The Effect of Consumers' Online Buying Behaviors on Nomophobia: Generation Z Research

Abstract

Purpose – Smartphones, which have become a part of daily life, have become a necessity, an indispensable tool for people rather than a necessity. With the ever-evolving technologies, smartphones fulfill many functions for consumers. The phenomenon of nomophobia, which is one of the main variables of the study, has entered the literature as the fear of staying away from smartphones, which has become a habit. Within the scope of the research, besides the psychological reasons that trigger nomophobia, it was investigated whether the changing purchasing behaviors of consumers are among the influential factors. Design/methodology/approach – The research model is based on whether online purchasing performance affects nomophobia. Online purchase was measured on the purchase impulse and online repurchase intention variables. The research sample was determined using a simple random sampling method among university students living in Ankara. The effect of online purchasing behaviors on nomophobia was analyzed by applying exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis to the data set. Findings – As a result of the analysis, it was seen that the online purchasing behaviors of smartphone users, especially in the Z generation, are among the factors affecting nomophobia. Discussion – It has been concluded that online purchasing behaviors, an important issue for marketing professionals, affect smart device addiction at a certain level. Businesses and brands that want to establish an emotional and lasting bond with their consumers can develop new strategies that will strengthen online purchasing and mobile device use in line with the results of the study.