Mobile Apps are Changing Donor Behavior, Business Prof Says

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UMass Lowell expert Spencer Ross teaches in the university's Manning School of Business.

12/21/2020

Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

Buskers and charitable organizations that collect donations via street appeals are going largely empty-handed this season due in part to the increased use of mobile payment services, according to a business expert available for interviews.

Banking apps such as PayPal and Venmo offer a convenient way to transfer money at the click of a button – particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic when individuals may be reluctant to touch coins and paper bills. But, potential donors in an increasingly “cashless” society are wary to use the technology to give to some charitable causes, said UMass Lowell’s Spencer Ross, an expert in digital marketing and consumer behavior who has studied the issue.

“It seems like it would be instinctive to donate via tap-and-go apps but it’s something people haven’t quite figured out yet,” Ross said.

He is available to discuss:

  • The types of charitable endeavors most impacted by the cashless economy;
  • The risks people weigh when using mobile banking apps;
  • The giving behavior of donors who use this technology.

Ross is a faculty member in UMass Lowell’s Manning School of Business. To arrange an interview with him via phone, email, Zoom or another platform, contact Nancy Cicco at 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu.

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