5. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION
5.3. Evaluation of the Study
5.3.3. Suggestions for Future Studies and Implications
While this study has attempted to study the differences of buying behavior for smartwatches from smartwatch owners and non-owners, other approaches can be considered as well. The topic could have been also studied with a quantitative approach to generate a higher amount of data. This study can be taken further by studying the
influence of culture and psychological factors which affects consumer buying behavior and then to see if there are differences between both groups
This study can be beneficial for businesses that market smartwatches or other wearables since it provides more in-depth data. The data did not only show the factors that
influence a person, but it showed also their reasons why it influenced them for example the trust, experience and product knowledge of friends and families. Another
implication is that between smartwatch owners and non-owners there were no
significant differences. The main reason for most participants was their lifestyle such as health and hobbies. Managers in marketing could for example use this information to give their product a better lifestyle image or market in that way. Sine social influence was mentioned by all participants the smartwatch producers could develop their smartwatches in a way that they motivate users of that device to find new people who could be a potential future smartwatch owner.
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APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1. Coding of Interviews
This table shows the codes from each interviewees interview.
Michael Benjamin Annette Julia Eric Sophia
Comparison with a regular watch
watch
hobbies had
student, not much money would pay more if more money was available for a better design material, durability comfortable use for hobbies and activities playful, enjoyable reaching personal goals ambition to reach goals
APPENDIX 2. Codes with Themes and Subthemes
This table presents the grouping of codes and the development of themes and subthemes.
Theme: Social influence
Informed by friend
asks friend for opinion
family member
Trusting the sister
noticed the watch first on family members
family first more trust and closer same interest
use for hobbies and activities
functions nice to have
playful, enjoyable
reminding to be more active
Displaying data, functions
reminding to be more active
thinks that it helps to
smartwatch
trust in family member
uncle had more experience
Friend has experience with smartwatches
uncle was
satisfied with the watch trust because of experience because of the trend
learn how body works, less a regular watch Distance tracking seeing the data
receive data faster and easier
buy a watch to get information
device with many functions
innovative
habits because he must wear it
Makes life easier
Subtheme: have been fine
would pay more if more money was available for a better design
material, one because of daily use Easier to carry
Smartwatch is handier More accessibility
not much money
student, not much money
good income, less care for price
no difference on income
Higher income would buy a better phone
Subtheme: Age and life cycle stage
Codes:
no usage in younger age
hobbies had changed
useful for the past as well
Preferred to buy a smartwatch young
More time for sports at younger age
At a young age more active universal for age
Subtheme:
Occupation Codes:
Operating system important
Prefer high quality hardware
Smartwatch is more as a nice extra
To consider durability
Open for a better watch
Invest in quality usefulness color material resistance
work, checking activity
walk a lot at work
controlling the walked distance
time span of wearing the watch
work condition (sitting much) using at work For the job useful for work
work was main reason
checking email useful at work
Would be distraction at work
Skills more valued at his job
Smartwatch would not benefit his career beneficial for work
APPENDIX 3. Themes and Subthemes and Interviewees Quotes
This Table shows the themes and its subthemes. In addition, the interviewees with their quotes are presented here.
Themes: Social Influence
Michael Benjamin Annette
Reference Group (Subtheme)
“Yes, I have informed myself first from a friend who used his smartwatch for triathlon. He showed and explained to me the functions of the watch . I then asked him which watch he would recommend there are many good ones for a much cheaper price”
“In my family my uncle has a
smartwatch as well…
He then showed me his watch and the functions of it and told me that he is very satisfied”
“I considered my uncles opinion because I trusted him more and he used the watch already for quite a long time and he was very happy with it . I would also say that he spent more time showing me the functions and the watch in general.
The watch I have now is actually the same my uncle has.”
“I have friends who use a smartwatch…
They think that the watch helped them to motivate them to train harder and better . One of my friends recommended me one watch
especially for traveling which I like to do”
“I saw my friend how he changed his life . He was more active, he got into better condition, and was happier with his life.
