UK: Brand experience a more important factor than price deals when buying a phone

Seven in ten consumers in the UK say that a good previous experience with a brand influences their choice when buying a new handset, according to YouGov data. This makes it the most important influencing factor in the UK, even surpassing cost-related factors such as good deals on the phone’s price (51%) and value for money (50%).

The extent to which prior brand experience sways consumer decisions isn’t too surprising given how mature the smartphone market is, with high loyalty rates for many brands.

But the importance placed on these factors by UK consumers can vary quite considerably depending on demographic factors such as age group and gender.

Younger consumers – those aged 18 - 34 – are much less likely than members of the middle-aged (35-49) and older (50+) age groups to emphasise each of the top three factors nationwide. For instance, only three-fifths of young consumers rate a “previous good experience with a brand” as a factor influencing their purchase (62%) as opposed to three-fourths of the members of the older age groups (74%).

Interestingly, younger consumers are far likelier to have their phone purchase decisions influenced by recommendations or reviews. Three-tenths of them say hearing or reading good things about a handset can help determine their choice (31%), and by comparison only 17% of those aged over 50 indicate the same.

Consumers aged 18-34 are also almost twice as likely as those aged over 50 to have their handset purchase decisions swayed by exclusive promotions and offers (17% vs 9%). They are also much likelier to indicate that adverts have an impact on their decision (6% vs 3% of those aged 35-49 and 1% of those aged 50+).

Differences between men and women are relatively narrow for each influencing factor asked about. The noticeable exception comes with respect to recommendations by friends and family. Women are seven percentage-points likelier than men to rate this as a factor that sways their smartphone purchase decision (22% vs 15%).

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Methodology

YouGov Telco Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for the US is nationally representative of the online population and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race. Learn more about Profiles. 

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