Consumer Inertia to Continued use of Mobile Payment Services for Retail Transactions: A Grounded Theory Study

• Published in: International journal of mathematical, engineering and management sciences Vol. 9; no. 6; pp. 1411 - 1432
• Main Author: Mathew, Sunil George
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ram Arti Publishers 01-12-2024
• Subjects: consumer decision inertia; continued usage; mobile payment; retail transactions
• ISSN: 2455-7749; 2455-7749
• DOI: 10.33889/IJMEMS.2024.9.6.076

In retail transactions, mobile payment services (MPS) can potentially replace cash, particularly in developing nations that lack card-swipe machines. Due to the concern that currency notes could spread diseases during the COVID-19 outbreak, digital payments saw a rise in popularity as a practical payment alternative. The extended period of the pandemic resulted in an extended period of continued usage, even for new users. Despite having a lengthy trial period, user-friendly interfaces, and greater fungibility than cash, MPS did not find widespread acceptance, and cash still predominates in retail transactions. There is a lot of research on technology adoption, however there is considerably less on usage retention. While there is some literature on continued use of technology, the main factor for discontinuation or reduction of usage is the lack of satisfaction. With MPS, satisfaction is rarely an issue, yet users limit the extent of their usage. In the context of retail transactions, this research explicitly examines continued usage following extensive initial use. The Gioia method of grounded theory was used to investigate the factors preventing continued use of MPS for retail transactions. The qualitative interviews were carried out among users in an emerging economy that is a leader in MPS adoption and use. To explain the barriers to the continued use of beneficial technology, this study proposes a conceptualization of consumer decision inertia with three dimensions categorized as deep-rooted habits, vicarious indifference, and kairotic uncertainty. This insight would be beneficial to MPS organizations not just in developing countries but even for developed economies. The conceptualization of consumer decision inertia also offers insights that can be applied in the context of sustained usage of other consumer-facing technologies.