Consumer Decision to Upgrade Smart Phones: The Mediating Effects of the Fear of Product Obsolescence
(A2020-63647)

AUTHORS

YUYING ZHENG, National Chengchi University; CHIEN-WEI CHEN, National Chengchi University

KEYWORDS

Fear of product obsolescence; Intention to upgrade products; Mediating effect

ABSTRACT

With increasing requirements for better functions, performance and appearance of smart phones, consumers upgrade their smart phones more frequently than before. The pursuit of upgrading may provide many market opportunities, as well as great business risks, to firms. In line of the research streams in replacement behavior, this study focuses on consumers’ decision of upgrading smart phones. The framework of this research stems from the rationale of consumer psychology and the corresponding hypotheses are proposed. We analyzed the data collected in China for hypothesis testing. Our findings show that consumers’ personal traits (conformity and need of uniqueness) positively influence the intention to upgrade smart phones. The fear of product obsolescence also exerts a partial mediating effect on the trait-intention relationship.