Consumer Perceptions of Mobile and Traditional Point-of-Sale Credit/Debit Card Systems in the United States: A Survey

In recent years, rapidly emerging technology has introduced mobile Point-Of-Sale (MPOS) systems to the North American market. These systems allow merchants to process transactions conveniently and quickly using mobile phones or tablets rather than "traditional" point-of-sale (TPOS) credit card-processing systems. However, the long-term success of these new payment systems relies on consumers perceiving the device to be secure, accurate, and free from criminal activity. We present a case vs. control clustered field study that evaluated consumers' impressions of the security, trust and convenience of mobile (MPOS) versus traditional (TPOS) readers. Consumers were recruited from a local sandwich shop (MPOS) and an ice cream shop (TPOS) and surveyed about their perceptions of the devices immediately after completing transactions using their credit/debit cards. Implications for consumers and industry, including prevention of cyber crime, are discussed.