FACTORS DETERMINING MOBILE PHONES PURCHASE INTENTION AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

Background to the Study

Mobile phones these days have been replaced with the ‘smartphone’ since the mobilephones provide higher connectivity and computing power compared to the old mobile phone. Besides the fundamental capabilities of mobilephones to make voice calls, video calls, text messages, and MMS, they have also been repositioned as the new medium for information. Mobilephones have an extensive array of functions for processing information including accessing the Internet, managing one’s schedule, using location-sensitive functions, editing documents, and many fascinating applications. These functions are funneled to the smartphone through installed software. The significance of mobile software and other contents in the mobile are enabled by the prevalence of the mobilephones. 

The deregulation of telecommunication industry in 1999 was a revolution that created the need for new mobile phones services. This is because not only the monopoly hitherto enjoyed by the Nigeria Telecommunication (NITEL) resulted into low quality service for consumers, but the state monopoly was unable to integrate its customers into the global network system appropriately (Worlu, 2011). Mobile phone is not only a device used for voice service but also a handset that allows consumer a variety of new services such as voice service and value-added data services, multimedia and other allied services (Bakshi, 2014). 

Consumers value product with attributes they desire because it forms the basis of decision to the benefits they seek from such a product. They also use attributes to make comparison between competitive brands (Akpoyomare, Adeosun & Ganiyu, 2012). Thus, the importance of attributes goes beyond the physical features of a product because consumers most often link attributes to consequences of purchasing or consuming products. However, some consequences often result to certain end states or values that consumers intend to achieve (Belch & Belch, 1995; Mowen, 1993; & Kotler, 1996).

As technological know-how advances, needs and wants of consumers also change. In this respect, the need to develop highly successful new products becomes important through the integration of abilities of both upstream and downstream knowledge workers (design engineers and manufacturing engineers respectively). 

In the current highly competitive mobile phone market, manufacturers constantly fight to find additional competitive edge and differentiating elements to persuade consumers to select their brand instead of a competitor’s. There are various studies conducted to identify factors that make companies better than their competitors in influencing the customers purchase intention. These factors may be related to the characteristics of the consumer and the features associated with the mobile phones. This leads mobile phone companies to come up with a variety of mobiles with different brands and features. There is various research studies conducted to identify factors affecting consumers’ purchase intention of mobile phones. These studies indicated a range of items as a determinant factor influencing purchase intention.

It is obvious that no marketer can satisfy the whole function of any particular individual or population (Mawoli & Abdulsalam, 2012). Therefore, any marketing organisation wishing to achieve sustained profit will need to focus on a particular market in order to better serve their needs. As a result, market segmentation becomes imperative. According to Mawoli and Abdulsalam (2012), a market segmentation strategy is based on satisfying the needs and wants of specific groups of consumers; thus it requires a great deal of insight into the consumption habits of selected market segments. The collection and analysis of such information is the province of the field of consumer purchases (Schiffman & Kanuk, 1987).

Consumer purchase intention refer to those act of individuals, groups, and organizations directly or indirectly involved in searching, obtaining, b