MKT341 Marketing Strategy for Consumer Behaviour

Winter Semester 2022-23

Section-1

To Study Apple’s marketing tactics that influence, nurture and

change consumer’s behaviour.

Name Enrolment Number

 Samyak Jain AU2010448
 Leeroy Chowdary AU1910513
 Dinesh Palariya AU2010356
 Deep patel AU191284
 Agamya Mahendiratta AU2010082
 Acknowledgements

We would like to thank our faculty Zalak Shah for her constructive feedback and effective guidance
throughout the development of this research. With her expertise and valuable advice, we were able to
gain very useful insights on this process and managed to complete the research paper. Secondly, we
would like to send out our gratitude towards the participants who took time to be a part of this
research and provided us with valuable insights. Thirdly, we would like to thank our T.A. Chitra Joshi
for her constant support and guidance. Lastly, we are thankful for the opportunity to test our
knowledge gained through the Bachelor’s program in Marketing Management.
 Table of Content

Sr. No Title Page

1. Introduction 4
2. Segmentation, Positioning, Targeting, value 7
propostion
3. Communication and Consumer Behaviour 9
4. The influence of culture on consumer behaviour 12
towards product/service
5. The influence of family on consumer behaviour 13
towards product/service
6. The consumer decision making process for the 14
product/service

7. Conclusion 18
8. Recommendation 19
9. References 20
 Introduction
Consumer behavior is defined as people's actions in searching for, buying, using, assessing, and
discarding products and services they believe meet their needs. Consumer behavior refers to how
people decide how to spend their limited resources (time, money, and effort) on consumer goods.
Consumer behavior is based on Apple's marketing idea (just like it is in any other firm). The
production, product, and selling concepts are all part of its marketing strategy. Apple's product
strategy expects customers to buy the iPhone because it provides them with high-quality performance
and a wealth of features. Apple's product orientation drives them always to strive to improve the
iPhone's quality and add new features that are theoretically feasible without first determining whether
they are realistic. Steve Jobs, Apple's former CEO, claimed that customers don't know what they want
and that if they were given a product, they would recognize its value. This notion worked for the
iPhone since no one could have predicted such a product.

Both the production and product concepts naturally lead to the selling concept. Apple's primary goal
is to sell the iPhone, and it expects that customers will not buy an iPhone unless they are persuaded to
do so aggressively - typically through the 'hard sell' method.
A common reaction, restricted choice-making, extensive decision making, and finally, impulse buying
are the four categories of consumer behavior. Recurring purchases are less expensive, and they are
made without much thought because they are made regularly.
The iPhone has changed how people think about smartphones and mobile phones. The iPhone
combines a phone, an iPod music player, a camera, text messaging, e-mail, and web surfing services
and innovative features such as a multi-touch screen, visual voicemail, and accelerometers that detect
screen orientation.

The iPhone has unquestionably become the most popular mobile device in the world since its initial
release in June 2007. The iPhone has resisted generalizing stimuli. Consumer behavior is known as
stimulus discrimination since it has distinguishing qualities from other similar phone models.

The fundamental goal of marketing strategies is to concentrate on customer demands while also
acknowledging the wide range of consumer diversity. Everyone develops needs that are molded by
their circumstances. Apple caters to its customers by producing iPhone models and promotional
visuals that cater to their wants. Apple positioned the iPhone's image so that the target market
segment saw it as more satisfactory to their unique demands than competing items. Market
segmentation, targeting, and positioning are the three components of this strategic framework.

Market segmentation is splitting a market into subgroups of customers with similar demands or
characteristics. On the other side, market targeting decides which of the identified segments the
Company will pursue. From the consumer's viewpoint, positioning is the process of creating a distinct
image for a product or service. That image will set the product out from the competition and convey it
equitably to the target audience.

Apple is the world's second-largest mobile phone maker and the world's largest publicly traded
corporation by market capitalization, with a current estimated worth of US$530 billion. Apple is an
American corporation based in Cupertino, California that specializes in the production and sale of
consumer goods, software, and online services. Cell phones, media players, tablets, desktops,
computer software, and operating systems are among the Company's products.

Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne founded the Company as a modest personal computer
maker, and its first product, the Apple I, was handcrafted by Wozniak himself.
Apple joined the mobile market in 2007 with the iPhone, which was praised for its distinct design,
touch screen capabilities, and lack of a physical keyboard. In 2010, the iPhone was followed by the
iPad, which was essentially a larger iPhone without the ability to make phone calls, aimed at those
wanting lightweight devices with large screens that can perform most of the functions that their
computers can. Later in 2010, Apple's primary rival and longtime dominator of the computer
business, Microsoft, lost its stock value and revenue position when Apple's stock market value and
total revenue overtook Microsoft for the first time in history.

Vision
"Apple is devoted to giving the finest personal computing experience to students, educators, creative
professionals, and consumers worldwide through its revolutionary hardware, software, and Internet
offerings," reads Apple's mission statement on its website.

Mission
The mission of Apple, Inc. is described as follows on its website: Apple makes Macs, the world's
most excellent personal computers, as well as OS X, iLife, iWork, and other professional software.
Apple is leading the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. With the
groundbreaking iPhone and App Store, Apple has reimagined the mobile phone, and the iPad is
defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Values
The following factors are included in Apple, Inc.'s values, which can be seen on their business
website: We believe we were put on this planet to create wonderful items. We prefer the
straightforward over the complicated. We think that the core technology that underpins our goods
must be owned and controlled by us. We only participate in markets where we can have a meaningful
impact.

Business Strategy
Apple Inc. has a clearly defined corporate strategy: "Through innovative hardware, software,
peripherals, and services, the Company is devoted to providing the best user experience to its
consumers." To supply its clients, the Company's business plan takes advantage of its unique capacity
to build and develop its own operating systems, hardware, application software, and services. The
iTunes Store is also being used to develop the Company's platform for discovering and delivering
third-party digital content and apps. Customers can explore and download apps and books on a Mac
or Windows-based computer or through "iOS devices," such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, as
part of the iTunes Store. The Company's plan also includes extending its distribution network in order
to successfully reach more consumers and offer them high-quality sales and post-sales assistance.

The iPhone, a touch screen cell phone that was unveiled in 2007, was one of the most successful items
in the world, and the business has since developed multiple updated versions. iPad tablet and Apple
Watch are two other popular products. Apple has lately expanded its service divisions with the Apple
Card credit card, Apple News for news, Apple Arcade for gaming, and Apple TV for streaming
original Apple content. Although Steve Jobs passed away on October 5, 2011, Apple's legacy lives on
under Tim Cook as CEO. Apple became the first corporation to be valued at one trillion dollars in
2018, thanks to the popularity of iPhones, and it more than doubled its value two years later.

The iPhone is Apple's primary product. The well-known smartphone is one of the world's top five
smartphone makers. The iPhone 13 "sets a new bar for performance and empowers our consumers to
create and interact in new ways," according to the firm. As of December 2021, sales of this model had
apparently overtaken those of the iPhone 12, which had still "skyrocketed."

For 2021, the business recorded $192 billion in net sales for the iPhone unit, up from $137.8 billion
the previous fiscal year. During the fourth quarter, sales were $38.9 billion, up 47 percent from $26.4
billion in the same quarter of 2020. The App Store and Apple Music are the Company's primary
services businesses. AppleCare, Apple Pay, iCloud storage services, AppleCare warranties, and
subscriptions to services like Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, and the Apple Card, which
interacts with other financial payment giants, all contribute to the segment's revenue. Apple's Services
division brought in $68.4 billion in sales for the fiscal year 2021 and $18.3 billion in the fourth
quarter. This compared to $53.8 billion last year and $14.5 billion in Q4-2020. This was the highest
point in the unit's history.
iPhone line extension: -
Most, if not all, of Apple Inc.'s master brand items, display the Company's line extension strategy.
The line extension approach is carried out by modifying the same product's specifications and
features. We can view the possibilities to consider if we were planning to acquire the new iPhone 8 to
better understand this notion. The iPhone 8 comes with 64 GB of storage as standard or 128 GB for a
premium. This method is utilized to meet the needs of clients who require more or less storage.
Starting around the iPhone 5, this strategy was also observed in the iPhone product line. The 5C (a
more colorful option), the 6 Plus (a more effective screen option), the 6S and 6S Plus (faster phones
with more capabilities), the 7 Plus, and the 8 Plus have all been introduced since then.

