Are smartphones moving toward commoditization? Evidence from the Italian market
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7433/.2025.01Keywords:
smartphone, customer satisfaction, smartphone lifespan, number of smartphones owned, commoditization, lifestylesAbstract
Purpose: Smartphones are relevant elements in individuals’ socio-economic everyday lives. Starting from the observation that the global smartphone market shows signs of saturation, the paper investigates the role of individual characteristics, product attributes, and use motivations on customer satisfaction of smartphone users in the Italian market. It also examines how these three dimensions affect the average smartphone lifespan and the number of smartphones owned, considering the latter indicators of the replacement and/or duplication rate, which are the main drivers of new sales in saturated markets.
Methodology: We conducted an online quantitative approach with a web survey of smartphone-owning Italian residents. The items concerning respondents’ lifestyles, smartphone features, and use motivations were reduced through exploratory factor analyses using the principal component extraction method. To identify the potential predictors of the variables of interest, hierarchical multiple linear regressions with the enter method were conducted.
Findings: The results highlight the major role of individual characteristics in the smartphone consumption compared to the technological attributes of the product; they also confirm the trend toward smartphone commoditization, where consumers consider products interchangeable if they meet basic requirements; consequently, the choice of smartphone is mainly made on economic convenience and customer satisfaction is mainly linked to basic attributes and price. New sales seem to take place through smartphone substitution/duplication by heavy social media users, by those who use smartphones mainly for study and/or work activities, and by those who still attribute hedonistic meaning to them.
Limitations: The empirical analysis is limited to the Italian context and adults over the age of 18 years.
Practical implications: Manufacturers interested in accelerating purchase frequency should focus on customers with specific lifestyles, particularly those who consume social media or have several hobbies, interests, and passions.
Originality: The work studies a saturated market by means of a multidimensional approach.
References
Almutairi, N., and Bennett, R., (2016), “The influence of social media on preference for a particular product: a case study of smartphone”, The Business and Management Review, Vol. 7, No. 5, pp. 303-311.
Barbaranelli, C. (2003), Analisi dei dati, Milano, LED.
Boluktepe, F. E., and Yilmaz, S. (2008), “Recognition and purchase frequency of bee products”, Uludag Beekeeping Journal, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 53-62.
Campbell, S. W. (2020), “Cutting the cord: Social and scholarly revolutions as CMC goes mobile”, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 101-110.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmz021
Caponnetto, P., Inguscio, L., Valeri, S., Maglia, M., Polosa, R., Lai, C., and Mazzoni, G. (2021), “Smartphone addiction across the lifetime during Italian lockdown for COVID-19”, Journal of Addictive Diseases, Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 441-449.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10550887.2021.1889751
Chang, E. C., and Huang, C. Y. (2015), “Technology acceptance model, consumer personality and smartphone users’ satisfaction”, Robinson, Jr. L. (Ed.), Marketing dynamism and sustainability: Things change, things stay the same. Developments in marketing science, Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science (pp. 710-712), Cham, Springer
Chang, Y. F., Chen, C. S., and Zhou, H. (2009), “Smart phone for mobile commerce”, Computer Standards and Interfaces, Vol. 31, No. 4, pp. 740-747.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csi.2008.09.016
Cordella, M., Alfieri, F., Clemm, C., and Berwald, A. (2021), “Durability of smartphones: A technical analysis of reliability and repairability aspects”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 286, 125388.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125388
Deloitte (2022), Digital consumer trends survey 2022 – Focus Italia.
Deloitte (2019), Global Mobile Consumer Survey 2019 - Italian cut.
