Merchant Loyalty and Digital Consumer Behavior in Data Driven Payment Ecosystems

Abstract

This study conducts a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to synthesize empirical and conceptual evidence on merchant and cashier behavior, operational experience, loyalty formation, and data-driven ecosystem strategies in digital payment environments. The review examines thirty peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 to address three key questions: the determinants of frontline adoption, the mechanisms through which satisfaction and trust shape loyalty, and the emerging role of analytics in strengthening payment ecosystem performance. The analysis reveals that adoption is driven by perceived usefulness, ease of use, device reliability, and psychological readiness, while operational constraints such as network instability, limited digital skills, and inadequate support strongly influence day-to-day usage. Loyalty is formed through the interaction of system performance, satisfaction, trust, perceived value, and relational engagement with payment providers. Data-driven strategies including segmentation, churn prediction, and incentive personalization show substantial potential to enhance ecosystem sustainability, although practical implementation remains limited. The study consolidates previously fragmented insights into an integrated conceptual framework that explains how technological, behavioral, organizational, and analytics-based factors jointly influence merchant and cashier loyalty.