Customer buying behavior of smartphones : a study of the customer buying behavior of smartphones by taking the example of Apple iOS and Android smartphones

Customer buying behavior is a field of study of interest to many marketers since the introduction of the marketing concept. Understanding and evaluating why customers buy a specific market offer, was their crucial motivation. Smartphone usage is increasing every day and the competition to sell these devices is very tough. Analyzing and evaluating customers’ buying behavior of smartphones is bringing new understandings on what customers nowadays see as important when deciding to buy a smartphone. In this study, it is of particular interest to approach the customer buying behavior of smartphones. Based on a detailed review of the literature, a conceptual model and a theoretical framework were designed, which visualize the variables and hypotheses. The empirical data collection is based on an online survey questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of four sections. In the first two sections, customers had to express their pre-purchase behavior, and the two last parts evaluated the post-purchase behavior of customers buying smartphones. The participants were targeted in Switzerland and were invited via email, WhatsApp and Facebook, using the survey link on SurveyMonkey, to fill in the questionnaire. The questions in the survey served to measure each variable of the conceptual model, which included the buying decision of customers, their satisfaction with the product, repurchase intention, and loyalty towards the brand. The results of the 99 valid participants showed that customers are changing their behavior towards buying smartphones. When purchasing a smartphone, customers refer mostly to their lifestyle and personality, followed by attributes like quality, ease of use, and battery durability. Moreover, in the two smartphones groups, iOS and Android, it was shown that in every aspect, iOS users express a higher degree of loyalty to the brand. This also shows that Apple is still leading in creating a unique brand experience with its customers and constantly persuading them to buy the device. Even though prices are increasing each year, customers still continue to buy the brand, as long as it meets their personal needs