CULTURAL INFLUENCE ON PAYMENT BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING: A CHINA–PAKISTAN CROSS-BORDER E-COMMERCE COMPARISON

Hassan Noman Khan, Li Zheng, Sohail Sharif, Sumayya Fayyaz

Abstract


This study explores how cultural dimensions shape consumers’ payment preferences and responses to social-media marketing within cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) between China and Pakistan. Guided by Hofstede’s and Hall’s cultural frameworks, a bilingual online survey (N = 200; 100 Chinese and 100 Pakistani respondents) measured trust orientation, preferred payment method, and perception of marketing messages. Results reveal that 95% of Chinese respondents preferred mobile-wallet payments, such as Alipay or WeChat Pay, whereas 85% of Pakistani respondents relied on cash-on-delivery. Chinese participants were more responsive to influencer-driven, visually rich advertisements, while Pakistani consumers favored emotion-centered and family-oriented messages. This study fills a key research gap by linking cultural trust orientation with digital payment adoption in emerging CBEC markets. The findings also provide practical insights for cross-border platforms to design culturally adaptive marketing campaigns and secure payment systems that build trust across different cultural contexts and highlight the interplay between system-based and relational trust in determining CBEC behavior. This research contributes a culturally grounded model for understanding how digital-trust mechanisms and communication styles jointly affect consumer engagement, offering insights for marketers and policymakers seeking to enhance cross-border digital trade.

 

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cross-border e-commerce; cultural dimensions; payment behavior; trust; social media marketing; China–Pakistan

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejls.v7i1.677

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