Exploring the determinants of the user experience in P2P payment systems in Spain: a text mining approach

Abstract

Abstract Purpose This study aims to identify which determinants are responsible for impacting the user experience of three peer-to-peer (P2P) payment services in the Spanish market. Design/methodology/approach A sample of all online reviews (n = 16,048) published in Google Play of three paytech apps—Bizum, Twyp, and Verse—was analyzed using text mining and sentiment analysis. Findings A holistic interpretation of the seed terms included in each aspect allowed to label them based on the preferences expressed by paytech app users in their reviews. Six latent aspects were identified: ease of use, usefulness, perceived value, performance expectancy, perceived quality, and user experience. In addition, the results of the analysis suggest a positivity bias in the online reviews of fintech P2P app users. Our results also show that online reviews of apps associated with banks or financial institutions, such as Bizum (to a greater extent) or Twyp, show more negative emotions, whereas independent apps (Verse) show more positive emotions. Moreover, the most critical users are those of unidentified gender, while women remain in a more neutral position, and men tend to express their opinions more positively regarding P2P payment apps. Practical implications Paytech providers should analyze the problems faced by users immediately after an encounter. By applying text mining analysis, service providers can gain efficiency in understanding user sentiments and emotions without tedious and time-consuming reviews. Originality/value This is a pioneering study on peer-to-peer (P2P) mobile payment systems from the user’s perspective because it investigates the emotions and sentiments that users convey through bank reviews.