Artificial intelligence, financial anxiety and cashier-less checkouts: a Saudi Arabian perspective

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the impact of financial anxiety and convenience on the relation between cashier-less versus traditional checkouts and purchase intentions among Saudi Arabian consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

In an online experiment, 329 Saudi participants were randomly assigned to one of two checkout conditions (traditional vs. AI-enabled) in a between-subjects design and indicated their financial anxiety. Through moderation-of-process design, the authors examine and showcase that the effect of convenience leads to higher purchase intent for AI-enabled checkouts. Moreover, the authors examine financial anxiety as an underlying mechanism and show that for high-convenience consumers, this enacts higher purchase intent.

Findings

The effect of AI-enabled checkouts depends on consumers' convenience perception. High-convenience consumers prefer AI-enabled checkouts over traditional ones, whereas low-convenience consumers are indifferent. Based on the Roy adaptation model theoretical framework, this occurs because high-convenience consumers experience greater financial anxiety when using AI-enabled checkouts, which in turn leads to higher purchase intent.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore the reactions of Saudi Arabian consumers toward cashier-less stores versus traditional stores. Interestingly, their intent to purchase increases, due to the financial anxiety they experience while encountering AI-enabled transactions. Due to the limited research of retailers going cashier less, little is known about consumer reactions and how they may differ culturally.

Citation

Ghazwani, S., van Esch, P., Cui, Y.(G). and Gala, P. (2022), "Artificial intelligence, financial anxiety and cashier-less checkouts: a Saudi Arabian perspective", International Journal of Bank Marketing, Vol. 40 No. 6, pp. 1200-1216. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-09-2021-0444