iPhone product life cycle: -

The iPhone debuted in the third quarter of 2007, marking the start of its journey through the product
life cycle. The iPhone sold 270,000 devices in its first quarter, establishing its territory in the
introduction stage. Since then, the iPhone has sold over a billion units worldwide. Charts 1-2
demonstrate that the number of iPhones sold has increased steadily. The iPhone has reached the
maturity-saturation stage of the product life cycle.
On the other hand, the iPhone does not appear to be nearing its conclusion, at least not very soon. This
is one of Apple Inc.'s best-selling products, so much so that income from the iPhone is reported
separately from revenue from other products, which are combined. Apple also keeps changing the
iPhone's offering. Apple has had great success with the alter offer strategy, releasing 16 updates thus
far. Although Tim Cook's revisions (the most recent updates) have been problematic, this technique
delays the iPhone from hitting the decline stage of its product life cycle.
 SEGMENTATION

The promise of higher sales and profitability motivates segmentation. Overall, segmentation is a
crucial aspect of a marketing strategy since it allows a firm to better serve its customers while also
increasing its bottom line.
Geographically, I believe Apple iPhones are only available in wealthy countries on a regular basis,
which, as previously indicated, opens the way to expansion into impoverished countries. Age and
wealth are important demographic determinants for Apple. Apple's profits are enhanced by marketing
to teenagers and young adults, who are more likely to make impulse purchases. The iPhone is sold to
a huge, attractive, and fast-growing market because teens and young people are viewed as "tech-
savvy" and eager to spend more on their desires (Mickalowski et al., 2008).
Customers are also becoming more educated. As previously said, as family income levels rise,
consumers are more likely to purchase Apple products since they have more money to spend on
wants. As a result, demand for high-end cellphones, such as the new iPhone, will increase.
Second, I've decided to use demographic segmentation to create a product market grid for several
iPhones depending on income (social class) market segments (See Table 2).

MUSe 2021 (Museum of the United States of America)

A perceptual map depicting the iPhone's position in comparison to competitors' items has been
developed using this data.

champouxg,+GC_2010-Article+Text-3692-1-9-20210425.pdf

TARGET MARKET

Apple's targeting strategies include determining the most enticing categories for the corporation. This
stage comprises identifying specific groups to whom Apple can market its products based on the
segmentation results. The company promotes itself as a premium provider of high-quality products
and services with sophisticated capabilities and features.
Apple's target customers are the wealthy who are willing to spend more for technological things and
services with better capabilities, features, and designs. Years of studying Apple's customers'
characteristics have revealed that the majority of them place a higher value on quality, performance,
and design of tech products and services than on price.

POSITIONING IN MARKET

In order to build a brand image in the eyes of customers, every marketing strategy's positioning
method is critical. A thoroughly considered and implemented positioning strategy can have a
substantial impact on a company's performance. Depending on the industry, company size, and
products, companies have different attributes they wish to emphasise and highlight when deciding on
brand positioning. New products with technical resolutions and unique features are always being
introduced because the technology industry is quickly growing and evolving. Apple is one of the
industry's leading businesses, and most participants look to Apple for cutting-edge technology and
goods. This success can be ascribed in part to the company's strong and successful positioning, which
is based on a number of elements. Apple presents itself as a high-end brand that everyone desires.
Certainly, Apple's products are not affordable, but even those who cannot afford them will find a way
to obtain them.
Apple's goal of creating emotional connections with customers through exceptional experiences is a
brilliant one, especially in this competitive industry. Apple uses a competitive positioning strategy in
the same way. Because the technology industry is so competitive, Apple prioritises research and
development and releases new products and features on a regular basis. It is still working on new
technology for the brand.

VALUE PROPOSITION

For Apple, the experience is the product. When you consider it, this is a very clever strategy. Rather
of competing for market share in a congested market, the electronics powerhouse chose to focus on a
different form of value provided through its customer value proposition: status and experience.
The company's sleek, well-designed items obviously help, but this simply adds to the whole customer
experience. Apple touts the iPhone as being simple, intuitive, and user-friendly. It's stylish and
appealing, and it'll make you look better. Yes, you'll receive fantastic features, but what you'll really
get is a brand experience that customers want. "Buy an iPhone; it's a magical item to use, and you'll be
able to brag about it to your friends." Apple's value statement is an example of this style of
aspirational marketing. It's not about what you get from Apple; it's about who you become as a result.
"You don't have to worry if the technology works," Apple used to say. The new promise is that you
will not be scammed by the technology." The iPhone and iPad are Apple's most popular products
today. They make the majority of their money when you sign up for one of their services (like iCloud
or the new Apple News), purchase new hardware, or download a paid software. They want to
establish a secure, reassuring environment that encourages users to stay. Now that Apple has a larger
market share, they are concentrating on increasing their consumer base. As a result, Apple's most
recent value proposition seems to be focused on privacy protection and being a part of a secure
ecosystem.
 Communication and Consumer Behaviour
Integrated Marketing Communication - Apple uses a variety of marketing strategies to promote its
iPhones. Using integrated marketing communication to attract a large number of customers and
improve sales volume is the goal. The company uses promotional and advertising tactics to attract
clients' attention, desire, and interest. Apple also utilises appealing iPhone pictures on its website to
tempt customers.

