Samsung Note 7 - An Unprecedented Recall That Created History: Exploding Phones Recovered – Exploded Trust?

Abstract

This study aims at reviewing the literature to explore the reasons and rationale of buyer’s preference of one particular brand over the other one in high-tier smart phones industry. This shall be linked to the recent issues faced by Samsung concerning the Note 7 explosions, causing a great monetary and a greater non-monetary loss the global electronics giant. Studying and building Note 7 case adds more variables to the initially reviewed literature regarding brand preferences of consumers in high-tier smart phones industry. Determinants and drivers of decision-making and preferences were explored using the Systematic Literature Review approach. Thereafter, customer dissatisfaction variables from Note 7 incidents were explored and analysed. Two equations were added up to generate and extend f indings. Three major factors were identif ied including Quality, Consistency and Care for Customers. The concluded outcome of the study limited to be utilized primarily for studying high tier smart phone industry but a glimpse of it can also be shadowed upon high tier and niche market brands. This paper is the first of its kind case study on a first of its kind incident that happened with Note 7 – one of the most talked about cases of 2016 and can be used as stepping stone for further analysis into this or similar cases.