| abstract |
| Background The home appliance market has recently experienced significant growth, largely driven by the millennial generation. This demographic’s quest for a balanced work-life dynamic has spurred increased interest in home appliances. While extensive research exists on millennial consumers in general, there remains a notable gap in understanding their specific behaviors and attitudes towards purchasing home appliances, particularly in the context of household management. This study aims to delve deeply into the millennial generation's household management behaviors, focusing on their usage patterns and decision-making processes when acquiring home appliances.
Methods Given the scarcity of research on usage behavior and purchasing patterns related to household appliances, this study employs a qualitative approach. Participants were selected based on their birth year, experience in purchasing household appliances, and the quantity of appliances they acquired. Through in-depth interviews with 30 individuals, we sought to unravel the intricacies of the millennial generation's household appliance purchasing process. The data was analyzed using a grounded theory framework.
Results This study revealed that millennials exhibit distinct approaches to purchasing home appliances, influenced by their involvement in household management. Participants were grouped based on their levels of household management, and their responses were analyzed to construct a paradigm model. A key characteristic of millennials is their desire to minimize effort in mundane tasks. This is evident in the appliance choices of those with lower household management levels, where factors like technological features, cost, design, and brand loyalty are pivotal. The information search process among millennials is both hedonic and proactive, often guided by peer recommendations and familial experiences. Positive post-purchase experiences include efficient time management, technological engagement, and improved hygiene standards. Conversely, negative experiences often relate to dissatisfaction with after-sales service and functionality discrepancies. Responses to these experiences range from partial replacements to seeking alternative products.
Conclusion This study sheds light on several aspects: First, millennials often perceive household management as a burden, influencing their expectations from home appliances, especially regarding AI technology for self-diagnosis, automation, and hygiene. Second, those with lower household management standards prefer collecting and comparing diverse information sources for convenience features. In contrast, those with higher household management standards, demonstrating greater self-efficacy, tend to rely on abbreviated comparisons. Limitations of this study include the lack of consideration for the COVID-19 pandemic's impact, as the research was conducted pre-outbreak and the absence of a generational and household-type comparative analysis. |
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| Key Words |
| 근거이론 방법, 밀레니얼 세대, 생활가전, Grounded Theory, Millennial Generation, Home Appliance |
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