Mobile payment use and payment satisfaction: mediation and moderation analyses

Abstract

PurposeWith the development of financial technology (FinTech), this paper aims to investigate the association between mobile payment use and payment satisfaction using data from the 2017 China Household Finance Survey (CHFS).Design/methodology/approachThis study uses ordered probit regressions to examine the association between mobile payments and payment satisfaction because the dependent variable is ordinal. To alleviate endogeneity problems, this study uses instrument variables and Heckman's two-step estimation. Furthermore, to explore the potential mediators in this process, this study follows the three steps suggested by Baron and Kenny (1986). Finally, this study divides the whole sample into subsamples to examine whether the association between mobile payments and payment satisfaction differs in diverse groups.FindingsThe results indicate that mobile payment use is positively associated with payment satisfaction. Moreover, mediation analyses imply that mobile payment use may help increase consumers' credit availability, which eventually improves payment satisfaction. Three moderators of this association are financial literacy, expenditure level and portfolio diversification, which enhance the positive association between mobile payment use and payment satisfaction.Originality/valueThis study explores the potential mediators between mobile payment use and payment satisfaction, which is beneficial to comprehensively understanding various pathways of this process. Moreover, this study conducts heterogeneous analyses to investigate whether associations between mobile payments and payment satisfaction are moderated by various factors, which will allow policymakers to formulate policies appropriate for specific situations of diverse consumer groups.