Print and Broadcast Media - Apple promotes iPhones through a variety of print and broadcast
channels. iPhones are advertised on billboards and television.

Digital Marketing - Images of the latest iPhones circulate on the company's website. Customers can
find all the latest iPhone models by visiting the company's website. Social media has evolved into a
powerful digital marketing tool. As a result, the corporation has established Facebook and Twitter
profiles via which it can interact with customers and solicit feedback.

Sales promotion - Sales promotions aid product availability. Coupons, premiums, loss leads, product
samples, and point-of-purchase displays are examples of marketing communication tactics companies
use to sell their products.

Personal Selling - Employees or sales professionals are used to marketing things through personal
selling. Customers are met and communicated with one-on-one by the sales crew. Individuals promote
items through their looks, attitude, and product knowledge.

Integrated Marketing Communication

Samsung has previously used print advertisements in popular newspapers, magazines, and journals to
direct attacks on its biggest competitors, most notably Apple. A print ad campaign headlined 'It
doesn't take a genius, for example, is a brilliant play on words on Apple's emphasis on genius
branding. Compared to most of its competitors, Samsung implements sales promotions as a marketing
tool more extensively.

Social media: The most recent trend in communication is social media. It is using social media
platforms to communicate. Samsung has a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and other
venues, where it employs techniques to engage with the public.
E.g., Samsung keeps on posting about
the latest contests and latest offerings of
the brand on Facebook, and this helps in
promoting the offerings of the brand

(Samsung marketing strategy )

To communicate prestige and image of the product.

• Use selective advertising to reach the target audience - e.g., advertise before shows such as Made in
Chelsea, which is
seen as upmarket.
• Use celebrity endorsements - famous figures such as Alexa Chung or DJ Nick Grimshaw.
• Strongly emphasize the multi-app ability, as our target audience mainly use their phones for social
media.
• Also focus on HD large screen as "Mobile usage will surpass desktop in 2015" Morgan Stanley
associates (2013).
• Use fast, effective adverts that get to the point as "The average attention span of an online user is 90
seconds."
Forbes.com (2013).
 Recent advertising strategy of apple

Apple's marketing strategy dared to be different, and the company had reaped the benefits by
becoming the global market leader in the mobile phone sector.

You are mistaken if you believe you have seen an Apple iPhone commercial. What you've seen is a
third-party corporation promoting Apple's products. Apple is so brilliant that they've managed to get
other businesses (mostly mobile phone companies) to pay for and execute advertising on their behalf.
Advertisements for the iPhone are paid for by network operators who want to promote that they sell
the iPhone. When operators want to notify the world that they sell iPhones, they pay the bill. Still,
Apple also imposes plenty of branding limitations on them, specifying how the ad must look and what
information it can include. Hence why all ads for Apple products look the same.

What aspect of consumer learning helped in creating brand loyalty?

Since Steve Jobs' return in the late 1990s, Apple has built an extraordinarily dedicated consumer
following. This is due to Jobs' apparent enthusiasm for his products and the customer experience, their
constant innovation in consumer technology, the guaranteed high quality of all of their products, and
how they meet their customers' goals.

Because Apple is a worldwide technology giant, providing specialized customer service, customized
product offerings, and personalized interactions to all of their clients is impractical. They do,
however, have Apple Stores and Genius Bars where customers can interact with Apple employees and
receive personalized service. The announcement of 'town squares' adds to this, indicating that they are
serious about personal interaction.

They also meet the product benefits requirements regularly. While they aren't always the first to
incorporate cutting-edge technology, they have a good track record of successfully launching new
features and products. Apple products are often regarded as the pinnacle of high-end consumer
technology, and the company consistently fulfills their promises.

Apple has accomplished the near-impossible by forging an emotional bond with its customers. Brand
loyalty has been critical to its global success. There's no denying it.

