Attitude of General Public towards Digital Payment – A Study With Reference To Mangalore Taluk, D. K. District, Karnataka

Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 112 Attitude of General Public towards Digital Payment – A Study With Reference To Mangalore Taluk, D. K. District, Karnataka Dr. Therese Pereira Associate Professor of Commerce Government First Grade College Kavoor, Mangalore Manuscript ID: JRD -2025-171126 ISSN: 2230-9578 Volume 17 Issue 11 (I) Pp. 112-123 Nov. 2025 Submitted:15 Oct. 2025 Revised: 25 Oct. 2025 Accepted: 10 Nov. 2025 Published: 30 Nov. 2025 Abstract This study titled “Attitude of General Public Towards Digital Payment – A Study with Reference to Mangalore Taluk, D.K. District” examines the awareness, usage patterns, preferences, and challenges associated with digital payment systems among the residents of Mangalore Taluk. The research is based on primary data collected from 204 respondents through a structured questionnaire. Findings reveal that UPI is the most widely used digital payment method, preferred mainly for its speed, convenience, and ease of use. Younger respondents show higher adoption, while older adults hesitate due to lack of digital literacy and fear of fraud. Although digital payments are commonly used for online purchases and day-today transactions, many users still prefer cash depending on the situation. Major issues faced include payment failures, slow internet, excessive advertisements, and concerns over data safety. Despite these challenges, a majority of respondents believe digital payments have strong future prospects. The study highlights the need for digital literacy programmes, improved security features, better connectivity, and enhanced awareness to increase public confidence and promote broader adoption of digital payment systems. Keywords: Digital Payment, UPI, Mobile Wallets, Public Attitude, Cashless Economy, Digital Literacy, Payment Security, User Behaviour, Mangalore Taluk, FinTech Adoption Introduction: In the modern era of digital transformation, the way people conduct financial transactions has changed dramatically. Digital payment systems—such as mobile wallets, internet banking, UPI (Unified Payments Interface), credit/debit cards, and contactless payments have become increasingly popular due to their convenience, speed, and accessibility. Large as well as small business owners are increasingly recognizing the benefits of digital payments, such as lower transaction costs and improved business transparency. With a growing number of businesses, educational institutions, and service providers adopting cashless transactions, digital payments are becoming an integral part of everyday life. There is significant potential for further growth, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, through targeted awareness campaigns and infrastructure development. As trust in digital platforms strengthens and technology becomes more accessible, digital payments are poised to play a crucial role in shaping country‘s future economy and financial ecosystem. At the same time, these systems have been further encouraged by government initiatives promoting cashless transactions and financial inclusion. Thus, the scope of digital payments in the country is vast and continuously expanding, driven by increasing digital literacy, smartphone penetration, and supportive government policies. While many individuals have embraced digital payments for their ease and efficiency, others remain hesitant due to concerns over security, lack of digital literacy, and trust in technology. The attitude of the general public towards digital payments plays a crucial role in the successful implementation and expansion of these systems and moving forward in the direction of achieving cashless economy. Importance of the study: The general public in Dakshina Kannada District, is showing a growing acceptance of digital payment system, Quick Response Code: Website: https://jrdrvb.org/ DOI: Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work noncommercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations ae licensed under the idential terms. Address for correspondence: Dr. Therese Pereira, Associate Professor of Commerce, Government First Grade College Kavoor, Mangalore. How to cite this article: Therese Pereira (2025). Attitude Of General Public Towards Digital Payment – A Study With Reference To Mangalore Taluk, D. K. District, Karnataka. Journal of Research & Development, 17(11(I)), 112-123. Original