Attributes that influence generation-Y consumers in their choice of Smartphone

Abstract

Smartphone adoption is occurring at an exponential rate with a user base far exceeding that of traditional mobile phones. Previous literature has identified various points of usage across demographics such as age, gender, income and nationality, however little of this is with regards to Smartphone attributes. Furthermore, generational change has provided a gravitational shift in the application of marketing techniques, as Generation-Y is a generation unlike any other, where traditional techniques are more hit and miss than targeted. A deeper understanding as to how antecedent decision-making is performed via the influence of Smartphone attributes upon Generation-Y’s choice of those phones is required. This research assists in the filling of these gaps by presenting findings in a holistic view of Generation-Y’s Smartphone attribute preferences as well as perceptions among South African business users. This paper seeks to add insight by unpacking the needs of the Generation that will soon be the largest consumer group in history - Generation-Y. Self Explicated Conjoint Analysis provides insights into attribute ranking and level of influence of specific attributes. Factor analysis extracts the salient factors of influence by Generation-Y consumers when choosing a Smartphone. Further to this, managerial implications, future work and limitations of this study for theory and practice are presented.