Decoding mobile payment application switching: insights from the Push-Pull-Mooring framework

Purpose The present study aims to identify and analyse the factors influencing users’ switching intentions for mobile payment applications, using the push-pull-mooring (PPM) framework as its theoretical foundation. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative survey was conducted among 464 mobile payment users in Rajasthan, India. The study adopts PPM-based constructs: push factors (privacy concerns, information and system quality, service quality), pull factors (social word-of-mouth, monetary rewards, perceived complementarity), and mooring factors (benefit-loss cost, uncertainty cost, habit, affective commitment). Data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modeling in SmartPLS. Findings The analysis highlights affective commitment as the most significant predictor of switching intention, with the highest significant beta value (0.564). Significant beta values of Push factors, such as information and system quality and service quality, drive users to switch. Pull factors, such as monetary rewards from competitors, perceived complementarity of the alternative, and social word-of-mouth, attract users toward alternative platforms. Significant mooring factors, including benefit lost cost and affective commitment, reduce the likelihood of switching. Research limitations/implications Future studies should integrate additional variables such as perceived risk and utility and apply longitudinal approaches to assess their actual switching behaviour. This would enhance the practical applicability of Affective commitment in real-world scenarios. The findings offer actionable insights for practitioners seeking to improve user retention and acquisition strategies. Originality/value This study is among the first studies to apply the PPM framework to examine switching intention in the Indian mobile payment context, contributing to a deeper understanding of digital consumer behaviour.