Online shoppers need to feel safe

Economic woes are not affecting online shopping but security concerns are

The economic downturn has not affected the way consumers shop online, according to a study released by McAfee and conducted by Harris Interactive.

Seventy-two percent of consumers said the economy has not changed the way they shop online. Instead, fears about online security and personal information are the biggest drivers behind terminated online sales.

“Online retailers need to understand that consumers with intent to purchase are terminating their orders because they don’t feel safe online,” says Jayson O’Reilly, regional manager for Africa, McAfee.

“Our research suggests that economic concerns and price have not affected the way people shop online, but instead security concerns are the driving force behind whether a transaction is completed or terminated. All Web sites, regardless of size, need to take measures to prove to customers that their personal information will be safe and secure when doing business online.”

There are a growing number of consumers that now demand trustmarks and refuse to shop on sites that don’t display them. The Harris Interactive research revealed that one in five consumers refuse to purchase from a site that does not display a trustmark.

“Our research shows that trustmarks begin to level the playing field for new and lesser known sites,” says O’Reilly. “For these sites, trustmarks like McAfee SECURE are necessary to build trust so customers will feel confident that their personal information is safe.”

Choosing the Right Trustmark Leads to Increased Sales A recent Yankee Group whitepaper found that trustmarks, like McAfee SECURE with daily vulnerability scanning, deliver the highest level of protection, compared to reputation, privacy and SSL trustmarks.