Students demand for smartphones structural relationships of product features, brand name, product price and social influence

Purpose – The study aims to examine structural relationships of product features, brand name, product price and social influence with demand for Smartphones among Malaysian students’. Design/methodology/approach – Data collected from 320 valid pre‐screened university students studying at the pubic higher learning institution in Federal Territory of Labuan, Malaysia who have experience in using and owning Smartphones, using a structured questionnaire, with closed‐ended questions, employing a convenient sampling technique, were tested against the research model using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach via AMOS 20.0 computer program. Findings – Empirical results via SEM divulged that brand name and social influence have an effect on the increasing demand for Smartphones among Malaysian students. The first is confirmed as the most influential factor, followed by the latter. This is according to standardised path coefficients and their statistical signicance. Research limitations/implications – This study contributes significantly to a more thorough understanding of the determinants of demand for Smartphones among Malaysian students’ by emphasizing the dimensions of product features, brand name, product price and social influence. Students’ demand for Smartphones is highly influenced by aspects of the brand name of the Smartphone itself and social influence from friends and family members. Practical Implications – Smartphone providers, manufacturers, application developers and programmers should improve the current ability and performance of Smartphones by upgrading hardware and software driven services for better user interaction and engagement in order to be marketable and sustainable in meeting consumer unlimited needs and wants. They should also emphasize their brand name in advertising to be well positioned in consumers’ minds when making the decision to purchase and own a Smartphone. Positive viral marketing spread via social networking sites could help Smartphone providers to strengthen the competitive advantage of their product brands. The attractiveness of the message content of the advertisement on the social networking sites could improve marketing strategies of the Smartphone brand. Originality/value – This study provides valuable insight into consumer behavior regarding Smartphones demand by examining the factors that influence students’ demand for using and owning Smartphones, which is not much covered in the literature in Malaysia context. The lessons can also be replicated in other countries for marketing Smartphones