Payment Features and Incentives as Drivers for Non-Cash Payments Usage – the Evidence from Poland

Abstract

Theoretical background: There is evidence that sustainable economic growth is strictly connected with non-cash payments development. Nevertheless, in many countries, cash still remains the dominant means of payment. Cash can be treated as a store of value and a means of payment. The paper focuses on its transactional function and addresses the need to recognise drivers that can shift consumers away from cash. Purpose of the article: The paper aims to analyse what features of payment instruments and what kind of incentives could convince consumers to switch from cash to non-cash payments. Research methods: The data analysed were collected during the first survey on this topic conducted in 2018 on a representative sample of Polish consumers. The selected statistical methods were applied to analyse research data. Among them are correlation analysis and Thurstone’s method of paired comparisons to analyse preferences and association (co-occurrence) for exploring consumers’ preferences related to their payment choices. Main findings: The results show that in Poland consumers’ payment choices are driven rather by the cost than other payment instrument features such as speed, convenience or security. These results are consistent with the greater sensitivity of Polish consumers to financial incentives than material bonuses or tax benefits. The analysis has also shown a statistically significant correlation between the kind of incentive and the consumer’s characteristics.