Consumer Valuation of AR-Enabled Indoor Navigation in Shopping Malls: A Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) indoor navigation can combine wayfinding, information, gamification, and promotions in shopping malls, but how consumers value these features is unclear. In a choice-based conjoint experiment, 295 South Korean adults aged 20–49 from an online panel chose among hypothetical service profiles varying in Navigation Mode, Information Layering, Interactive Character Feature, Reward Type, Reward Acquisition Mode, and monthly fee; a conditional logit model estimated utilities, relative importance, and marginal willingness to pay (MWTP). Within the levels and ranges tested, price showed the highest range-based relative importance (52.2%), followed by Navigation Mode (14.1%) and Information Layering (12.7%). Within the experimental choice sets, conditional MWTP relative to the reference levels was KRW 540 per month (95% CI: 377–702) for Map + AR Guidance and KRW 488 (95% CI: 326–649) for Route + Facility Information + Discount Information. Instant Discount Coupons were preferred to Reward Points and Prize Draw Entry, and Visit-Based acquisition was preferred to Social-Interaction-Based acquisition. The Interactive Character Feature had no significant average effect, but its utility was higher among respondents with greater context-specific gamification-feature affinity. These stated-preference findings suggest a layered design for the proposed service, with guidance and contextual information as the functional core and gamified features as optional.