Deng, Z., Lu, Y., Wei, K. K., and Zhang, J. (2010), “Understanding customer satisfaction and loyalty: An empirical study of mobile instant messages in China”, International Journal of Information Management, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 289-300.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2009.10.001
Gecit, B. B. (2019), “Factors effecting purchase frequency in Turkey: An application on smartphones”, Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, Vol. 23, No. 3
Gerogiannis, V. C., Papadopoulou, S., and Papageorgiou, E. (2012), “Identifying factors of customer satisfaction from smartphones: A fuzzy cognitive map approach”, 16th International Conference on contemporary marketing issues (ICCMI), 13-15 June 2012 (pp. 270-276)
Golev, A., Werner, T. T., Zhu, X., and Matsubae, K. (2016), “Product flow analysis using trade statistics and consumer survey data: A case study of mobile phone in Australia”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 133, pp. 262-271.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.05.117
Hasnah Hassan, S., Ramayah, T., Mohamed, O., and Maghsoudi, A. (2015), “E-lifestyle, customer satisfaction, and loyalty among the Generation Y mobile users”, Asian Social Science, Vol. 11, No. 4.
https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v11n4p157
Hatcher, L. (1994), A step-by-step approach to using the SAS system for factor analysis and structural equation modeling, Cary, NC, SAS Institute Inc
Horn, J. L. (1965), “A rationale and test for the number of factors in factor analysis”, Psychometrika, Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 179-185.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02289447
Inghels, D., and Bahlmann, M. D. (2021), “Hibernation of mobile phones in the Netherlands: The role of brands, perceived value, and incentive structures”, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Vol. 164, p. 105178.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105178
Kaiser, H. F. (1960), “The application of electronic computers to factor analysis”, Educational and Psychological Measurement, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 141-151.
https://doi.org/10.1177/001316446002000116
Kasulaitis, B., Babbitt, C. W., and Tyler, A. C. (2021), “The role of consumer preferences in reducing material intensity of electronic products”, Journal of Industrial Ecology, Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 435-447.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13052
Kim, A., and Cho, Y. C. (2015), “Exploring antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction with smartphones: Implications for CRM”, Journal of Business and Economics Research, Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 215-230.
https://doi.org/10.19030/jber.v13i4.9453
Kim, A., Chang, Y., Park, M. C., and Lee, J. (2015), “The effects of service interactivity on the satisfaction and loyalty of smartphone users”, Telematics and Informatics, Vol. 32, pp. 949-960.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2015.05.003
Kim, A., Kim, D. J., and Wachter, K. (2012), “Smartphone: User engagement motivations effect on their value, satisfaction, and future engagement intention”, Proceedings 18th Americas Conference on Information Systems 2012 p. 21
Kim, B. D., and Rossi, P. E. (1994), “Purchase frequency, sample selection, and price sensitivity: The heavy-user bias”, Marketing Letters, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 57-67.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00993958
Kim, M. K., Wong, S. F., Chang, Y., and Park, J. H. (2016), “Determinants of customer loyalty in the Korean smartphone market: Moderating effects of usage characteristics”, Telematics and Informatics, Vol. 33, No. 4, pp. 936-949.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2016.02.006
Lee, J. B., and Baek, D. H. (2017), “Influence of Determinants of smartphone purchasing on customer satisfaction: Moderating effects of age and gender”, Journal of Society of Korea Industrial and Systems Engineering, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 22-34.
https://doi.org/10.11627/jkise.2017.40.1.022
Liu, J., Bai, H., Zhang, Q., Jing, Q., and Xu, H. (2019), “Why are obsolete mobile phones difficult to recycle in China?”, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Vol. 141, pp. 200-210.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.10.030
Lou, J., Han, N., Wang, D., and Pei, X. (2022), “Effects of mobile identity on smartphone symbolic use: An attachment theory perspective”, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 19, No. 21, p. 14036.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114036
Martinho, G., Magalhães, D., and Pires, A. (2017), “Consumer behaviour with respect to the consumption and recycling of smartphones and tablets: An exploratory study in Portugal”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 156, pp. 147-158.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.04.039
Mazzoni, C., Castaldi, L., and Addeo, F. (2007), “Consumer behavior in the Italian mobile telecommunication market”, Telecommunications Policy, Vol. 31, No. 10-11, pp. 632-647.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2007.07.009
Mill, R. C. (2002), A comprehensive model of customer satisfaction in hospitality and tourism: Strategic implications for management, International Business and Economics Research Journal, Vol. 1, No. 6, pp. 7-18.
