Influencing Factors in the Purchase Decision of iPhone X

This report discusses the decision making process of purchasing an iPhone X, including the influencing factors, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, brand personality, and decision making process. It also highlights the importance of price and post-purchase evaluation.

Marketing and Management
Iphone X

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Introduction
Buying decisions are often crucial and a lot of thought goes into deciding what to buy. There are
several factors that influence a consumer’s buying decisions including the price of the product,
the need for the product as well as several influencing factors (Sen, 2014). These influencing
factors motivate people to buy a certain product. This report highlights upon the decision making
process of a recent purchase of an iPhone X.
Brief description of the product
IPhone X is a flagship product of the brand Apple Inc. which has been launched recently. The
phone costs AU$ 1829. I specifically bought the 256GB variant because I tend to download a lot
of applications. The phone is available in silver and space grey colour. Of the two, I bought the
space grey model. The phone is operating on iOS 12 which is the latest operating system of the
brand.
Influencer to buy this product
The biggest influencer for me to buy this product was my friend who had been convincing me to
switch to an iPhone from an android device. He bought the iPhone X on the day of launch. I even
tried using his mobile a few times. Even though it was difficult to switch because of the
difference in two platforms, I felt that this operating system was more user friendly. After using
his phone, I finally decided to buy the phone.

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The second major influencer was social media. A lot of my friends had bought the phone and
were speaking very highly of it. I am an avid Instagram user and I truly felt the high quality
pictures that can be clicked using an iPhone’s camera. Therefore I decided to go for the product.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Maslow has given a hierarchy of needs that must be fulfilled for an individual (Robertson, 2016).
My new phone plays an active role in fulfilling my social and esteem needs. The phone helps me
stay connected with my friends. Many of friends had iPhone from before. After buying the phone
I could connect with them over facetime or share files via iCloud. The new phone also plays a
vital role in fulfilling my esteem needs. Carrying an iPhone and specifically the latest model
becomes a status symbol. It is automatically a matter of privilege and hence this phone fulfils my
need for esteem and respect.
Brand personality of the product
Brand personality refers to the set of human characteristics of the product (Peretz & Supphellen,
2015). There are several attributes and characteristics that can be attributed to the iPhone. Few of
these characteristics include liberty, freedom, innovation, passion, hopes, dreams and aspirations.
Using an iPhone is an experience. Owning an iPhone is a matter of pride and honour. iPhone has
built a solid community of its very loyal users. The sense of belongingness that comes from
being a part of this community is an important aspect of the brand’s personality (Safa & Daraei,
2016).
The iPhone is so creatively curated and is a strong sign of innovation. Every few months Apple
launches a new model of the iPhone with some significant changes. These improvements depict

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innovation and smartness. The hard work that goes behind the consistent creativity offered by
Apple solidly reflects upon iPhone’s brand personality.
Decision making process
There are several steps that eventually lead to a customer making a purchase decision. My
decision making process regarding the purchase of iPhone involves the following steps:
Need Recognition: In the first step, the need to buy the product is identified (Solomon et. al.,
2014). I had been using my previous phone for over two years and now it had become really
slow therefore I needed the change.
Search for information: In order to search information, I researched on Google regarding
different phones. However, I needed to speak to people and get firsthand information. This is
when I reached out to my friends and tried to understand about the phones they were currently
using.
Evaluation of alternatives: After speaking to my friends, I shortlisted three phones that I could
choose from. The first one was the iPhone X, the second one was Google’s Pixel 2 and the third
one was Samsung’s Galaxy S8 plus. After shortlisting the three options, I tried analysing them in
terms of specifications, price, looks and service offered by the brand.
Purchase decision: After evaluating the alternatives, I decided to stick to iPhone and give it a
try. This was the first time that I was buying an iPhone and hence was new to the operating
system. I researched a lot and realized that buying an iPhone was the best option given my
preferences. I was bored of using android and hence needed a change. I felt that the operating
system was highly user friendly.

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Price is a major factor impacting the purchase decision of a customer (Hammond et. al., 2015).
iPhone X is priced higher than the other alternatives. Even so, I felt that the product offered was
worth the price that I was paying. Several of my friends also motivated me to buy the phone.
Based on my personal research as well as the influence of those around me, I finally made the
decision to buy an iPhone.
Post-purchase evaluation: I have been using the phone for about two months now. I am
completely satisfied with the product’s offering. There were several expectations that I had
before buying the product and all those expectations have been fulfilled. The camera quality is
excellent and the operating system provides a distinct ease of use. Connecting with friends over
FaceTime, iCloud and iMessage has added a cherry on the cake.
Conclusion
Buying a new product requires a strong thought process, research and sometimes influence of
external parties. This report throws light on my critical decision of buying a new phone which
was iPhone X. My friends as well as the brand personality associated with the iPhone were
strong motivators for me to buy the phone. After significant usage and a thorough analysis, I am
completely satisfied with the product and would surely recommend to others.

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References
Hammond, J. S., Keeney, R. L., & Raiffa, H. (2015). Smart choices: A practical guide to making
better decisions. Harvard Business Review Press.
Peretz, A., & Supphellen, M. (2015). Brand Personality and the Utilitarian Brand. In Marketing
in Transition: Scarcity, Globalism, & Sustainability (pp. 406-406). Springer, Cham.
United Kingdom.
Robertson, F. (2016). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In Gower Handbook of Internal
Communication (pp. 143-148). Routledge. United Kingdom.
Safa, L., & Daraei, M. R. (2016). Determining the Relationship between Brand Personality and
Brand Loyalty in Tehran, Iran: Case of iPhone Smartphone. International Journal of
Research in Management, (6), 17-18.
Sen, R. A. (2014). A Study of the Impact of Green Marketing Practices on Consumer Buying
Behaviour in Kolkata. International Journal of Management and Commerce
Innovations, 2(1), 61-70.
Solomon, M. R., Dahl, D. W., White, K., Zaichkowsky, J. L., & Polegato, R. (2014). Consumer
behavior: Buying, having, and being (Vol. 10). London: Pearson.