Title: Brand switching through marketing mix: the role of brand effect on smartphone users

Authors: Salmi Mohd Isa; Lai Kelly; Shaian Kiumarsi

Addresses: Graduate School of Business (GSB), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang, 11800, Malaysia ' Graduate School of Business (GSB), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang, 11800, Malaysia ' Graduate School of Business (GSB), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang, 11800, Malaysia

Abstract: This study examines the role of marketing mix on brand switching among Malaysian smartphone users. It also investigates the mediating role of brand effect on the relationship between marketing mix (namely product, price, place and promotion), service, and brand switching. It uses a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from 304 participants, and their responses were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and smart partial least squares (SmartPLS). Evidence from the study reveals that price and promotion have effects on brand switching towards smartphones. It also shows that brand effect partly mediates the connections between product, price and brand switching towards smartphones. Although the Samsung brand remains the market leader in the smartphone industry in Malaysia, empirical research on the nexus between marketing mix and brand switching in Malaysia remains very scanty. Despite some limitations of this study that could affect its generalisability, it enhances marketers' understanding of the marketing mix, which should receive adequate attention to attract smartphone users to switch to their brands. It also provides marketers with the knowledge of usage behaviours of Malaysia smartphone users which could be useful for launching new models that suit the preferences of smartphone users.

Keywords: marketing mix; brand effect; brand switch; smartphone.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPMB.2020.107940

International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking, 2020 Vol.10 No.3, pp.419 - 438

Received: 11 Jul 2017
Accepted: 18 Apr 2018
Published online: 01 Jul 2020 *

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