A Model on the Factors that Drives the Smartphone Demand from the Retailer’s Perspective, Thrissur
Karthik Illikkottil1, AvinashShivdas2
1Karthik Illikkottil, Department of Management, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam, India.
2Avinash Shivdas, Department of Management, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam, India.
Manuscript received on 20 April 2019 | Revised Manuscript received on 27 May 2019 | Manuscript published on 30 May 2019 | PP: 1811-1816 | Volume-8 Issue-1, May 2019 | Retrieval Number: A2176058119/19©BEIESP
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: Purpose Mobile phone markets in India is witnessing one of the most challenging phases in its evolution. The economic growth added with the rise in disposable income has seen consumers demand more smartphones than in the past. To keep up with this demand companies are expanding and developing their distributional channels across rural and urban India. Though there have been several studies on the consumer purchase side, there has been scant research on the role of the retailer. This study aims at understanding the factors that drive the demand of smartphones from the perspective of retailers and their ecosystem Design/methodology/approach – to evaluate the role of actors including the retailers in the ecosystem, a holistic approach is needed. Systems theory was found suitable to evaluate the interactions and the roles of players in this ecosystem. The interview method was adopted to develop the model and understand the nuances of the interactions between the actors. Findings – Evaluating factors based from literature as well as interview transcripts, it was seen that trade margins, functional value of smartphones, inventory turnover and brand awareness were major factors propelling demand among retailers. Originality/value – This study advances the body of knowledge by presenting drivers of demand for smartphones from the retailer perspective, which is under researched, especially in the emerging market context. The implications from this study could serve as a platform for future research in similar economies and further shed light on influencing factors that could aid in enhancing market development activities for practitioners. Further the emerging market context of the study provides insights to industry and academia to advance research in This study provides insights on the factors which have an effect on the increased demand of certain smartphone brands from the retailer side and can be a basis to understand the strategies which mobile brands follows to adopt for increased penetration in Indian market. This study concentrates on the retailer’s perspective and only limited studies have been done on this.
Keywords: Market Trends India, Systems Theory, Smartphones, Retailers
Scope of the Article: E-Commerce