Article Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 113 driven by increased smartphone usage, better internet access, and government initiatives like Digital India and UPI. With Mangalore being both a commercial and educational hub, digital transactions have become more common in retail outlets, restaurants, educational institutions, and transport services. The convenience and speed of platforms like Google Pay, Rupay, Amazon Pay, Razo Pay, PhonePe etc. have made them popular, particularly among younger population and students. Despite this positive trend, there remains a gap in adoption of digital payment among older adults and rural residents who may still prefer traditional cash payment system. Concerns about digital fraud, lack of familiarity with technology, and limited internet connectivity in some areas contribute to increased hesitation. Identifying the factors that influence the adoption of digital payment is essential to understand the public attitude and behaviour towards digital payment system. These factors may include demographic elements like age, income, education, and location, as well as psychological aspects such as perceived usefulness, convenience, risk perception etc. In this connection, a number of studies are being conducted in India. With a view to add to the existing research studies, this study has been undertaken to analyse and understand the attitude of general public towards digital payment system in their daily life transactions. Scope of the study: The study is confined to general public who carry out their transactions using digital payment platforms. It covers people living in and around Mangalore Taluk and is related to the attitude of the respondents towards different digital payment options. The study is limited to the time frame between February 2025 to June 2025. Objectives of the study: This study is undertaken with specific objectives in mind. The following specific objectives have been set for the study:  To assess the level of awareness and usage of digital payment methods among the public in Mangalore.  To analyse the different factors influencing the adoption of digital payment.  To evaluate the perception of public towards the reliability of digital payment systems.  To identify the barriers and challenges faced by users in adopting digital payments.  To provide suggestions for improving safety in digital payment system and enhance user experience. Research Methodology:  Research Design: This study is exploratory and descriptive in nature. It is based on the primary data collected through structured questionnaires, administered personally.  Sample Size: Sample was selected randomly from the population residing in and around Kavoor area of Mangalore City, Dakshina Kannada District. A total of 51 people who make payment using digital platform were contacted for collection of data. Equal weightage was given to male and female members.  Tools used for analysis of the data: For the purpose of data analysis and interpretation, statistical techniques like tabulation and simple charting are applied. Simple Percentage Techniques is used to understand the attitudes of the respondents towards digital payment system and to draw conclusions for the study. Data Analysis and Interpretation In the following section, the data collected from the respondents through questionnaire has been presented in tables and results are shown graphically. Data are further analysed for the purpose of drawing conclusions. 2.1 Age Details of the Respondents: Table 2.1: Age Details of the Respondents Age Number of Responses Percentage % Below 20 64 31 20 - 40 88 43 40 - 60 44 22 Above 60 08 4 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 114 Fig.1 As per table 2.1 & Fig 1, 43% of the respondents belong to the age group of 20-40 whereas 4% of the respondents fall in the age of above 60 and 22% between the age of 40-60. 2.2 Gender Details of the Respondents: Table 2.2: Gender Details of the Respondents Gender No. Of Responses Percentage % Male 120 59 Female 84 41 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Fig.2 As per table 2.2 & Fig.2, 59% of the respondents were males and 41% of the respondents were females. Thus, sample covers almost equal number of men and women. 