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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Going cashless easy or challenging? Exploring Uncharted Facets of Digital Payments: A Mixed-Methods Approach
1
HPKVBS, Central university of Himachal Pradesh, India
2
HPKVBS, Central University of Himachal Pradesh
These authors had equal contribution to this work
Submission date: 2025-09-04
Final revision date: 2025-09-11
Acceptance date: 2025-09-16
Online publication date: 2025-11-27
Publication date: 2025-11-27
Economic and Regional Studies 2025;18(3):341-358
KEYWORDS
Financial BehaviourQualitative AnalysisKeywords: Digital PaymentsConsumption BehaviourMix-method approach
JEL CLASSIFICATION CODES
D14
G53
O33
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Subject and purpose of work: This study examines the adoption of digital payment (DP) among students, focusing on reasons for use and their impact on expenditure and financial behavior. Materials and methods: A mixed-method approach was adopted. Quantitative data from 192 college and university students were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative insights from 30 respondents provided deeper understanding. Results: Findings reveal a strong inclination toward DP in students’ consumption patterns. Demonetization and the Covid-19 pandemic acted as major drivers of adoption. Qualitative results further clarified the motivations and challenges associated with DP usage. Conclusions: The study highlights the need for DP providers to enhance user-friendly features and address existing issues. Integration of AI and blockchain can foster innovation, while financial management education can strengthen responsible adoption among young users.
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