Impact of digital marketing and E-Payments on Saudi online startup consumers

This study explores the impact of digital marketing and payment systems on consumer behavior in Saudi Arabia's online startups. A sample of 291 participants was selected from Hail’s region, in Saudi Arabia. The research employs a mixed-method approach, using SPSS version 2025 for descriptive statistical analysis and Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) to examine the relationships between the key constructs and their effects on online purchase outcomes (OP). The study tests nine hypotheses, revealing that Perceived Innovation (PI) has a weak positive effect on OP, but this relationship is not statistically significant. Similarly, Perceived Security (PS) shows a minimal impact on OP, suggesting that these factors may not be as influential in the context of digital payment adoption as initially expected. The model's high R-square values for intention to purchase online (IPO) (0.654) and OP (0.594) indicate that it successfully explains a substantial portion of the variance in these outcomes. These findings offer valuable insights into the factors driving digital payment adoption and online purchasing behavior in Saudi Arabia. The study underscores the need for businesses to consider regional and cultural contexts when developing digital marketing strategies for effectively promoting digital commerce in diverse markets.