Will Hong Kong consumers embrace mobile payments? Exploring the early adopters intention to use mobile payment platforms

Abstract

Hong Kong boasts one of the highest mobile phone penetration rates in the world, yet its mobile payment market is still in its infancy. The new mobile payment platforms such as NFC based Apple Pay and Android pay, and the QR code encrypted Alipay and WeChatPay, gradually entered the Hong Kong market in the past three years. However, most of the Hong Kong local consumers are still hesitating to embrace these innovative mobile payments. It is therefore a need to understand the factors or considerations of theearly adopters to accept the innovative “alternative” payment methods. In this study, we borrowed the Innovation Diffusion Theory and the UTAUT2 to develop an integratedconceptual model, which includesfive innovation characteristics (relative advantage,compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability), four factors from UTAUT2 (hedonic motivation, facilitating conditions, social influence, and alternative payment habit), and three security related factors (trust, perceived security, and perceived privacy risk). The rationale to include and exclude certain factors influencing behavioral intention from the past theories and literature are discussed. As a research-in-progress paper, we are currently in the process of conducting a pilot test via a focus group study and interviews.