2.3 Different Modes of Digital Payments: Table 2.3: Different Modes of Digital Payments Types Of Digital Payments No. Of Responses Percentage % Debit Card 16 8 Credit Card 52 25 UPI 120 59 Mobile Wallets 12 6 Net Banking 04 2 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Fig.3 31 43 22 4 BELOW 20 20 - 40 40 - 60 ABOVE 60 PERCENTAGE AGE Age Details of the Respondents (%) 59 41 Gender Details (%) MALE FEMALE 0 20 40 60 80 100 DEBIT CARD CREDIT CARD UPI MOBILE WALLETS NET BANKING 8 25 59 6 2 PERCENTAGE Different Modes of Digital Payments (%) Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 115 Table 2.3 & Fig.3 indicate that, UPI is the most preferred method of digital payment, accounting for 59% of the responses. Credit cards are the second most used mode of digital payment which accounts 25% of the responses. 2.4 Frequency of Digital Payments: Table 2.4: Frequency of Digital Payments Frequency of Digital Payments No. Of Responses Percentage % Always 20 10 Often 52 25 Sometimes 104 51 Rarely 28 14 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Fig.4 As per Table 2.4 & Fig 4, only 10% of the respondents use digital payment always, the majority (51%) use digital payment methods sometimes only, a smaller portion, 25%, use them often. Additionally, 14% of respondents rarely use digital payments. 2.5 Common Transactions Paid through Digital Mode: Table 2.5: Common Transactions Paid through Digital Mode Type Of Transaction No. Of Responses Percentage % Big Buys 20 10 Any Transaction 72 35 Online Purchases 100 49 Govt Payments 12 6 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Fig.5 Table 2.5 & Fig.5 shows that, most respondents (49%) prefer using digital payments for online purchases, followed by 35% who use them for any transaction, indicating growing general acceptance. Only 10% use digital payments for big buys, and just 6% for government payments. 2.6 Reasons for Adopting Digital Payment: [VALUE] [VALUE] [VALUE] [VALUE] Frequency Of Digital Payment (%) ALWAYS OFTEN SOMETIMES Table 2.6: Reasons for Adopting Digital Payment Reasons No. Of Responses Percentage % Convenient 20 10 No Need to Carry Cash 68 33 Saves Time 100 49 Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 116 Fig.6 As Table 2.6 & Fig.6 indicates, the main reason people prefer digital payments is that it saves time (49%), followed by the benefit of not needing to carry cash (33%). A smaller number find it convenient (10%), and only 4% each prefer it for rewards/offers or other reasons. Notably, none of the respondents adopt digital for recording the payment. 2.7 A) Shifting Digital Payment from One App to Another: Fig.7(A) Table 2.7(A) and Fig.7(A) reveal that, 53% of respondents do not like to shift digital payments from one App to another, while 47% would like to shift to another App for digital payment. 2.7 B) Reasons for Shifting the Digital Payment App: 10 33 49 0 4 4 Reasons for Adopting Digital Payment (%) CONVENIENT NO NEED TO CARRY CASH SAVES TIME RECORD OF PAYMENT GET REWARD AND OFFERS OTHERS 47 53 Shifting from One App to Another (%) YES NO Record of Payment 00 0 Get Reward and Offers 08 4 Others 08 4 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Table 2.7 (A): Shifting from One App to Another Shifting from One App to Another No. of Responses Percentage % Yes 96 47 No 108 53 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Table 2.7 (B): Reasons for Shifting the Digital Payment App Reasons No. Of Responses Percentage % Not Satisfied With The Service 32 33 No Attractive Reward 36 38 Fear Of Fraud 20 21 Others 08 8 Total 96 100 Source: Field Survey Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 117 Fig.7(B) Table 2.7(B) & Fig.7(B) indicate that, among those who switched digital payment Apps, the primary reasons were no attractive rewards (38%) and dissatisfaction with the service (33%). Other reasons included fear of fraud (21%) and miscellaneous issues (8%). 2.8 Problem Faced While Making Digital Payment: Fig.8 Table 2.8 & Fig.8 show that, 48% of the respondents felt that Failure in Payment is the most common issue in digital payments. On the other hand, too many advertisements, data safety, and slow internet were the problems faced by 14% each of respondents respectively. Although less, frequent, fraud risks and other issues were also noted. 