Liquid consumption of smartphones as devices for enhancing personal experiences: what do consumers expect from their smartphones and what makes them make purchasing decisions?

Abstract

This study examines the factors leading to purchase of a smartphone, based on a dataset of 366 samples who were born in the 1980s and 1990s in China. This group is expected to drive future consumption in the Chinese market. Smartphones are not only a means of communication, but also a lifestyle tool that expands and enlivens people's personality and character. Therefore, based on the concept of liquid consumption, this study focuses on the enjoyment that smartphone use brings, and examines how three factors - innovativeness personalised experiences and fashionableness - influence smartphone purchasing behaviour. While empirical research using Western datasets has accumulated findings that the personalised experience factor is an effective antecedent of gadget purchase behaviour, the results of this study are contrary to this. The results suggest that Chinese consumers are more concerned with fashionableness. We need to closely monitor Chinese consumers’ behavioural change.