https://doi.org/10.19030/iber.v1i6.3942
Nowakowski, P. (2019), “Investigating the reasons for storage of WEE by residents: A potential for removal from households”, Waste Management, Vol. 87, No. 15, pp. 192-203.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2019.02.008
O’Connor, B. P. (2000), “SPSS and SAS programs for determining the number of components using parallel analysis and Velicer’s MAP test”, Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers, Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 396-402.
https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03200807
Oliveira, R. D., Cherubini, M., and Oliver, N. (2013), “Influence of personality on satisfaction with mobile phone services”, ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 1-23.
https://doi.org/10.1145/2463579.2463581
Pencarelli, T., Gabbianelli, L., Savelli, E. (2020), “The tourist experience in the digital era: the case of Italian millennials”, Sinergie – Italian Journal of Management, Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 165-189.
https://doi.org/10.7433/s113.2020.10
Prabhu, S., and Majhi, R. (2022), “Disposal of obsolete mobile phones: A review on replacement, disposal methods, in-use lifespan, reuse and recycling”, Waste Management and Research, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 18-36.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X221105429
Razavi, R. (2020), “Personality segmentation of users through mining their mobile usage patterns”, International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, Vol. 143, p. 102470.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2020.102470
Redda, E. H., and Shezi, N. E. (2019), “Antecedents of customer satisfaction and brand loyalty of smartphones among generation Y students”, Polish Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 441-453.
https://doi.org/10.17512/pjms.2019.20.2.37
Romero-Rodríguez, M. E., Rodríguez-Donate, M. C., Hernández-García, M. C., and Rodríguez-Brito, M. G. (2020), “Influence of opinion leadership criteria: The purchase of smartphones”, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 56.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102155
Roy, S., and Goswani, P. (2007), “Psychographics and its effect on purchase frequency. A study of the college-goers of Kolkata, India”, Decisions, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 63-94
Smith, G. E. (2020), “Disruptive framing in value creation and price setting: Transforming value with strategic frames of reference”, Business Horizons, Vol. 63, No. 4, pp. 481-491.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2020.03.006
Tan, Q. Y., Duan, H. B., Liu, L. L., Yang, J., and Li, J. H. (2018), “Rethinking residential consumers’ behaviour in discarding obsolete mobile phones in China”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 195, pp. 1228-1236.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.05.244
Ting, H., Thaichon, P., Chuah, F., and Tan, S. R. (2019), “Consumer behaviour and disposition decisions: The why and how of smartphone disposition”, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 51, pp. 212-220.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.06.002
Vanden Abeele, M. V., Antheunis, M. L., and Schouten, A. P. (2014), “Me, myself and my mobile: A segmentation of youths based on their attitude towards the mobile phone as a status instrument”, Telematics and Informatics, Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 194-208.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2013.04.004
Watson, D., Gylling, A. C., Tojo, N., Throne-Holst, H., Bauer, B., and Milios, L. (2017), Circular business models in the mobile phone industry, Nordic Council of Ministers
White, C. (2015), “The impact of motivation on customer satisfaction formation. A self-determination perspective”, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 49, No. 11/12, 1923-1940.
https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-08-2014-0501
Wilson, G. T., Smalley, G., Suckling, J. R., Lilley, D., Lee, J., and Mawle, R. (2017), “The hibernating mobile phone: Dead storage as a barrier to efficient electronic waste recovery”, Waste Management, Vol. 60, pp. 521-533.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2016.12.023
Yao, M. Z., and Ling, R. (2020), ‘What Is Computer-Mediated Communication?’—An introduction to the special issue, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 4-8.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmz027
Yazdanparast, A., and Tran, G. A. (2021), “Smartphone experience, satisfaction, and referral: An ecosystem perspective”, Journal of Marketing Communications, Vol. 27, No. 8, pp. 816-839.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2020.1771404
Yin, J., Gao, Y., and Xu, H. (2014), “Survey and analysis of consumer’s behavior of waste mobile phone recycling in China”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 65, pp. 517-525.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.10.006
Zerbini, C., Aiolfi, S., Bellini, S., Luceri, B., Vergura, D.T. (2022), “Mobile shopping behavior: a bibliometric analysis”, Sinergie – Italian Journal of Management, Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 233-256.
