Abstract
Following an ecosystem perspective and drawing on the stimulus-organism-response model, this research examines how experiential stimuli, including consumers’ experiences with their smartphones, phone service providers, and smartphone applications affect satisfaction with smartphones, which then leads to referral behaviors. An online survey questionnaire was completed by 444 respondents, and structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed model. Findings recognize the stimulating role of experience with products and services (i.e., smartphone applications and service providers) that comprise the smartphone ecosystem, highlight the mediating role of satisfaction in the relationship between experiences and word-of-mouth (WOM) referrals, and shed light on the reciprocal power of WOM referrals in the context of smartphone satisfaction. As opposed to the majority of research focusing on smartphone adoption factors, the present research provides insights on post-adoption experiences of consumers with their smartphones. Moreover, the ecosystem view of the study moves beyond the mere phone features and considers the role of other technological products and services that interact with smartphone devices and shape consumers’ experiences with smartphones.