Factors affecting consumer behavior in Smartphone purchases in Nepal

Abstract

The study aimed to determine why consumers purchase smartphones. The paper examined product attributes, social factors, pricing, and brand image factors to assess how individuals purchase smartphones. The study was conducted in the Kathmandu Valley, the capital city of Nepal. The respondents of the study were smartphone users in the Kathmandu Valley. The study utilized positivist epistemology with predetermined hypotheses and a deductive approach with a single ontological foundation. The study employed a quantitative method. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted on a six-point Likert scale to obtain the primary data. The population for this study was comprised of Smartphone users, and a sample size of 398 was used. This study applied a convenient sampling technique and a causal research design. The effect of independent variables on consumer behavior was determined using structural equation modeling. The path analysis utilizing structural equation modeling demonstrated that product pricing (β = 0.21, p < 0.05), social factors (β = 0.37, p < 0.05), and brand image (β = 0.41, p < 0.05) significantly influence consumer behavior. In contrast, the product attribute has no significant impact (β = 0.05, p >0.05) on consumer behavior. The results provide future scholars and business executives with a road map to view the emerging context of market development.