The Impacts of Mobile Wallet App Characteristics on Online Impulse Buying: A Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

The adoption of cashless payment methods compels impulse buying. This research studies impulse purchase behavior by focusing on E-wallet app characteristics, a field where empirical research is still scarce. This paper is aimed at developing and testing a theoretical model to examine a moderated mediation model of mobile wallet app characteristics and impulse buying through perceived enjoyment moderated by mobile wallet user experience. An online survey acquired 208 valid responses from active E-wallet users. The framework was empirically analyzed by using Smart PLS-SEM. Findings indicate that perceived interactivity and visual appeal have positive relationships with perceived enjoyment and impulse buying, respectively. Perceived enjoyment is positively associated with impulse buying, and perceived enjoyment mediates the relationship between visual appeal and impulse buying. The impacts of perceived interactivity on perceived enjoyment and impulse buying are moderated by user experience. Moreover, user experience moderates the relationship between visual appeal and perceived enjoyment. This study identifies differences in consumer behavior between more experienced and less experienced E-wallet users. More experienced E-wallet users emphasize the app’s interactivity, while less experienced users pay more attention to the app’s appealing design. Practical implications are offered for E-wallet system developers and designers to attract new users and, at the same time, retain existing users.