The Latest and Greatest

The Latest and Greatest:

A Study into Students Unquenchable Compulsion to Upgrade Electronics

David E. Whipple

Dixie State College

Abstract

This research examines the need by college students to upgrade their electronic devices to the latest models, and what trigger points cause this to occur. The author shows that male and female student consumers, when faced with dead, dying or outdated electronic devices, are destined to obtain the newest technology; not only for the functionality improvements often created by advertising methods, but also the desire to maintain the most up-to-date representation of that item. The author examines the differences between male and female students when making the choices of upgrading their electronic devices. Finally, the author demonstrates the propensity for students to feel dissonance when they realize their device has died, or ceased to be functional as required for school or work.

Keywords: student, electronic, devices, trigger-points, upgrade, technology, gratification, dissonance, buyer’s remorse, gender differences

The Latest and Greatest:

A Study into Students Unquenchable Compulsion to Upgrade Electronics

Introduction

Student consumers encounter a barrage of marketing ploys to induce the purchase of goods and services through media, salespeople, retail outlets, mail and electronic devices. Some purchases are a necessity of life, like food, shelter, tuition, and text books; while others are pure temptations, such as cell phones, computers, clothes, and vacations. In addition to this bombardment by advertisers for new item purchases, are the cunning strategies by companies to create a desire to discard perfectly functioning products, in order to upgrade to the latest and greatest. Peer pressure is also a factor, which influences demand to maintain status equality with ones social group. A consumer segment that is heavily affected by this compulsion for constant new technology is college students....