From Digital Payments to Brand Advocacy: Omnichannel Strategies for Winning the Hearts of Generation Z

Abstract

This study examines the role of digital payments and omnichannel strategies in shaping customer experience and fostering brand advocacy among Generation Z consumers. As digital natives, Generation Z demonstrates strong preferences for seamless, fast, and integrated digital interactions, making digital payment systems and omnichannel experiences critical components of modern marketing strategies. This research adopts a quantitative approach using a cross-sectional survey of 250 Generation Z respondents who actively use digital payment methods and engage with brands across multiple channels. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling with the Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) technique. The results indicate that digital payments have a significant positive effect on customer experience, highlighting the importance of ease of use, transaction speed, and security in shaping consumer perceptions. Omnichannel strategies also significantly influence customer experience by ensuring consistency and integration across online and offline touchpoints. Furthermore, customer experience is found to have a strong positive impact on brand advocacy, encouraging recommendation intentions, positive word-of-mouth, and social media engagement. The mediation analysis reveals that customer experience partially mediates the relationship between digital payments, omnichannel strategies, and brand advocacy. These findings suggest that digital payment systems and omnichannel integration are most effective in driving brand advocacy when they enhance overall customer experience. This study contributes to the literature by integrating digital payment adoption and omnichannel marketing perspectives, offering practical insights for brands seeking to build long-term engagement and advocacy among Generation Z consumers.