Adoption of QRIS in MSME Marketing: The Influence of Digital Transformation, Financial Literacy, and Customer Trust on Marketing Performance

Abstract

This study aims to examine the role of Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) adoption as a mediating mechanism linking financial literacy, customer trust, and perceived ease of use to MSME digital transformation in ASEAN emerging economies. The study addresses a critical gap by positioning QRIS not merely as a transactional tool but as a strategic enabler of digital transformation and marketing performance. A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 600 MSME owners across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with bootstrapping procedures (5,000 resamples) to assess both direct and indirect effects. Measurement and structural models were evaluated using reliability, validity, and predictive relevance criteria. The findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners to enhance MSME digital transformation by strengthening financial literacy, building digital trust, and improving system usability. Financial literacy had the strongest direct effect on QRIS adoption (β=0.360, p<0.001), and QRIS adoption significantly explained 81.9% of the variance in MSME digital transformation (R²=0.819). QRIS adoption can be leveraged as a scalable digital infrastructure to promote financial inclusion, customer engagement, and marketing performance in emerging markets. This study contributes to the Decision Sciences literature by integrating multiple theory into a unified framework and by conceptualizing QRIS adoption as a mediating decision mechanism. It provides novel cross-country empirical evidence on how digital payment systems drive MSME digital transformation in ASEAN contexts.