In connection with that he started to pay attention to what he is eating. The opinion of my friend was important to me because he is a good friend of mine and he has similar hobbies like me . So I
preferred his opinion because of his experiences”
“During my 1st year at university (2011) I remember that many students started to own one and I became curious about it”
“many friends and my sister had a smartwatch long before me. I asked my sister and she told me that a good smartwatch has to have a good battery performance to work continuously”
“Actually I’ve asked the opinion of my sister because she is really passionate about smartwatches and modern
technologies so I thought she could suggest me which kind of smartwatch I could buy and about what I had to focus to make my choice. “
Role and Status (Subtheme)
“Since I have my daughter I started to take more care of myself to stay
healthy. So I think she was somehow a reason as well”
“I think I want for me and for my partner a better and healthier life. When you don´t get very sick, you don´t need your partner to take care of you”
Theme: Personal Influence
Lifestyle (Subtheme) “The main reason for me to buy a that watch was to record my running sessions from my training , so I can see if I have improved myself from each training sessions with the purpose to prepare myself for the half marathon with the targeted time I had set to reach which was under 1 hour and a half”
“looking for a simple watch for running, which tracks my running sessions , and which shows me my pace-time while running a half-marathon”
“Yes, I considered my hobbies and activities, I started to go jogging more and I have participated in some marathons before as well . I considered it because I wanted to keep track on my jogging and the watch would be a helpful tool to do so. It is also a playful tool for me”
“My wife and I like to travel and go hiking”
“I use the watch for diving as well”
“I think I want for me and for my partner a better and healthier life. When you don´t get very sick, you don´t need your partner to take care of you”
“My curiosity was in what good or bad condition am I”
“If you check your information on the smartwatch, and you see for example there is something wrong with you pulse, then you can go to the doctor before something bad happens”
“How my pulse is changing, when I´m at Work or at sports and how good or bad is my sleep”
“Another reason was to motivate me to do sports and to lose weight”
“I use to listen to the music when I’m doing sport and my
smartwatch that can connect via Bluetooth to my headphones and this allows me to practice sport without carrying my phone”
Personality (Subtheme)
“The watch also shows me how many
“My curiosity was in what good or bad
“I do consider myself a person capable of
steps I should do per day and I try to reach that goal each day”
“I am a target-oriented person and the smartwatch helps me to reach such targets at least in my hobbies. My personal characteristics would be my ambition to reach my targets and goals. “
condition am I”
“I was interested how my body would react to different activities”
doing more than one thing at the same time, then my smartwatch is as multitasking as me ! I’ve considered to buy a smartwatch to have the possibility to better organize my daily routine”
Economic situation (Subtheme)
“Once in while I was checking on ebay… I waited for a cheap offer on ebay and bought it when I found the perfect offer”
“I wanted to have a good watch that would be cheap as possible . That is why i have looked for a second-hand watch on ebay. I looked for a cheap watch at this time because I did not have much money invest in such a watch”
“Yes I considered my income at that time , that’s why I looked for a cheap watch. At this time I was a student and did not have a lot of money “
“If I would have had more money, I think I would have bought a watch of a more expensive price class from the same brand or maybe from another brand, which would look more
“Since I earn well at my job I did not care so much about the price, I wanted to have a watch with good quality and functions”
“I did not consider my income otherwise I would have bought a cheap one , if my income would have been higher this would have not made any difference because I thought that it was a good investment for my daily life”
elegant”
Age and life cycle stage (Subtheme)
“Since I have my daughter I started to take more care of myself to stay
healthy. So I think she was somehow a reason as well”
“I would not have bought the smartwatch at a younger age because I was not running that much or that
intensive as I do now.
I also wasn’t running marathons so there was no need to prepare for it as well”
“Younger because I think it is better when you learn how your body is working. So, you can´t get any problems when you are older . When you are old it is difficult to change bad habits”
“Probably I would have considered to buy a smartwatch when I was younger because for example, a smartwatch would have been helpful during my studies at university as well as it’s useful now with my work”
“I did not consider the work as a reason to buy a smartwatch.
But I am using it there watch can remind you to be more active . As a supervisor in a supermarket I have to walk a lot , so at the end of the day I can check from my watch how many kilometers I walked in a day. I did not consider my job when I bought the watch”
“I bought my first smartwatch when I’ve started to work because I found its functions useful because they help me to organize my activities in an easy way”
“Sure! I use it especially during my work because it helps me to schedule my day . I would say I considered my workplace as the main reason when I bought it… my smartwatch helps me to report my work-progress daily and check my emails”
Theme: Product attribute Functionality (Subtheme)
“…to see phone calls, read text messages, view calendar or the weather as well as my own activities such as heart frequency and counted steps”
“If you check your information on the smartwatch, and you see for example there is something wrong with you pulse, then you can go to the
“I bought my first smartwatch when I’ve started to work because I found its functions useful because they help me to organize my
“…which shows me my pace-time…”
“The watch also shows me how many steps I should do per day and I try to reach that goal each day”
“It is also a playful smartwatch I could see the distance we walked as well as the height meter . Also, afterwards the watch could display me the data of my trips”
activities in an easy way”
“…my smartwatch helps me to report my work-progress daily and check my emails”
“my smartwatch is connected with my phone and I find it really useful when I receive a call but my phone is on silent mode. In that case my smartwatch vibrates when I receive a call in order to allow me to answer in time.”
“I’ve looked for a smartwatch that was completely
compatible with my computer and my phone to transfer and share documents, pictures or other files
“ there are many good ones for a much cheaper price”
“The one I have right now, most of it is plastic which is not that robust but the good thing is that I do not feel it much when I wear it
This part shows the themes with its subthemes. Furthermore, the table shows the three interviewees without smartwatch with their quotes.
Themes: Social specifically asked for her opinion because she has experience and could let me try the watch”
“I would consider the opinion of my friend. He knows smartwatches quite well so he can give me recommendations”
“First hand users
“First hand users