Factors influencing the purchase intention of smartphones : a study of low-income consumers in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract

The research study aims at determining the factors influencing the purchase intention of smartphones among low-income consumers in Gauteng, South Africa. The low-income consumer group within South Africa is said to have high purchasing power (Statista, 2021). It is estimated that there is 10.9 % of low-income consumers who spent their income on a smartphone which is important for the economy (Independent Communications Authority of SA, 2020). Thus, there is value to be obtained from understanding the purchase behaviour of low-income consumers to better serve their needs in the smartphone industry. This study will provide greater insights into the low-income consumer segment which can significantly contribute value to marketers, retailers, manufacturers, and network providers. The study analyzes the external and internal factors that influence smartphone purchase intention. A quantitative research approach was adapted to conduct this study. The approach enabled the researcher to use numerical and quantitative data through the use of a web-based questionnaire survey to obtain responses from the sample group. The target population for the survey was low-income consumers comprising of both males and females between the ages of 18 and 65. The South African based data consultancy agency Osmoz Consulting assisted with the data collection. A total of 308 responses were received from low-income consumers who were in the database of Osmoz Consulting. Descriptive statistics as well as structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis was employed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) AMOS version 27 to analyse the data. SEM represented a flexible and comprehensive methodology for estimating and testing a theoretical model with the objective of explaining as much of their variance as possible and evaluate the structural relationships of the variables specified on the conceptual model. The reliability and validity of the scales were assessed. From the measurement model, using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) approach, it was found that all the constructs are reliable and valid. The result of the adjusted R square is 0.70, which validates that 70 % of purchase intention variation can be explained by the independent variables. Based on the statistical analysis, hypotheses testing revealed that two variables, namely; family and friends (external factor), and perception (internal factor) are positively significant. However, results further indicate that 8 variables, namely: price, social, culture, brand name, product features, reference group (external factors), motivation, and attitude (internal factors) do not have an impact on purchase intention of smartphones among low-income consumers.

Ucwaningo luhlose ukunquma izici eziba nomthelela ekuthengweni kwama-smartphone phakathi kwabathengi abahola imali encane eGoli, eNingizimu Afrika. Iqembu labathengi abahola kancane eNingizimu Afrika kuthiwa linamandla amakhulu ekuthengeni (Statista, 2021). Kulinganiselwa ukuthi kunamaphesenti ayi - 10,9 abathengi abahola imali encane abachitha imali yabo kuma-smartphone okuyinto ebalulekile emnothweni (Independent Communications Authority of SA, 2020). Ngakho-ke, kunenzuzo okumelwe itholakale ngokuqonda ukuziphatha kokuthenga kwabathengi abahola imali encane ukuze baziqonde kangcono izidingo zabo embonini yama - smartphone. Lolu cwaningo luzonikeza ukuqonda okwengeziwe njengexenye ehola kancane enganikela ngokuphawulekayo kubathengisi, abadayisi, abakhiqizi, nabanikezeli benethiweki. Lolu cwaningo luhlaziya izici zangaphandle nezangaphakathi ezinomthelela kuyinhloso yokuthenga i-smartphone. Indlela yokucwaninga eningi yavunyelaniswa nokuqhuba lesi sifundo. Le ndlela yenza umcwaningi ukuba akwazi ukusebenzisa nokwaziswa okunezinombolo nokulinganisa ngokusebenzisa ukuhlola kwemibuzo esekelwe kuyi – intthanethi ukuze athole izimpendulo eqenjini lamasampula. Inani labantu abayizisulu zalokhu kuhlola lalingabathengi abahola imali encane abakhiwa kokubili abesilisa nabesifazane abaneminyaka ephakathi kwengu - 18 nengu - 65. Inhlangano yezokwaziswa yaseNingizimu Afrika i - Osmoz Consulting yasiza ekuqoqweni kwemininingwane. Kwatholwa ingqikithi yezimpendulo ezingu - 308 ezivela kubathengi abahola imali encane ababesesisekeloni semininingwane se - Osmoz Consulting. Kwasetshenziswa izibalo ezichazayo kanye nokuhlaziya imodeli yokulinganayo nokuhlaziya okucatshangelwayo kwasetshenziswa i-IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) AMOS isibuyekezo sama-27 ukuze kuhlaziywe imininingwane. Ukuhlaziya imodeli yokulinganayo kwamelela inqubo evumelana nezimo nebanzi yokulinganisa nokuhlola isibonelo esicatshangelwayo ngenjongo yokuchaza ukuhlukahluka kwazo ngangokunokwenzeka nokuhlaziya ubuhlobo besakhiwo sezinhlobonhlobo ezishiwo ohlotsheni lwemodeli olucatshwangayo. Ukuthembeka nokufaneleka kwamazinga kuye kwahlaziywa. Kusuka ohlotsheni lokulinganisa, kusetshenziswa ukuhlaziya isici esiqinisekisayo, kwatholakala ukuthi zonke izakhiwo zinokwethenjelwa futhi ziyaqinisekiswa. Umphumela olungisiwe wesikwele - R 0.70, okuqinisekisa ukuthi amaphesenti angama - 70 enhloso yokuthenga angachazwa ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ezizimele. Ngokusekelwe ekuhlaziyweni kwezibalo, imibono ehlolwayo iveza ukuthi izinto ezimbili ezihlukahlukene, okungukuthi; umndeni nabangane (isici sangaphandle), nokuqonda (isici sangaphakathi) kubaluleke kakhulu. Nokho, imiphumela ibuye ibonise ngokwengeziwe ukuthi izinto eziyi - 8 Page iv ezihlukahlukayo, okungukuthi: intengo, ezenhlalo, isiko, igama lebrendi, izici zomkhiqizo, iqembu lezinkomba (izici zangaphandle), ukukhuthaza, nesimo sengqondo (izici zangaphakathi) azinalo ithonya ekuthengeni ama- smartphone phakathi kwabathengi abahola imali encane. Lolu cwaningo lwaphetha ngokuthi abenzi be-smartphone, abadayisi, abaxhumanisi bomphambo, nabadayisi kufanele benze ukuhlola ngezikhathi ezithile ukuze basize ekutholeni izici ezintsha ukuze banezele emkhiqizweni wayo futhi balwele ukwakha umbono omuhle phakathi kwabathengi abahola imali encane. Abenzi bezinqumo embonini ye - smartphone kudingeka banake ukwakha nokusebenzisa amasu okuthengisa aphathelene nokuthuthukisa imikhankaso yokukhushulwa esikhundleni se - smartphone. Ngokwesibonelo, imiyalezo yezokukhangisa kufanele iklanywe ngendlela ecacile nebanzi ukuze yandise inhloso yokuthenga komthengi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izinkampani kufanele zakhe umlayezo omuhle ngomkhiqizo phakathi kwabathengi abasebenzisa amapulatifomu ezokuxhumana ukuze basungule umbono omuhle ngemikhiqizo ye-smartphone.