It takes two to tango: young Chinese consumers’ perspectives on global smartphone brands

Purpose This paper aims to study how brand owners and users enhance brand bond with three objectives. First, brand owners’ effort (BOE) to exercise care, innovate frequently and differentiate their brands enhances users’ bond with the brand. Second, brand users’ competence (BUC) in their knowledge and experience with the brand’s reputation, value and service quality improves brand bond. Third, BOE significantly enhances BUC. Design/methodology/approach This study proposed an integrative model with new concepts and tested it with 2,135 young Chinese consumers using global smartphone brands. Results are drawn from structural equation modeling and comparisons between stakeholders and among smartphone brands. Findings The results show that BOE and BUC are significant and equally effective at enhancing brand bond. BOE also shows a significantly stronger effect on BUC than on brand bond. The temporal comparison between 2015 and 2018 confirms the changing reality of the smartphone world. As for brand comparison, young consumers perceive that iPhone differentiates itself from Huawei and Samsung rivals in terms of BOE and BUC on brand bond. However, none of these brands show significant differences in terms of BOE effect on BUC. Research limitations/implications Please see detail in the Conclusion and Discussions. Practical implications Please see detail in the Conclusion and Discussions. Social implications Please see detail in the Conclusion and Discussions. Originality/value This study introduced a validated model with new concepts based on the global smartphone industry, perceived by young Chinese consumers. The results prove that it takes both the owners and users together to contribute to the brand bond, but brand owners’ role on BUC is more significant.