Factors Affecting Customer’s Preferences to Buy Cellular Phone for Local versus International Brands: (A Case Study in Pakistan)

Abstract

Purpose

This study was aimed to find out Factors Affecting Customer’s Preferences to buy cellular phone for Local versus International Brands. The increasing use of mobile phones and existence of several cell phone brands with number of features enhances the researcher to study the factors which affect the buying behavior of the consumers.

Methodology/ Sample

The data was collected through an online questionnaire containing 19 questions including demographic factors. The questionnaire was shared through social networking website and 150 responses were received. The respondents belonged to different age groups, income brackets, education level etc. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and graphical analysis. Chi-square testing was done to test the hypothesis.

Findings

The study found that the international brand were preferred over the local brands as the overall results suggest that the people liked most of the features of those brands which were the international brands say Nokia and Samsung. Other than this all four factors such as color choice preference, brand image preference, Smart Features and cultural effect are all significant. They are the factors that people bring in their consideration while they decide to purchase the mobile.

Practical Implications

The mobile phone manufacturers may take the customers perception in consideration while they are developing their products and they may introduce different attractive colors, they should work on their brand image, they should include smart features in their mobile phones and they should map their brand as the social and cultural image in the consumers’ minds.

Keywords:Mobile phone, international brands, local brands, Chi-square testing.