Examine the process which consumers go through in order to purchase a mobile phone.

Essay by brober12University, Bachelor'sA-, August 2006

download word file, 14 pages 3.0

Executive Summary

We're living in the digital age. The shrinking, knowledge-based, global village - a world of opportunity and daily discoveries. The way we interact has been radically transformed, and central to that transformation is mobile communications.

The mobile phone industry is changing and, as customers become more sophisticated and demand more from their handsets, they are looking for new value when it comes to choosing what to buy. This increases their consumer involvement when purchasing a mobile phone therefore it is imperative that their perceptions of the brands and companies are not lost in the ever expanding market.

Familiarity with the type of technology increases the ease with which consumers evaluate a new technology. The participants use mobile telephones to add value to their lifestyles, satisfy their social and leisure needs and reinforce their group identity. They also provide convenience and have a perceived usefulness. Ongoing use of mobile telephones is driven by the need to deal with such issues as identity, power and fragmentation.

The process in which consumers go through to purchase a mobile is extensive and of high involvement.

Introduction

The mobile phone is fast becoming the centrepiece of personal communication, allowing us access to an ever-widening range of services. Today, we are moving from voice services to services driven by data and multimedia. As new industry structures emerge, there is a changing wave of growth and innovation. There is now freedom from constraints of time and place provided by mobile telephones as well as the ability to personalise a mobile telephone to the individual's tastes, for example through ring tones and coloured telephone covers. Consumers perceive style fashion important when considering purchasing a mobile telephone.

It is of paramount importance that mobile phones companies reinforce their image and retain a loyal customer base and market...