Does the communication strategy adopted by the company for the given product
influence the perception and interpretation of the consumers? How?

According to marketing strategist Katie Martell, each new phone and Apple as a brand represent
innovation and "tomorrow," which consumers hold in profound esteem. "We truly live in a world
where what's newest and next is regarded as the most valuable."

According to Goldsmith, having the latest and greatest phone is a prestige statement. "It's something
you carry with you," she explains, "and it communicates about you to other people."

Your phone is also a powerful mechanism for "self-signaling," a notion in behavioral economics that
deals with how your activities influence your self-perception.

Having the most recent iPhone can increase your self-esteem and remind you that you are not obsolete
in this case. "Every time you look at that phone, it tells you something about yourself and confirms
certain aspects of your identity,"
Apple fans want to be the first to get their hands on a smartphone and avoid shipping delays. Outside
a storefront, a line indicates that whatever is within is precious. Two behavioral economics concepts
are at play here: social proof (convincing people that others want the product) and scarcity (the fear
that there may not be enough)
According to research, believing an item is scarce increases your arousal and makes you feel
compelled to make a quick decision. Scarcity makes you less discerning and more likely to stick with
your favorite item than explore other options.
"Consumers respond, almost too strong, to these scarcity marketing tactics," says Goldsmith.
social experience
"Apple has done an excellent job of leveraging the social experience around waiting for the iPhone,
anticipating the iPhone, and discussing the iPhone," Goldsmith says. With the Apple announcements
and drop dates and long lines, "it's a different experience than you would feel with any other of their
competitors.”
 The Influence of Culture on Consumer Behaviour towards iPhone

Microculture is defined as a community of people who share similar values or experiences. Disability
culture, for example, is a distinct value and notion associated with disabled people. This section
explains how Apple's advertising method and outcomes are influenced by disability microculture.
The accessibility features of Apple devices were presented entirely in the 2017 advertisement film
titled Designed for Everyone (Apple Inc., 2017). Users who are blind, for example, may capture
images for their family members, users who are unable to talk can produce movies with friends, and
users who are deaf can hear the sounds of the world.
Gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status, for example, can be classified as
demographic subcultures concerning the subculture. Furthermore, these things have the capacity to
influence customers' purchasing decisions. In the case of the iPhone, the combination of utilitarian
and hedonic elements made it feasible to supply convergent services in ways that were not
conceivable before the iPhone.
People may have some leeway in assigning some of their expenditures to hedonic categories,
according to experts, when particular spending may be ascribed to many types. This allows such
products to be consumed in ways that satisfy short-term hedonic desires while also avoiding the
budget limitations that would normally apply to big purchases. Furthermore, the touch screen's
innovation and the ability to use the iPhone in stores made a significant change in customer product
evaluation. This experience may be represented as previous knowledge after a consumer becomes
familiar with the goods in the store.
Most participants admitted that they were influenced by someone else while making their most recent
purchase. However, this impact was based on suggestions from others rather than peer pressure.
Surprisingly, they all said that the media significantly impacted their decision-making process. Two
tendencies emerged from the responses to the question on students' iPhone purchases while they were
on a budget. To begin with, several of the participants claimed that their purchasing intention is
influenced by their social surroundings and other people's external effects. Second, other participants
claim that students continue to buy the product because they are familiar with it and have used it
previously.
Social factors that impact people's decisions have become obvious throughout the decision-making
process. People are gregarious by nature, and they have a strong need to join a group and fit in to meet
their requirements. People prefer to watch and mimic others around them in order to strike a balance
between independence and belonging to a particular group. As a result, it becomes clear how others
may greatly influence an individual's purchase decisions, particularly when it comes to mobile devices
such as iPhones.
Not only does the Apple Cube represent the company and its retail objective, but it also represents
society and its cultural agenda. This isn't about representation; it's about literary becoming, an
evolution of the community that not only loves but also allows Apple to exist. We "purchase" Apple
not only because of its performance but also its alluring image. Apple has elevated a long-standing
feature of consumer culture to unprecedented heights.
 The Influence of Family on Consumer Behaviour towards iPhone

