ABSTRACT
The context of the COVID-19 pandemic has driven consumers to use remote and contactless services. Indeed, and in order to avoid any kind of contamination, it was recommended by international health authorities to adopt a policy of physical distance. This policy has had an impact on consumer behavior and on the way in which consumers make a purchase. Thus, some consumers, fearing the risk of being contaminated, have begun to prefer online purchases and consequently the use of electronic payments (E-payments). This study aims to analyze the intention to adopt E-payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. It suggests the effect of perceived risk, perceived security, trust, social distancing, and Internet experience on the behavioral intent to adopt E-payments in Morocco during the pandemic. The proposed research model was developed by extending the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to explain and predict consumers’ intentions to adopt these e-services. This study stands out for its originality in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, new variables such as COVID-19 perceived risk and social distancing with multiple impacts on consumer purchasing behavior are included in the model. It thus enriches the existing literature on E-payments adoption models, especially since there is no similar research on the Moroccan market. In addition, the conceptual model proposed in this study can provide important guidance to firms wishing to define appropriate strategies to promote the use of electronic payments. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.