Luxury in female technology (FemTech): Selection of smart jewelry for women through BCM-MARCOS group decision-making framework with fuzzy ZE-numbers

As an extension of wearable technology devices, smart jewelry has grasped the attention of women looking for both stylish and smart devices. Though smart jewelry is designed for women desiring to use wearable technologies without sacrificing their style, extant studies on smart jewelry lack a women-centered approach. Moreover, in the face of accelerated race in the launch of new smart jewelry in the marketplace, current approaches in the relevant literature on determining key evaluation criteria regarding smart jewelry and selecting the best alternative for women remain incapable. In this research, therefore, three main criteria, including jewelry-related, technology-related, and producer-related criteria, are initially determined, and seventeen subcriteria are identified based on a review of relevant literature and experts similar to opinions and knowledge. Then, four smart jewelry alternatives, including Bellabeat-Ivy Health Tracker, Totwoo We Bloom Smart Bracelet, Ringly Luxe Smart Bracelet, and Ringly Go Smart Bracelet, are chosen for analysis due to their technology and aesthetic design. Unlike prevailing studies, this study adopts the base-criterion method (BCM) and measurement of alternatives and ranking according to the compromise solution (MARCOS) with fuzzy ZE-numbers. The findings reveal that technology-related criteria are the most prioritized criteria by women. Further, activity tracking, price, and mobile alert are the first three critical sub-criteria in smart jewelry preference. Based on the overall evaluation, Ringly Luxe Smart Bracelet is the best smart jewelry for women. This research strongly contributes to extant literature as follows: (i) It provides a practical contribution to women in their smart jewelry selection processes and guides industrial practitioners, including smart jewelry designers and producers, in their design of smart jewelries that better satisfies the technological and aesthetic needs of women, and (ii) in terms of methodology, the proposed framework allows for the consideration of the degree of reliability of two different groups of decision-makers and experts for the decision-making process.

Automated summary

Smart jewelry, as an extension of wearable technology, has gained attention from women who seek both style and functionality. This research addresses the lack of women-centered approaches in existing studies on smart jewelry and the need for determining evaluation criteria and selecting the best alternatives for women. Through a review of literature and expert opinions, three main criteria and seventeen subcriteria are identified. The findings reveal that technology-related criteria are prioritized by women, with activity tracking, price, and mobile alert being the most critical subcriteria. Based on the overall evaluation, Ringly Luxe Smart Bracelet is determined as the best smart jewelry for women. This research contributes practically by guiding women in their selection processes and providing insights for smart jewelry designers and producers. The proposed framework also considers the reliability of decision-makers and experts, adding methodological value.