2.9 Preference to Make Digital Payment: 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 NOT SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE NO ATTRACTIVE REWARD FEAR OF FRAUD OTHERS 33 38 21 8 PERCENTAGE Reasons for Shifting the Digital Payment App (%) Table 2.8: Problems faced in Digital Payment Type of Problem No. Of Responses Percentage % Too Many Advertisements 28 14 Failure In Payment 100 48 Scope For Frauds 12 6 No Safety For The Data 28 14 Slow Internet 28 14 Others 08 4 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Table 2.9: Preference to Make Digital Payment Preference to Make Digital Payment No. of Responses Percentage % Always Prefer Digital 40 20 Always Prefer Cash 84 41 Depends On the Situation 80 39 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 118 Fig.9 As revealed in Table 2.9 & Fig.9, 41% of respondents prefer cash, while 39% choose based on the situation, and only 20% always prefer digital payments. This suggests that while cash remains slightly more favourable, many users are flexible, depending on the context. Digital payments still have room to grow in terms of user preference. 2.10 Level of Trust on Companies Providing Digital Payment Services: Fig.10 As per table 2.10 & Fig.10, 37% of the respondents are unfamiliar with digital payment companies, and 20% do not trust them at all. Only 14% trust them a lot, while 29% trust them after verification. 2.11 Level of Safety of Digital Payment Over the Years: 14 29 20 37 0 50 100 TRUST THEM A LOT TRUST THEM AFTER VERIFICATION DON’T TRUST THEM AT ALL DON’T KNOW THEM PERCENTAGE % Level of Trust on Companies Providing Digital Payment Services (%) Table 2.10: Level of Trust on Companies Providing Digital Payment Services Level of Trust No. of Responses Percentage % Trust a Lot 28 14 Trust After Verification 60 29 Don‘t Trust at All 40 20 Don‘t Know the Service Provider 76 37 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Table 2.11: Level of Safety of Digital Payment Over the Years Level of Safety No. of Responses Percentage % More Safe 52 25 Less Safe 92 45 Not Sure 60 30 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 119 Fig.11 Table 2.11 & Fig.11 indicate that, 45% of respondents feel digital payments are feeling less safe, while only 25% think they are safer, and 30% are not sure. This indicates growing concerns of uncertainty about the security of digital payment systems. 2.12 Reasons for Many Refraining from Digital Payment: Fig.12 As shown in Table 2.12 & Fig.12, the main reason people refrain from using digital payments is due to lack of technical skills (45%), followed by fear of frauds (29%) and not owning a smartphone (24%). A very small portion (2%) cited other reasons. 2.13 Opinion About Threat to Safety of Digital Payment: [VALUE] [VALUE] [VALUE] Level of Safety of Digital Payment (%) MORE SAFE LESS SAFE NOT SURE FEAR OF FRAUDS NOT TECH - SAVVY DON’T HAVE SMART PHONE OTHERS 29 45 24 2 PERCENTAGE % Reasons for Many Refraining from Digital Payment (%) Table 2.12: Reasons for Many Refraining from Digital Payment Reasons No. Of Responses Percentage % Fear Of Frauds 60 29 Not Tech - Savvy 92 45 Don‘t Have Smart Phone 48 24 Others 04 02 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Table 2.13: Opinion About Threat to Safety of Digital Payment Opinion About Threat No. of Responses Percentage % Worried 72 35 Trust Everything 44 22 Feel Safer 64 31 Doesn‘t Change Anything 24 12 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 120 Fig.13 From Table 2.13 & Fig.13, it is clear that 35% of respondents are worried about the safety of digital payments, while 31% feel safer, and 22% trust everything. Only 12% believe it doesn't change anything. This reflects mixed opinions, about the safety of digital payment 2.14 Opinion about Shifting to Cash Payment from Digital Payment: Fig.14 As indicated in Table 2.14 & Fig.14, 37% of respondents will continue using digital payments, while 14% plan to shift to cash payment. Another 24% said they will be more cautious before paying online, and 25% are unsure. 2.15 Usefulness Being Tech Savvy in Digital Payment: 35 22 31 12 Opinion About Threat to Safety of Digital Payment% WORRIED TRUST EVERYTHING FEEL SAFER DOESN’T CHANGE ANYTHING 37 14 24 25 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 NO, I WILL STILL CONTINUE DIGITAL PAYMENT YES, I WILL SHIFT TO CASH PAYMENT I WILL BE MORE CAUTIOUS BEFORE PAYING ONLINE NOT SURE Opinion About Shifting To Cash Payment (%) Table 2.14: Opinion about Shifting to Cash Payment from Digital Payment Opinion about shifting No. of Responses Percentage % No, I Will Still Continue Digital Payment 76 37 Yes, I Will Shift to Cash Payment 28 14 I Will Be More Cautious Before Paying Online 48 24 Not Sure 52 25 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey Table 2.15: Usefulness Being Tech Savvy in Digital Payment: Usefulness Being Tech Savvy No. of Responses Percentage % Yes 64 31 No 56 28 Only For Making Apps 64 31 Only For Young People 20 10 Total 204 100 Source: Field Survey