Globus An International Journal of Management & IT A Refereed Research Journal Vol 9 / No 2 / Jan-Jun 2018 ISSN: 0975-721X A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CONSUMER’S PERCEPTION TOWARDS XIAOMI AND OPPO SMARTPHONES *Himanshu Matta **Dr. Ruchika Gupta Abstract Introduction The Indian smartphone market is witnessing a Indians usually have negative perception boom with more and more mobile companies regarding Chinese products due to history of entering the third largest smartphone market of the dumping practices by China in India, however world. From domestic companies like Micromax to the situations have changed but still perception MNC’s like Samsung and Apple are taking the hasn’t completely changed. Xiaomi and Oppo advantage of growing demand. According to an are two famous Chinese smartphone brands in independent study from 2016 to January 2018 there the world but in Indians have different is 40% rise in internet users in India. perceptions about the two. This paper is intended to compare the consumer’s perception Consumer perception in simple terms is the towards Xiaomi and Oppo smartphones. Since viewpoint or notions that consumer forms about India is the 3rd largest smartphone market of the various brands. Perception is formed by seeing TV world, it is and attractive market for new brands ads, news about various brands, reading or like Oppo, Xiaomi, Oneplus etc. Consumer watching reviews, through word of mouth perception in simple terms is the viewpoint or marketing etc. With gradual boom of internet and notions that consumer forms about various mobile technologies people are attracted to social brands. Perception is formed by seeing TV media, YouTube, e-commerce etc. advertisements, news about various brands, reading or watching reviews, through word of Negative perception can lead to decline in brand mouth marketing etc. With gradual boom of image and sales for the firm, thus firms tries to alter internet and mobile technologies people are consumer perception towards positive side. When attracted to social media, YouTube, e-commerce Samsung’s Note 7 mobile’s battery was exploding etc. Negative perception can lead to decline in causing harm to users, Samsung lost millions due brand image and sales for the firm, thus firms to bad publicity. tries to alter consumer perception towards positive side. Comparison between the Xiaomi Inc. is a Chinese electronics company consumer’s perception towards Xiaomi and having headquarter at Beijing. It blueprints, Oppo smartphones is done using questionnaire develops, and sells smartphones, mobile survey method and analysis and results are apps, laptops and related consumer electronics. presented through pie charts. The study reveals Xiaomi had been named China's largest the contrasting perception between two brands smartphone company in 2014. As of the start of with Xiaomi having positive perception and second quarter of 2018, Xiaomi has become the Oppo having somewhat negative. world's fourth largest smartphone manufacturer. Xiaomi is expanding to other Keywords: Oppo Smartphones, Xiaomi countries such as Indonesia, Smartphones, Consumer Perception, Chinese the Philippines and South Africa. Xiaomi is the Smartphones, YouTube Marketing. world's 4th most valuable technology start-up after it received US$1.1 billion funding from investors. (wikipedia, 2018) Oppo Electronics Corporation is a Chinese consumer electronics and mobile communication company, manufacturing smartphones, Blu- ray players and other electronic devices. Oppo was the top smartphone brand in China during the year 2016 and was ranked number four worldwide. This study is done to compare the consumer perception towards Xiaomi and Oppo. * Research Scholar (Management), Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India **Asssociate Professor, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India 1 Literature Review thereafter identify the factors responsible for Grunert (2005) defined perceived quality as formation of such perception. assumption of good functionality. Purchase intention is modified by the perceived quality, Data Collection Tool higher the perceived quality, higher the purchase This study is done with both secondary and intention. According to Yang and Wang (2010), primary data. perceived quality is impacting the consumer buying intention as one of the most important factor. The tools used to analyse the data are pie charts and tables. Aaker (1991) and Keller (1993) stated that “brand awareness is the most important factor for brand Area of the Study equity”. Keller (1993) said that brand awareness is For this study the respondents will be randomly the leading factor that influence the buying selected in the NCR region. intention of the customers. This has been supported by Macdonald and Sharp (2000) by Research Approach stating that aware consumers buying intention is For this study, questionnaire method is used for more likely to be stimulated. collecting data. Mobile phone features are the set of function, attributes