Consumer behavior towards e-wallet usage in the post-COVID-19 era in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 seeks to transition towards a cashless society and increase non-cash transactions to 70% by 2025. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated cashless activities in Saudi Arabia, with e-payments increasing by 75% in the past year. This study explores consumer behavior towards using e-wallets in the post-COVID-19 era by employing the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The results of an online survey conducted among 303 Saudi citizens were analyzed using SPSS. This study examines the correlation coefficients between the variables and conducts an ANOVA to determine the influence of all variables on consumer behavior towards e-wallets in Saudi Arabia post-COVID-19. The findings indicate that consumer behavior is positively influenced by perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, lifestyle compatibility, and traceability, whereas cost does not significantly impact the use of e-wallets. Additionally, the results show that approximately 28.1% of the respondents used e-wallet services due to the pandemic. This study adds to the literature by expanding on previous work on the topic and providing detailed insights into the factors of e-wallet acceptability in Saudi Arabia.