Mediating Role of Consumer Involvement in the Relationship between Marketing Stimuli and Consumer Purchase Behavior

Abstract

This study has applied the claims of the S-O-R model regarding consumer purchase behavior and investigates the impact of marketing stimuli on the purchase behavior of Smartphone users. To add value to the concept; researchers have conceptualized consumer involvement as a mediator in the relationship between marketing stimuli and consumer purchase behavior. Marketing stimuli are external marketing components and include factors such as product characteristics, pricing, processes, personnel, tangible evidence, and promotion. In this connection, a quantitative and deductive approach has been employed to conduct cross-sectional primary data. To underline the phenomenon, a sample of 425 smartphone users has responded through a self-administered questionnaire. Based on theory and prior literature, hypotheses are generated in order to test through AMOS. In this regard, a measurement model was established while setting all the thresholds of the model. Finally, a structural model was then tested with the aim to test the hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that marketing stimuli have a positive impact on both consumer involvement and purchase behavior. Whereas consumer involvement does mediate the relationship between marketing stimuli and consumer purchase behavior. This research provides a deep insight into the use of marketing stimuli in studying consumers’ purchase behavior. Further research can be conducted by observing the impact of various social-culture aspects on customer behavior, also, different marketing factors, such as promotion, people, venue, and procedures, could be used as dimensions of marketing stimuli to increase the study's exposure and yield diverse outcomes.