SURABAYA — The use of QRIS and convenient digital payments can strengthen transaction activity and support sales growth among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Surabaya. The finding comes from Fanny Ananda Pratiwi and Muslimin of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jawa Timur, whose research was published in the International Journal of Finance and Business Management (IJFBM) in 2026. The research highlights transaction volume as an important link between digital payment adoption and MSME sales performance.
The findings are relevant as digital payments become increasingly integrated into everyday business activities. For MSMEs, QRIS is not simply an alternative way to receive money. The research indicates that easier payments can encourage more frequent transactions, which can then contribute to higher sales.
Digital Payments Become Part of MSME Business Activity
QRIS, or Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard, is a national QR-based payment standard developed by Bank Indonesia. It allows merchants to receive payments through different supported digital payment applications using a single QR code.
For MSMEs, digital payments can make transactions faster and reduce some of the practical challenges associated with cash payments, such as preparing change. Digital transaction records can also provide business owners with a clearer record of incoming payments.
The researchers focused on Surabaya because the city is one of East Java's major economic and trade centers. The city's active business environment provides an important setting for examining how digital payment technology interacts with MSME activities.
Pratiwi and Muslimin also noted that earlier research has not produced completely consistent conclusions about the relationship between digital payment adoption and sales performance. Some research has emphasized greater transaction efficiency and customer satisfaction, while other findings suggest that digital payment adoption alone does not automatically translate into higher sales.
Their research therefore places particular attention on transaction volume as the mechanism connecting payment technology with business sales.
Research Involved 126 MSME Respondents
The researchers used a quantitative approach and collected data through questionnaires. The respondents were MSME operators in Surabaya who had used QRIS as a payment method for at least six months.
A total of 126 valid respondents were included in the analysis. The respondents were MSMEs registered as E-PEKEN Surabaya partners, where QRIS had been incorporated into their daily transaction activities.
The researchers examined four main elements: QRIS usage, transaction convenience, transaction volume, and sales increase. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS.
In simple terms, the analysis was used to examine whether QRIS usage and payment convenience were associated with higher transaction activity and sales, including whether transaction volume served as a connecting factor between them.
The measurement tests reported in the article showed that the variables met the stated validity and reliability criteria before the main relationship analysis was conducted.
QRIS Shows a Strong Relationship With Transaction Volume
One of the clearest results concerns the relationship between QRIS usage and transaction volume.
The analysis showed a positive and significant relationship between QRIS usage and transaction volume among the surveyed MSMEs. Higher QRIS usage was associated with greater transaction activity.
The reported f-square values provide additional detail. QRIS usage recorded a value of 0.377 for transaction volume, while transaction convenience recorded 0.327. Within the model, QRIS therefore showed the strongest influence on transaction volume among the variables examined.
This suggests that the value of QRIS for MSMEs extends beyond simply offering customers another payment option. Faster and more practical payments can reduce friction during purchases and create greater opportunities for transactions to take place.
Payment Convenience Also Supports Sales Growth
Transaction convenience was another important factor in the research.
The analysis showed a positive and significant relationship between transaction convenience and MSME sales growth. When customers perceive the payment process as simple and efficient, businesses may have greater opportunities to encourage purchases and repeat transactions.
Convenience was also positively associated with transaction volume. A payment process that takes less time and involves fewer obstacles can allow businesses to serve customers more efficiently during busy periods.
The results create a clear relationship between the variables: QRIS and payment convenience can increase transaction activity, while higher transaction activity is associated with stronger sales performance.
Transaction Volume Connects Digital Payments With Sales
The central contribution of the research is the role assigned to transaction volume.
The analysis showed that transaction volume mediates the relationship between QRIS usage and sales increase. Transaction volume also mediates the relationship between transaction convenience and sales increase.
In practical terms, the pathway can be understood as:
QRIS and payment convenience → higher transaction activity → stronger sales performance.
The model reported an R-square value of 0.585 for sales increase, meaning that 58.5 percent of the variation in sales increase was explained by the variables included in the model. For transaction volume, the R-square value was 0.410, indicating that 41 percent of its variation was explained by the model. Other factors accounted for the remaining variation.
For Fanny Ananda Pratiwi and Muslimin of Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jawa Timur, these results place transaction volume at the center of the relationship between payment digitalization and MSME sales. Their analysis indicates that the effectiveness of digital payments is not only about adopting the technology, but also about whether that technology encourages greater transaction activity.
Implications for MSMEs and Digital Economic Development
The findings provide practical considerations for MSME operators. Businesses can optimize QRIS not only by displaying the payment code but also by actively integrating digital payments into daily operations and customer communication.
The researchers also point to the importance of stronger payment infrastructure, network stability, transaction security, and digital financial literacy. These factors can help MSMEs and consumers use digital payment systems more effectively.
At the same time, the findings should be interpreted within the scope of the research. The respondents were limited to MSMEs in Surabaya, while factors such as digital literacy, consumer trust, promotional strategies, and internet accessibility were not examined in depth. The cross-sectional design also captures conditions during a particular period rather than long-term business changes.
Author Profiles
Research Source
Article Title: The Effect of QRIS Usage and Transaction Convenience on Increasing MSME Sales in Surabaya Through Transaction Volume as an Intervening Variable
Authors: Fanny Ananda Pratiwi and Muslimin
Affiliation: Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jawa Timur
Journal: International Journal of Finance and Business Management (IJFBM)
Publication Year: 2026
Volume: 3, No. 3
Pages: 333–352
DOI: 10.59890/ijfbm.v4i3.11
Official Journal: International Journal of Finance and Business Management
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