People tend to connect themselves with particular groups in order to satisfy their sentiments of
belonging. To integrate into a social group, people prefer to look at and replicate one other's
movements. To ensure stability, these types of organisations have standards and consequences.
Furthermore, rewards and penalties are used to encourage people to follow the rules and act in a
certain way (Nagarkoti, 2014).
When it comes to external impacts, word-of-mouth (WOM) can have a significant impact on the
decision-making process. A client that shares the same values as a firm tends to promote and advocate
their products to others, according to Tukej et al., (2013), which is an example of positive WOM.
There are many different sorts of social groups, but the most common primary groups are family,
friends, neighbours, and coworkers, all of whom have ongoing yet informal interactions. "Family as a
consuming and decision-making unit is a central phenomenon in marketing and consumer behaviour,"
Commuri and Gentry (2000).
Family is the most important social institution for many customers, influencing their buying
behaviour, beliefs, attitudes, and self-concept. Religious, professional, and trade union groupings are
examples of secondary social groups with more formal and less frequent connections (Kotler &
Keller, 2012). In the case of Generation Y (82 percent of smartphone users), a prior study (Madinga &
Dondolo, 2018) discovered that peers in the same social circle have the greatest influence on purchase
decisions of people in this generation.
In the buyer's life, there are two families. Parents and children make up the orientation family (single-
parent families and childless families are included). An individual's religious, economic, personal
goal, and self-worth orientation is inherited from their parents. Even if the purchasers do not connect
with their parents frequently, such influence on behaviour might be strong and ongoing. The family of
procreation, mainly one's spouse and children, has a more direct influence on daily purchasing
behaviour. In the United States, for example, participation in good purchasing varies by product
category. The family's principal purchasing agent is usually the wife. That is, typical purchasing
responsibilities are shifting nowadays. Both men's and women's needs will be targets for marketers.
Reference groups are those that impact a person's attitudes, aspirations, or behaviour directly or
indirectly. Opinion leaders are persons who have a lot of power in their reference groups because of
their exceptional abilities, knowledge, personality, and other attributes (Kotler & Keller, 2012).
Opinion leaders (influencers) now have even more power to influence consumers' perceptions about
specific items thanks to the massive expansion of social media and other online content sharing
platforms. When it comes to smartphones, there are millions of "Unboxing videos" in which
numerous influencers compare and contrast rival devices with all of their characteristics before
recommending which one you should buy.
 The Consumer Decision Making Process for the iPhone

This whole part has been taken from – “The Smartphone Consumer Decision-Making Process
of University Students in Sweden: The Case of iPhone”. Author - Alek Vladimirov Ivanov, Eric
Adam George Akiba, Konstantin Krasimirov Konov. It contains the result of the survey they had
taken.
What type and amount of information about this product do its consumers use? How involved
are they?
When questioned about their thoughts on Apple products, the majority of the interviewees underlined
the ease of use that all of the gadgets provide. Apple products are mostly associated with "high-
quality," "functionality," and "convenience." "Their products are vital to my life. Everything is neatly
solved by them." Most of them recognise that Apple's pricing are higher than those of their
competitors, but they believe that they receive what they pay for at first. "Their items are obviously
costly, but I would argue that they are well worth the money because of how comfortable and easy
they are to use." Furthermore, practically every participant claimed that the technological elements of
the phone played a large role in selecting which phone to choose when comparing several phones.
Furthermore, practically every female interviewee mentioned that the camera is a feature that they
really value. However, storage and price are worth mentioning because they were mentioned by a few
participants as key issues.
When asked which characteristics of their iPhones they valued the most, the majority said the
technological aspects of their phones. This demonstrates that they are drawn to the finer points of
Apple's software, which they regard as having the greatest value above other components of the
phone. Here, familiarity with Apple software and the ecosystem provided was one of the most
appreciated advantages. "It wasn't long after that before I got my first Apple Watch," one interviewee
admitted after purchasing an iPhone from the firm. Then, as soon as I had the opportunity, I purchased
a MacBook when they were launched. Not long after that, I realized the feature with the AirPods”.
This demonstrates that participants valued iPhones not merely for their capacity to operate effectively
on their own, but also for the collective service Apple gives to its consumers, which allows an
ecosystem to grow. When it comes to the iPhone, the clear majority of consumers agreed that how
they use cellphones influences their purchase decision.