and applications that able to contrast the Sampling Technique and Sample Size product from the other products of competitors Convenience sampling method is be used and Vigneron & Johnson, (2004). Isiklar and sample size is 30 Buyukozkan (2007) had carried out a study on “the consumers’ preferences on buying mobile phones” Data Analysis and Interpretation and they revealed that features are majorly been 85% of respondents belonging to age group of 18- used to compare the products and had a major 25 considers Xiaomi as Genuine good feature influence on the purchase decision of the phone and 15% of them considers Xiaomi as consumers. Value for money brand. As per Babin, Babin and Boles (1999), in their paper identified the importance of purchase Respondents Age Wise (age intention in making final purchase decision group of 18-25) Research Methodology 0 0 Type of Research 15 This research is a descriptive research as we describe the effectiveness of digital marketing on consumer perception and brand repositioning with special reference to smartphone industry. 85 Objectives of Study To compare the consumer perception of Xiaomi and Opp smartphone brands. To compare the consumer perception of male Value for money brand and female about Xiaomi and Opp smartphone brands Genuine good feature phone To compare the consumer perception of different age groups about Xiaomi and Opp smartphone brands Fig-1 To identify the factors which led to formation of such perception of both brands. Table-1 Rationale of Study Option No. of Respondents Perception plays significant role in consumer buying behavior, thus this study will compare the C 12 perception towards two Chinese smartphones d 3 brands which are quite popular in India and 2 71% of respondents belonging to age group of 25- Table-3 35 considers Xiaomi as Genuine good feature phone and 15% of them considers Xiaomi as Value for money brand while 14% considers it 1. Option No. of Respondents A 2 C 2 Respondents Age Wise D 1 (age group of 25-35) 0 25% of respondents belonging to age group of above 45 considers Xiaomi as Genuine good 14 feature phone and 15% of them considers Xiaomi 15 as Value for money brand while 60% considers it 71 Cheap alternative to Apple iPhone. Respondents Age Wise Genuine good feature phone (age group of above 45 ) Value for money brand Cheap alternative to Apple iPhone 0 Fig-2 25 Table-2 60 15 Option No. of Respondents a 1 c 1 d 4 40% of respondents belonging to age group of 35- 45 considers Xiaomi as Genuine good feature phone and 20% of them considers Xiaomi as Value for money brand while 40% considers it Genuine good feature phone Cheap alternative to Apple iPhone. Value for money brand Cheap alternative to Apple iPhone Respondents Age Wise (age group of 35-45) Fig-4 0 Table-4 40 40 Option No. of Respondents a 3 20 c 1 d 1 Genuine good feature phone 76% of respondents belonging to age group of 18- 25 considers Oppo as Use and throw brand and Value for money brand 24% of them considers Oppo as Cheap alternative Cheap alternative to Apple iPhone to Apple iPhone Fig-3 3 Table-6 Respondents Age Wise (age group of 18-25 ) Option No. of Respondents a 1 0 0 c 1 24 d 4 19% of respondents belonging to age group of 35- 45 considers Oppo as Genuine good feature phone 76 and 81% of them considers Oppo as Use and throw brand. Respondents Age Wise (age Use and throw brand group of 35-45 ) Cheap alternative to Apple iPhone Fig-5 Table-5 0 0 Option No. of Respondents 19 a 4 b 11 81 71% of respondents belonging to age group of 25- 35 considers Oppo as Use and throw brand and 15% of them considers Oppo as Value for money brand while 14% considers it Cheap alternative to Apple iPhone. Respondents Age Wise (age group of 25-35 ) Genuine good feature phone Use and throw brand 0 14 Fig-7 15 Table-7 71 Option No. of Respondents b 4 c 2 66% of respondent’s perception is formed due to Family and friends’ reviews while 11% due to Personal usage experience while 23% are Use and throw brand influenced by YouTube reviews. Value for money brand Cheap alternative to Apple iPhone Fig-6 4 Table-9 Respondents source of perception formation Option No. of Respondents Wise a 27 b 3 0 23 65% of women recommended Oppo while 7% recommended None and 28% Xiaomi 11 66 Respondents recommended brand Due to Family and friends’ reviews Due to Personal usage experience (Female) Influenced by YouTube reviews Fig-8 0 Table-8 28 Option No. of Respondents a 19 7 65 b 3 c 8 90% of respondents recommended Xiaomi while only 10% recommended Oppo Respondents recommended brand Oppo None Xiaomi 0 0 Fig-10 10 Table-10 Option No. of Respondents 90 a 4 b 7 c 1 65% of men recommended Xiaomi while 10% Xiaomi Oppo recommended none and 25% Oppo Fig-9 5 throw brand and 15% of them considers Oppo as Respondents Value for money brand while 14% considers it Cheap alternative to Apple iPhone and 19% of recommended respondents belonging to age group of 35-45 considers Oppo as Genuine good feature phone brand (Male) and 81% of them considers Oppo as Use and throw brand.