Determinants of Online Purchase Decisions in Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL): The Role of Trust and Ease of Use in Shopee PayLater

Abstract

The rapid growth of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services has transformed online purchasing behavior, particularly among university students who are highly engaged in digital commerce but often financially constrained. This study examines the influence of trust and perceived ease of use on online purchase decisions through Shopee PayLater among management students at STIE Putra Perdana Indonesia. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 58 respondents selected through purposive sampling based on Slovin’s formula from a population of 139 students in the 2021 cohort who had experience using Shopee PayLater. A structured online questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale was distributed via Google Forms. The measurement items for trust were adapted from McKnight (2014), ease of use from Isnawati (2020), and online purchase decisions from Tjiptono (2012). Data were analyzed using SPSS through validity, reliability, normality, correlation, coefficient of determination, multiple linear regression, and hypothesis testing using t-test and F-test. The results reveal that both trust and ease of use significantly and positively affect online purchase decisions, with trust demonstrating a relatively stronger effect. The model explains 53% of the variance in online purchase decisions, indicating substantial explanatory power. The findings confirm the relevance of technology acceptance and trust-based frameworks in BNPL contexts and highlight the importance of secure, transparent, and user-friendly digital payment systems. Managerially, the study suggests that fintech providers should enhance data security, clarity of installment policies, and system usability while promoting responsible digital credit usage among students. Future research should expand the sample, include additional behavioral variables, and compare different BNPL platforms across region.