Trustmarks Make Consumers Feel Safe and May Level the Playing Field
for Small or Lesser Known Retailers When Compared to Bigger Sites
The economic downturn has not affected the way consumers shop online,
according to a study released today by McAfee, Inc., (NYSE:MFE), the
world’s largest dedicated security company, and conducted by Harris
Interactive®. Seventy-two per cent of consumers1
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. Nearly half of consumers have
terminated an order or abandoned their shopping cart due to security
fears. Even in an attempt to get a good deal, 63 per cent won’t purchase
from a Web site that does not display a trustmark or security policy.
“Online retailers need to understand that consumers with intent to
purchase are terminating their orders because they don’t feel safe
online,” said Tim Dowling, vice president of McAfee’s Web Security
Group. “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.”
Consumers Expect Trustmarks
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. To assuage consumer fears,
e-tailers can prove their security measures and build trust with
consumers by displaying a trustmark; in fact, about 60 per cent of
consumers feel safer when shopping on sites with a trustmark.
Leveling the Playing Field for Small E-Tailers
The Harris Interactive® study also showed that, while all
online retailers, regardless of size, need to demonstrate their security
measures to customers, trustmarks can be a particularly important tool
for smaller companies to equalize against their larger competitors. More
than 90 per cent of consumers are concerned about their security when
shopping on new or unknown Web sites, and 47 per cent of consumers look
for trustmarks to feel safe when shopping on a lesser known site.
