Purchase decision, Factors, Buying behavior 1 Associate Professor, Amity Business School, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur, dbatra@jpr.amity.edu 2 Associate Professor at Amity Business School, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur, himanshu. shekhawat@gmail.com. Factors Affecting the Purchase of Mobile Phone: A Theoretical Study 80

2 Introduction M arketing is become significant when it relates to customer and their needs. The main objective of every business is to reach to customer and increase revenues, for this the business has to concentrate on marketing as one of its main function. The whole success of the business nowadays in this competitive world depends on marketing. Though, there are many other factors but marketing may not be ignored. The main aim of marketing is meet and satisfy target customers need and wants buyer behavior refers to the peoples or organization conduct activities and together with the impact of various influence on them towards making decision on purchase of product and service in a market. The field of consumer behavior studies how individuals, groups and organization select, buy, use and dispose of goods, service, ideas, or experience to satisfy their needs and desires understanding consumer behavior and knowing customer are never simple. The wealth of products and service produced in a country make our economy strong. The behavior of human being during the purchase is being termed as Buyer Behavior. The fact the mobile phones are one of the important aspect of human life nowadays cannot be overlooked. The development of technologies and mobile phones has travelled a long history of innovation and due to highly dynamic nature of consumer needs and everchanging preferences these advancements are going at a very rapid pace. The whole demand and changing preferences has made the mobile market a highly competitive market. Companies are constantly adding new features and competencies to their product to make it preferable by customers over the product of other competitors. This cut throat competition has made the consumers to think over various dimensions and generated various factors for them to choose a particular mobile of one company over the rest of the competitors. The factors like brand, price, features, application, quality, durability, social factors, peer pressure and many other influences the consumer to make one company as order winner from order qualifier. Thus, it is very important for a company to understand the factors and their impact on consumer during the mobile purchase decision. This paper also tries to find out the various factors which affect the buying behavior and purchase decision of consumer for mobile phones. Literature Review Consumer behavior and factors affecting the purchase decision is always been a long discussion topic for researchers and marketers. Kotler and Armstrong in 2001 defined consumer behavior as the buying behavior of household or individual who buys goods and Factors Affecting the Purchase of Mobile Phone: A Theoretical Study 81

3 services for consumption and not for business purpose. The demographic factors of consumers such as age, gender, education, income and many other with the preferences affects the behavior which initiate their buying behavior. Kotler and Armstrong through various studies prove that there are various factors or components that influence the consumer buying behavior. These factors are usually psychological, personal, social and cultural. In the year 2008 study was conducted by Eric and Bright to find out the factors that determine the mobile phone brand found that quality and user friendliness of product are the important two factors of selection of mobile phones. Kundi J. et. al. (2008) stated the definition of consumer behavior as the mental and emotional process and the behavior of consumer throughout the buying process which include the steps from searching to purchasing. Mack and sharples (2009) conducted a study and found that usability is the prime factor followed by the beauty, looks and cost. Pakoal et al. also indicated through the study conducted in the year 2010 that price, audibility and peer mobile company are the major factors affecting the purchase of mobile phone. Price came out as most influential factor in the study conducted by Kumar in year In the same year Saif et al conducted a study and found cost, size, technology and brand name as major important factor. Research Methodology Objective of the Study The prime objective of study is to find out the factor which affects the purchase decision of mobile handset. The study focus on finding the factors guiding the buying behavior of a consumer and in turns motivates them to buy a particular kind of mobile phone. Research Design and Methodology The study was conducted on the basis of literature available and hence fighting limitation of being based on secondary study. To make the study and the literature synchronized with the current trend and the generation, the interviews and observation have been collected at various retail outlet and showrooms with the consumer coming for purchase. The study at the same time generates a future scope of finding the factors based on primary data collection in detail. Findings and Discussions The literature review, past studies and observation there are various factors which predominantly affects the purchase decision. These factors range from social setup to personal choice, peer pressure to economics, demographics and even anthropology. Factors Affecting the Purchase of Mobile Phone: A Theoretical Study 82

4 Through various discussions, studies and observations, various factors may be brought down to the following six factors 1. Cost of Product 2. Social groups 3. Stability 4. Brand 5. Features of Product and 6. Post Sale Support The discussions, observations and Studies lead to results that the Cost of Product is considered as the most pertinent and popular factor affecting the buying decision of majority of the buyers, in all the age groups and income groups. This factor is followed by Features of the Product. Buyers, especially males, in study found to be influenced by the product feature while deciding the purchase of mobile. The Brand and Stability are closely following each other and generating almost equal impact on consumer buying behavior. The affect or influence of brand is more clearly observed when a consumer is affected by social pressure. Thus, the Social Group affects the purchase decision but only social group in isolation does not affect. It is also observed that the consumer of higher income group get pressurized more by the social groups. Post-sales support or after sales services have the least impact on the purchase but the bad sales services may divert the customer from a purchase decision. Conclusions The study through whole discussion and observations leads to the following numbering of the factors: 1. Cost of Product 2. Features of Product 3. Stability 4. Brand 5. Social groups and 6. Post Sale Support Factors Affecting the Purchase of Mobile Phone: A Theoretical Study 83

5 Thus, a kind of following conceptual framework may be developed: Stability Cost of Product Features of Product Purchase Decision Brand Social groups Post Sale Support It is intended that the manufactures and promoters of the product should consider the following factors while manufacturing and promoting the mobile phones. References 1. Blackwell, RD, Miniard, PW & Engel, JF (2006), Consumer Behavior, 10th edn, Thomson South-Western, Boston. 2. Cochran, W. G. (1977), Sampling Techniques (3rd ed.), New York: John Wiley & Sons. 3. Comer and T. A. Wikle (2008), Worldwide Diffusion of the Cellular Telephone, ( ), The Professional Geographer, 60(2), Das, D. (2012), An Empirical Study of Factors Influencing Buying Behavior of Youth Consumers towards Mobile handsets: A Case Study in Coastal Districts of Odisha, Asian Journal of Research in Business Economics and Management, 2(4), Engel and R. Blackwell (1982), Consumer Behavior, 4 th ed, CBS College Publishing 6. Hakoama and S. Hakoyama, (2011), The Impact of Cell Phone Use on Social Networking and Development among College Students, The AABSS Journal, 15 (2011), Factors Affecting the Purchase of Mobile Phone: A Theoretical Study 84

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