IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/elcore/v17y2017i1d10.1007_s10660-016-9245-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effects of the aesthetic design of icons on app downloads: evidence from an android market

Author

Listed:
  • Mengyue Wang

    (City University of Hong Kong)

  • Xin Li

    (City University of Hong Kong)

Abstract

With the rapid development of the mobile app market, understanding the determinants of mobile app success has become vital to researchers and mobile app developers. Extant research on mobile applications primarily focused on the numerical and textual attributes of apps. Minimal attention has been provided to how the visual attributes of apps affect the download behavior of users. Among the features of app “appearance”, this study focuses on the effects of app icon on demand. With aesthetic product and interface design theories, we analyze icons from three aspects, namely, color, complexity, and symmetry, through image processing. Using a dataset collected from one of the largest Chinese Android websites, we find that icon appearance influences the download behavior of users. Particularly, apps with icons featuring higher colorfulness, proper complexity, and slight asymmetry lead to more downloads. These findings can help developers design their apps.

Suggested Citation

  • Mengyue Wang & Xin Li, 2017. "Effects of the aesthetic design of icons on app downloads: evidence from an android market," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 83-102, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:elcore:v:17:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s10660-016-9245-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10660-016-9245-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10660-016-9245-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10660-016-9245-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. McMANUS, I. C., 2005. "Symmetry and asymmetry in aesthetics and the arts," European Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(S2), pages 157-180, October.
    2. Joana César Machado & Paulo Lencastre & Leonor Vacas de Carvalho & Patrício Costa, 2011. "Brand mergers: Examining consumer response to name and logo design," Working Papers de Gestão (Management Working Papers) 02, Católica Porto Business School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa.
    3. Rajagopal, 2014. "The Human Factors," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Architecting Enterprise, chapter 9, pages 225-249, Palgrave Macmillan.
    4. Gerald J. Gorn & Amitava Chattopadhyay & Tracey Yi & Darren W. Dahl, 1997. "Effects of Color as an Executional Cue in Advertising: They're in the Shade," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 43(10), pages 1387-1400, October.
    5. Anindya Ghose & Sang Pil Han, 2014. "Estimating Demand for Mobile Applications in the New Economy," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(6), pages 1470-1488, June.
    6. Rosen, Deborah E. & Purinton, Elizabeth, 2004. "Website design: Viewing the web as a cognitive landscape," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(7), pages 787-794, July.
    7. Octavian Carare, 2012. "The Impact Of Bestseller Rank On Demand: Evidence From The App Market," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 53(3), pages 717-742, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Iranmanesh, Mohammad & Min, Connie Low & Senali, Madugoda Gunaratnege & Nikbin, Davoud & Foroughi, Behzad, 2022. "Determinants of switching intention from web-based stores to retail apps: Habit as a moderator," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    2. Mengyue Wang & Xin Li & Patrick Y. K. Chau, 2021. "Leveraging Image-Processing Techniques for Empirical Research: Feasibility and Reliability in Online Shopping Context," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 607-626, June.
    3. Chien-Huang Lin & Ming Chen, 2019. "The icon matters: how design instability affects download intention of mobile apps under prevention and promotion motivations," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 211-229, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jingtao Yi & Jinqiu He & Lihong Yang, 2019. "Platform heterogeneity, platform governance and complementors’ product performance: an empirical study of the mobile application industry," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-20, December.
    2. Osama Sohaib & Kyeong Kang & Mohammad Nurunnabi, 2018. "Gender-Based iTrust in E-Commerce: The Moderating Role of Cognitive Innovativeness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Jinyang Zheng & Zhengling Qi & Yifan Dou & Yong Tan, 2019. "How Mega Is the Mega? Exploring the Spillover Effects of WeChat Using Graphical Model," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 30(4), pages 1343-1362, December.
    4. Stefano Comino & Fabio M. Manenti & Franco Mariuzzo, 2019. "Updates management in mobile applications: iTunes versus Google Play," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 392-419, June.
    5. Esther Brainin & Efrat Neter, 2014. "Inside Technology: Opening the Black Box of Health-Website Configuration and Content Management," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-27, December.
    6. Fabian Schueler & Dimitri Petrik, 2022. "Objectives of platform research: A co-citation and systematic literature review analysis," Papers 2202.08822, arXiv.org.
    7. Han Yuan, 2020. "Competing for Time: A Study of Mobile Applications," 2020 Papers pyu309, Job Market Papers.
    8. Stefano Comino & Fabio M. Manenti & Franco Mariuzzo, 2015. "Updates Management in Mobile Applications. iTunes vs Google Play," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) 2015-04v3, Centre for Competition Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    9. Kohei Kawaguchi & Toshifumi Kuroda & Susumu Sato, 2021. "Merger Analysis in the App Economy: An Empirical Model of Ad-Sponsored Media," HKUST CEP Working Papers Series 202103, HKUST Center for Economic Policy.
    10. Gene Moo Lee & Shu He & Joowon Lee & Andrew B. Whinston, 2020. "Matching Mobile Applications for Cross-Promotion," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(3), pages 865-891, September.
    11. Michael Kummer & Patrick Schulte, 2019. "When Private Information Settles the Bill: Money and Privacy in Google’s Market for Smartphone Applications," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(8), pages 3470-3494, August.
    12. Manqi (Maggie) Li & Yan Huang & Amitabh Sinha, 2020. "Data-Driven Promotion Planning for Paid Mobile Applications," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(3), pages 1007-1029, September.
    13. Sun, Xiaochi & Cui, Xuebin & Sun, Yacheng, 2023. "Understanding the sequential interdependence of mobile app adoption within and across categories," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 659-678.
    14. Chen Liang & Zhan (Michael) Shi & T. S. Raghu, 2019. "The Spillover of Spotlight: Platform Recommendation in the Mobile App Market," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 30(4), pages 1296-1318, December.
    15. Roma, Paolo & Vasi, Maria, 2019. "Diversification and performance in the mobile app market: The role of the platform ecosystem," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 123-139.
    16. Rahman, Shaikh Moksadur, 2020. "Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intention: Evidence from Bangladesh," Asian Business Review, Asian Business Consortium, vol. 10(2), pages 99-108.
    17. Wang Kai, 2019. "Towards a Taxonomy of Idea Generation Techniques," Foundations of Management, Sciendo, vol. 11(1), pages 65-80, January.
    18. Shaheer, Noman Ahmed & Li, Sali, 2020. "The CAGE around cyberspace? How digital innovations internationalize in a virtual world," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(1).
    19. Bridgelall, Raj & Stubbing, Edward, 2021. "Forecasting the effects of autonomous vehicles on land use," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    20. Kareklas, Ioannis & Muehling, Darrel D. & King, Skyler, 2019. "The effect of color and self-view priming in persuasive communications," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 33-49.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:elcore:v:17:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s10660-016-9245-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.