How do consumers evaluate different brands in this product category? How do consumers go
about shopping for this product?
According to Babin & Harris (2015), everyone has distinct types of demands that must be met based
on the nature of their requirements, with some being more urgent than others. According to the
empirical data, one of the first crucial features that a phone should have is the capacity to make phone
calls, as this is something that is universally anticipated from all smartphones and does not play a big
part in the comparison of options. Later on, the participants stated that the next item they wanted from
their smartphone was a long battery life, plenty of storage, and software that was tailored to their
needs.
The iOS software, for example, which is designed to give ease and convenience, played a critical role
in the participants' decision-making process. According to them, one of the key driving elements that
balanced the scale between the perceived and actual worth of the product was the ease, convenience,
and connectivity that came with their products. Bakshi (2012) mentions this in their concept of actual
and ideal wants. The interviewees also agreed that when comparing different iPhone models, the
battery life and storage capacity were the most important technological features to consider.
According to Babin & Harris (2015), motivation is a critical factor that influences customer
purchasing behaviour, which is corroborated by the data acquired from the interviews. The vast
majority of respondents admitted that how they utilise their smartphone in relation to their daily
demands and activities influenced their purchase decision. Before purchasing a specific mobile
device, people think what they primarily use their smartphone for in order to select the exact model
feature that they require.
The majority of respondents responded that they would not be prepared to pay an exorbitant amount
for any product feature that they did not consider necessary. According to Ting et al. (2011),
smartphone use is directly related to how much a person wants to socialise and communicate. The
participants stressed the importance of social networking apps like Instagram, Messenger, and
Snapchat, which account for a large portion of their daily smartphone usage.
Their innate need to feel like a part of society has led them to regard those mobile applications as one
of their smartphone's most important functions. Both Karjaluoto et al. (2005) and Pakola et al. (2010)
point out that the smartphone's properties have a significant impact on customers' purchase decisions.
The smartphone camera was the most frequently mentioned feature throughout the interviews. Many
of the participants stated that one of the most important features they were looking for in a device was
the camera quality, which is consistent with their frequent use of apps like Snapchat and Instagram
that demand this function.
Apps like Spotify and YouTube, which allow users to listen to and even watch online material, and
Google Maps, which eliminates the need for maps or GPS devices, were also mentioned frequently.
The majority of the participants have acquired a dependency on their smartphone, and it has become a
tool of considerable personal worth, according to the findings of the interviews. Because of the wide
range of capabilities that the many brands and models within those brands offer, the features and
usage of this device have a considerable impact on the decision-making process.
Which level of decision making are they in?
Understanding consumer behaviours and decision-making processes is crucial for marketers. "A deep
grasp of the unique demands that a client is seeking to address is crucial to successful marketing,"
according to Belch, Belch, Kerr, & Powell (2012).

The social, cultural, product attributes, and usage aspects all influence the "Need/Problem
Recognition" step of the decision-making paradigm. One of the key social factors that influenced the
students' original reasons for purchasing their first iPhone was peer pressure. It was the first feature
that met their needs, which at the moment were primarily concerned with integrating into their social
group. The infrastructure constructed and how embedded Apple products, particularly iPhones, are in
the everyday routines of people in Sweden are the sources of cultural impact. It's also possible that the
process of choosing a smartphone shifted from "Which phone should I buy?" to "Which iPhone
should I buy?" Because it is widely assumed that this particular brand meets the needs of its
customers in the most effective manner. Furthermore, product features and smartphone usage
influence students' purchasing intentions based on their mobile phone demands and how they utilise
the device. These need could occur as a result of factors such as connectivity and entertainment.
The impact of aspects such as social, financial, product attributes, and usage on the "Information
Search" stage of the decision-making process is quite important. Customers' buying decisions are
influenced by social factors while searching for information, as they weigh the opinions of individuals
who are close to them and have previous experience with the same brand or product. For example,
word-of-mouth can influence how potential customers learn about a smartphone. Second, the qualities
they're searching for in a product and how they use their phones are inextricably linked. Students
discuss what functions and features they would like to have while searching for information, and how
this connects to their smartphone usage. If a person uses their phone to take pictures, for example,
they will look for a smartphone with a good camera. The financial influence stems from the fact that
students are on a budget and are looking for the best alternative while looking for information.
When it comes to "Evaluation of alternatives," financial factors, product attributes, and usage are the
most important aspects that can influence a student's buying decision. The evaluation of alternatives
can be limited by financial or budget constraints. Students eliminate possible options that exceed their
initial financial intentions by assessing their budget constraints or insufficient revenue. Within this
stage of the customer decision-making process, product features and usage are linked to financial
factors. Students seek out the most appropriate option at the lowest possible cost. As a result, people
strive to maximise the value they receive while remaining mindful of their financial limits.
The perceived danger, financial influence, and location where students acquire their mobile phones all
influence the "Purchase Decision." Financial and performance risks are the perceived risks linked
with their buying intentions. It's vital to remember that any risk associated with the phone's
performance, such as physical damage, can result in a financial risk. For example, if someone's
phone's battery life is depleting and causing them inconvenience, they are immediately presented with
the decision of paying additional money to get their phone repaired or even considering purchasing a
new one. Furthermore, the store where students buy their iPhones is quite important. It's also linked to
their post-purchase behaviour, such as customer service and so on. In general, students' financial
decisions are influenced by both the area in which they would like to acquire their mobile device and
the perceived dangers associated with that purchase. Furthermore, when analysing prospective risks
and shops in order to make a buying decision, the budget effect is taken into account.
Brand loyalty has been regarded as a major influencing element in "post-purchase behaviour."
Students' post-purchase intentions, future relationships with the company, and repurchase behaviour
are all influenced by their level of devotion to the brand, in this case Apple. Customers who are loyal
to a brand can become brand ambassadors and influence the decisions of other potential customers.
This influencing element even alters the perception of students 45 when it comes to purchasing a
smartphone, as they appear to be exclusively interested in iPhone models and not other smartphone
companies.
 Conclusion

