Consumer Insights from South Korea’s Publicly Accredited e-Payment Electronic Certification System by Evaluating Security Preferences and Willingness to Pay

Abstract This study investigates consumer perceptions of security features embedded within Internet infrastructures, with a particular focus on online payment services, and analyzes consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for such features. Employing conjoint analysis, an online survey was conducted among Korean consumers to evaluate preferences across four key attributes: authentication, secure data integrity, compatibility, and ease of use. The results indicate that compatibility and secure data integrity are the only attributes significantly influencing consumer preferences. Consumers demonstrate a willingness to pay for security features that offer direct and tangible benefits, such as safeguarding e-commerce transactions. Conversely, they exhibit reluctance to pay for features perceived as public goods or those lacking clear, individual advantages. These findings suggest a heightened consumer awareness of cybersecurity issues and underscore the necessity for Internet infrastructure developers to design selectively tailored cybersecurity solutions that align with consumer expectations and value perceptions.