ali birston's blog

Iphone or Blackberry? It is tricky question that I’m sure almost every consumer looking to invest in a new phone has asked themselves or their friends at least once in their decision making process.

Since a phone may be classified as a shopping good and requires a certain degree of financial and psychological risk, I knew that when personally making this decision it was going to require quite an extensive search for information. The only two phones that were part of my evoked set and that I was actually considering as my alternatives were of course the two most popular: the iPhone or the Blackberry. First things first, I needed the facts.  I began my research process internally by examining my prior knowledge and experiences with both of the products, and then quickly moved on to my external search by asking people I knew and trusted.

Of the many influencing factors, my social reference groups were certainly the most significant. I got mixed reviews from friends, however was very biased right off the bat from my family’s rave reviews of the iPhone. Of course there were other factors that were a part of my evaluative criteria and that influenced me as well. The design of the apple phone is much more unique and the promotions are quite impressive to say the least. My busy student lifestyle also factored into the equation as it is crucial that I be able to have the necessary applications and texting functionality. The price wasn’t really an issue as it was going to be a gift, however, contract promotions from different companies made certain options more affordable.

With so many things to consider, the decision was a tough one, but when it came down to the final purchase decision the winner was………

The iPhone.

One month later and I can honestly say I’m one satisfied consumer. No post-purchase dissonance for me!