The impact of digital payment rewards on UPI adoption and usage frequency among working women in Nashik city

This study investigates the influence of digital payment rewards on the adoption and sustained usage frequency of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) among working women in Nashik City. Amidst the rapid expansion of India's digital payments ecosystem, understanding the specific behavioural motivators within key demographics is paramount. Employing a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 100 working women in Nashik through a combination of convenience and snowball sampling. The research focused on the perceived impact of rewards offered by prominent UPI applications, including Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, and BHIM, on both the initial decision to adopt UPI and its subsequent transactional frequency. Key constructs examined included the perceived value, practical acceptance, and sources of dissatisfaction related to these reward programs. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between attractive and well-structured reward mechanisms and both higher UPI adoption rates and increased transaction frequencies among the target demographic. Conversely, issues such as complex redemption processes and low perceived reward value were identified as significant contributors to user dissatisfaction. This research offers valuable insights for digital payment providers and policymakers aiming to optimize reward strategies for enhanced digital financial inclusion and sustained UPI growth in urban Indian contexts.