Marka İmajının Satın Alma Niyetine Etkisinde Müşteri Tatmininin Aracı Rolü: Üniversite Öğrencileri Üzerine Bir Araştırma (The Mediating Role of Customer Satisfaction in the Effect of Brand Image on Purchase Intention: A Study on the University Students)

In the global world smart phone brands become different by using their functional features with the effect of technological developments. The customers, on the other hand, choose brands that they find close to them according to their purchase intention. Previous studies in order to explain the purchasing intention of the customers have mostly been conducted on psychological, demographic, and perceptual factors. Since the customers consider the goods and services, they intend to purchase over the brand image, it is important for the firms to maintain a customer satisfaction-based relationship. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of brand image on purchase intention through the role of the mediating variable of customer satisfaction for university students using smart phones. In this research, survey data were obtained from 352 students selected from a foundation university in Istanbul with the convenient sampling method. First, descriptive statistical analyzes were made with the data obtained, then the validity and reliability of the scales used in the study were tested. Correlation analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between variables. In order to test the research hypotheses, process macro was used. The results of the analysis showed that brand image significantly and positively affects purchase intention and customer satisfaction has a full mediating role in this relationship. It is considered that the research findings will expand the literature on purchase intention and attract the attention of firms operating in the smart phone industry.