EXPLORING THE FACTORS AFFECTING CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN USING DIGITAL BANKING SERVICES (EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM GEORGIA)

The article demonstrates that the rapid growth of digital banking services has significantly altered consumer behaviour, making empirical research into the factors influencing digital banking adoption essential. Digital banking technologies are also developing rapidly in Georgia. Therefore, studying the behaviour of Georgian consumers in relation to digital banking services is highly relevant. This research aims to investigate Georgian consumers' attitudes towards using digital technologies. The focus of the research is the Georgian banking sector. The theoretical basis of this paper is the theory of consumer behaviour, which describes the influence of cognitive and emotional factors of digital banking users on their satisfaction. Following a thorough analysis of extant literature on the subject, the following variables were selected for inclusion in the research study: awareness of digital banking, social media marketing activities provided by banking institutions, consumer trust, consumer intention, use of digital banking services by consumers, and consumer satisfaction. The present study employs the online survey method. Primary data were collected through the administration of a structured questionnaire, which was completed by 433 respondents selected at random. The data were analysed using regression analyses. The findings substantiated the model's reliability and validity. This study found a positive relationship between consumer intention to use digital banking and awareness (β = 0.367, p < 0.01), social media marketing activities (β = 0.384, p < 0.01), and trust (β = 0.432, p < 0.01). Furthermore, a positive attitude has also been established between consumer intention and use of digital banking (β = 0.621, p < 0.01); also, use of digital banking services and consumer satisfaction (β = 0.609, p < 0.01). This original study makes a significant contribution to the extant literature in the field of banking marketing. The present study offers practical insights, thus supporting the design of targeted marketing strategies to promote digital banking adoption in the Georgian banking sector.