The impact of mobile payment on consumer experience

: does contactless payment influence willingness to pay and impulse buying? : understanding the moderating role of consumer characteristics and the mediating role of cognitive payment decoupling

Abstract

The growing adoption of mobile payment technologies is reshaping the way consumers interact with their money in offline retail environments. While mobile payments offer speed and convenience, they also raise concerns about how the reduced visibility of the transaction affects consumer behaviour. Previous research suggests that these payment methods reduce the “pain of paying”, which is the uncomfortable feeling people often experience when spending money. However, there is increasing evidence that mobile payments may go even further by fostering a “pleasure of paying” effect, where seamlessness and ease trigger positive emotions during purchases. This dissertation explores the influence of mobile payments on two key behavioural outcomes, namely the WTP and impulse buying. It also investigates among others the mediating factor of CPD, which weakens the mental connection between the payment and financial loss and examines how different consumer characteristics shape these effects. The findings of this dissertation indicate that mobile payments strongly influence the buying behaviour, especially for those people who have specific characteristics. This underlines the urgent need to better understand how digital payment systems affect the financial control and decision-making of the consumers. The study offers valuable insights for the retailers and policymakers aiming to understand and responsibly shape the consumer experience in a cashless economy. It contributes to the ongoing discussions on digital convenience, financial responsibility, and shifts in how consumers decision making changes over the time.

Date of Award	4 Jul 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Maria Estarreja (Supervisor)