An Assessment of Accessibility and Usability of Saudi Online FinTech Services for People with Disabilities

Abstract

Innovations in financial services have given rise to Financial Technology (FinTech) as a disruptive technology which is now shaping the future of the financial sector through services like crowdfunding, peer-to-peer loans, and alternative underwriting platforms. Given the status of the web as a vital information resource, accessible and usable online FinTech services can aid people with disabilities in taking full advantage of the presented financial services to support them in basic needs like accessing high-quality care. This study set out to analyze the accessibility and usability of 32 Saudi FinTech websites by means of various automated tools and manual inspection. The results revealed the investigated websites to have a significant number of accessibility and usability problems that cause prejudice against disabled individuals and foster an overall poor user experience. Thus, more work is needed to disseminate knowledge about the importance of developing suitable FinTech websites and services to assist disabled people.

EXAMINING CONVENIENCE, WEBSITE DESIGN & SOCIAL INFLUENCE AS DETERMINANTS OF USERS’ INTENTION TO USE FINTECH SERVICES

“…Consistent with the results of (Rahi et al, 2020), (Alothman & Al-Meshal, 2022) & (Kesharwani & Singh Bisht, 2012, our study also found that Website Design significantly affects users' intent to use FinTech Services which means that our H2 is accepted. FinTech websites are a crucial initial point from where people can interact with and gain access to fintech services so, these websites' usability and affordability are essential components in bringing FinTech services to a wider range of audiences (Nour, 2022). Also, it plays a significant role in turning visitors into consumers (Alothman & Al-Meshal, 2022).…”

“…It plays a significant role in online business, as information available on the website regarding various products & services offered by the company acts as a salesperson and motivates consumers to use products & services on the website (Rahi et al, 2020). Users could find it challenging to find the information they seek on a website with poor design (Nour, 2022). So, a website should clearly present its content material so that it is easy to navigate with minimal complexity (Kesharwani & Singh Bisht, 2012).…”

Sociocultural Factors in Times of Global Crisis

“…From another point of view Parry and Bisson (2020) stated that, Cloud computing has revolutionized some areas of economic activity, such as the financial market. Regarding finance market, Nour (2022) explained that unlike the legacy infrastructure associated with banks, financial technology is focused on the implementation of new technological tools, such as artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing, and thus, making the customer experience convenient, accessible, functional and personalized. Additionally, Nour (2022) remarked that innovations in financial services have given place to fintech as a disruptive technology that is now shaping the future of the financial sector through services like crowdfunding.…”