Mobile consumer behaviour on apps usage: the effects of perceived values, rating, and cost

The rapid development of technology and the use of smartphones and mobile applications (apps) have become significant and influential in today’s living. Despite the growing amount of research on mobile app usage, little is known on the role they play in shaping the behaviour of the mobile consumer. By deploying the framework, this study revises Sheth’s fundamental propositions of consumption values. While the fit of values has been recognised by many behavioural studies, insight into the theoretical interface in the mobile communication studies remains unsubstantiated. Therefore, this study explores the perceived consumption values on mobile apps behaviour and investigates the role of the rating of the apps and cost in influencing the behaviour. A total of 392 questionnaires were collected through an online survey with 9 hypotheses examined. The analysis of the structural equation modelling determined a final model with four significant factors (functional, social, emotional, and conditional values). It confirmed that the usage is influenced by the apps rating and cost towards a certain degree. This study indicates the potential significance variables in mobile consumer literature and sheds light on mobile communication marketing in the area of apps marketing, specifically in designing an effective user-experience (UX) apps for mobile consumers