FinTech Adoption among Online Grocery Buyers during COVID-19 Lockdowns in Nepal

ABSTRACT

FinTech has not only become a buzzword but also brought several business opportunities in the financial world, with the potential to increase financial inclusion, enhance people's daily lives, and spur growth. The issue of online buyers' knowledge about FinTech adoption has emerged from the rapid trend of digital technology in Kathmandu Valley. It also suggests that demographic variables (age and gender) and digital activity (internet experience and level of awareness) mitigate the major correlations. This paper aims to understand online grocery buyers' prior knowledge imprint in FinTech adoption during COVID-19 lockdowns. An exploratory research design was adopted, and data were collected through structured questionnaires using both descriptive and inferential statistics with the help of structural equation modeling. We find that the most respondents are aged twenty-one to forty, showing that most youth are attracted to technological innovation in FinTech (e-commerce and e-banking). We find that two-thirds of online buyers in Kathmandu Valley are facing the challenge of FinTech adoption due to slow internet and lack of awareness about its applications. The structural equation modeling shows that six out of eight constructs are fit and validated with the model. Attitude has a significant effect on actual purchases, whereas trust does not play a partial mediating role between dependent and independent variables. The internet as a digital marketplace has become an important part of marketing strategy and customer relationship management. Thus, internet issues should be solved immediately with stable connections by internet service providers.