Apple is currently ranked first among the world's most innovative corporations in the contemporary
age. Apple is the type of firm that constantly innovates rather than following its competitors'
footsteps. When it comes to marketing strategy, Apple is a master at putting one together for their
products. Apple knows who its customers are and what they want.
Consumer purchasing behavior has never been simple, but understanding it is an essential
responsibility of marketing management, and the person who can do it properly emerges victorious.
That is why they can sell their high-priced goods so readily in today's market. According to the
research, Apple produced high-quality items with a high resale value. Apple products are expensive
and long-lasting. As a creative and innovative organization, it also offers outstanding after-sales
support. Furthermore, apple products are chosen by youth since they allow them to be creative while
also enhancing their life.
In Sweden, one of the key social factors that influenced the purchasing behaviour of the phone; it was
peer pressure. While in India it was reliability, social status and features. This shows that people in
India see all the characteristics and needs before buying. In Sweden, financial factors, product
attributes, and usage are the most important aspects that can influence a student's buying decision,
while in India it is touch and features. The purchase decision in Sweden is usually influenced by
financial influence, and location where students acquire their mobile phones; while in India it is word
of mouth and decision of themselves and parents. Both the university’s children are brand loyal.
Apple has been able to keep a number of loyal clients due to the constancy of its marketing efforts.
Despite a variety of technical restrictions, the company has been able to maintain high sales with the
support of strategic partners and extensive advertising. The company's original concepts have allowed
it to compete effectively against all other prospective market competitors. The business has employed
a variety of beautiful methods to market its items and reach out to distant clients. The company may
spend more money on online advertising to boost its services. This will not only cut costs, but it will
also allow the company to target a larger number of clients at once. The marketing mix of the
corporation is in line with its premium product development strategy. To broaden the consumer base,
the Pricing Strategy should be tweaked to include moderate and lower-income individuals.
 Recommendations

The company could bear in mind the market's current social factors and so connect all of its products
and services with the current trends. The economic crisis, reduced income, rising pricing, and so on
are all important elements that can influence a product's market desirability. The company could
target senior citizens because they are retired and thus have more time to read newspapers and watch
television. For this, advertisements must be geared at the elderly, showcasing phone specifications
that are primarily targeted at this demographic.
To keep consumers, the corporation could provide some free services in order to establish a trusting
connection with them. This will also help the firm improve its brand image in front of the other
potential customers.
The corporation might expand its operations to Asian regions, where there are several potential
buyers. Due to the existence of a large number of skilled and young workers, the corporation may be
able to expand its manufacturing units to these continents.
In order to provide a variety of unique ideas and technology to the market, the company could hire a
lot of young individuals to join its creative team. Customer needs vary throughout time, and these
creative minds are well-equipped to examine these shifts.
Because more people are using the internet these days, the company's website and related elements
should be improved. Apple Inc. might also put a lot of money into dealing with customers via internet
channels. This will improve the company's customer base as well as its brand image.
The firm's productivity is moderate, but market needs are rapidly expanding. To meet these demands,
the corporation might boost productivity by expanding into new markets and broadening its product
line to serve different market niches.
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