Industry overview
What is shaping internet services
Broadband providers, platforms and digital businesses depend on adoption, experience and trust. Usage patterns differ widely by city tier, age and language.
- New users are coming online in smaller towns and local languages
- Experience and reliability drive loyalty
- Trust and safety concerns shape usage
Client background
A digital payments company, working in India. Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.
- Organisation
- A digital payments company
- Sector
- Internet services
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Business panel, Offline data collection (CAPI), Quantitative research
Client challenge
Merchants accepted QR payments but used few other services. The company wanted to grow revenue beyond payment processing, which earned very low margins. The company had signed up many small merchants for digital payments, but wanted to understand their needs beyond accepting payments.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: understanding small merchants’ use of digital payments.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of small merchants.
- Measure how widespread each pattern is, and explain the reasons behind it.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 8 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 3,000 small merchants.
- small merchants3,000
Audiences we typically reach in internet services
Broadband and app usersNew internet usersSmall businesses onlineContent creatorsParents and educators
Geographic coverage
Coverage: India. Market: India.
- India
Research methodology
A mixed-method design: structured research measured how widespread each pattern was, and qualitative conversations explained why.
- 1Brief
- 2Merchant interviews
- 3Insight
We interviewed merchants about payments, credit needs and app use. Interviewers visited kirana stores, restaurants and service businesses in cities and towns, speaking local languages, and asked about cash flow, borrowing and how merchants used the app. We also analysed merchant transaction patterns to understand seasonal cash needs.
Business panelOffline data collection (CAPI)Quantitative research
Sampling strategy
- small merchants
- 3,000
- Business respondents were screened on role, company size and involvement in the decision before being invited.
- Respondents were selected across India using quotas set in advance for each location and respondent type, so no single area or group dominated.
- Online respondents were drawn from verified panel members who matched the screening criteria, with quotas on key profile attributes.
- Qualitative participants were recruited purposively to cover the full range of experiences that mattered, rather than for statistical representation.
Data collection
- Trained local-language interviewers conducted interviews in person on tablets (CAPI), with time and location recorded for every interview.
- The online survey was mobile-friendly and offered in respondents' languages.
- Interviews and discussions were led by experienced moderators using a guide agreed with the client.
Data quality & validation
- Back-checks on a share of completed interviews
- Time and location checks on field interviews
- Supervisor accompaniment in the field
- Digital fingerprinting and duplicate checks
- Attention, speed and straight-lining checks
- Review of open-ended answers
- Recordings and transcripts for every session
- Re-screening of qualitative recruits
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
- Thematic coding of interviews and discussions
- Journey and decision mapping
Key findings
- Merchants wanted small working capital loans.
- Merchant credit uptake was strong, and merchants who borrowed used the app more for other services.
- Repayments were linked to daily payment receipts, which merchants found convenient.
Merchants’ needs extended beyond payments.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: merchants’ needs extended beyond payments.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: merchants wanted small working capital loans.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The company launched merchant credit.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: what makes users feel safe online?
Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.