Symantec/Norton just released a study this morning from our UK colleagues to show that despite Irish economic woes, currency worries and a slow job recovery, online shopping is firmly entrenched as a great option for the average online consumer. I share their feelings! Even though I’m well aware of risks awaiting an unwise Internet shopper, the overwhelming convenience (not to mention there’s no need to fight for a parking space) makes me prefer online shopping as well. The study, fielded by YouGov, an online research company, found that British Internet users are planning to spend £7.4 billion online this Christmas*. Nearly one in five (18 percent) British web users expect to up this year’s online receipts, and nearly half (48 percent) expect to match last years, something in the neighborhood of £234.16.
Other interesting tidbits in the study: younger shoppers are going to be the most active online shoppers (85% expect to shop online); men spend more when shopping online than women; Eastern UK residents plan to spend the least on average while Scots plan to spend the most.
The study participants were well aware of the online shopping risks so e-tailers still have some work to do demonstrating the safety of e-commerce for the bulk of shoppers. I’m sure that those efforts would be repaid many times over since people would likely associate online shopping safety measures with particular destination sites, not every online portal. That’s how I prefer to shop. What do people worry about? Online identity theft and fraud (8%), not trusting the site they are buying from (4%), fear of falling victim to cybercrime (3%) and unwittingly downloading malware (1%). I stick to well-known brands and shops with great customer service, easy return policies and best of all, a staffed 800#! And if they have a chat feature with well-trained folks online 24/7, I’m your customer for life! (I’m talking to you, Land’s End!)
Here are my basic tips for a safe holiday online shopping season:
- Stick to credit, not debit. You have great consumer protection with credit cards and the money doesn’t come straight from your bank account.
- Use strong passwords. Passwords should have at least eight characters and should combine alphanumeric and special characters.
- Look for visual cues that identify safe websites. Scan the web page for a trust mark, such as the VeriSign Trust Seal. These marks demonstrate that trusted authorities have taken comprehensive measures to certify the website. Many browsers will also turn their address bars to the colour green to signify the site is authentic.
- Avoid divulging personal information. Don’t give out unnecessary personal data like usernames and password via email.
- Protect your computer. Keep your system clean and in good shape with an updated security software suite like Norton Internet Security.
- Online shop from trusted systems and in safe environments. Stick to computers you know are clean, don’t use public computers or log on to open wifi networks to shop.
- Monitor your bank account for strange activity. Check your balance daily during the peak shopping season to be able to quickly spot any anomalies.
Regional breakdown:
|
Region |
Average planned Christmas shopping spend by UK online adults |
Percentage of consumers that are held back from shopping online by security concerns |
|
Scotland |
£227.68 |
23% |
|
London |
£198.33 |
16% |
|
North of England |
£195.50 |
19% |
|
Wales |
£ 173.09 |
16% |
|
Midlands |
£ 194.87 |
15% |
|
South of England |
£ 188.32 |
17% |
|
Northern Ireland |
£ 189.62 |
29% |
|
East of England |
£ 174.57 |
10% |
*The independent research was carried out in four countries across Europe: UK, Germany, France and Sweden. According to the results, 18 percent of online adults in Germany and the UK will Christmas shop more online this year compared to 2009, followed by Sweden (13 percent), then France (12 percent). The total amount expected to be spent across all these markets is £22.2 billion, with the UK seeing the biggest average spend per respondent, at £234.16 (approximately €274.96). French respondents were the most security-conscious, with almost a quarter (24 percent) stating that fears over security could deter them from shopping online this Christmas (fear of online identity theft and fraud – 15 percent; not trusting the site they’re buying from - four percent; fear of falling victim to cybercrime – three percent; unwittingly downloading malware or a virus – two percent).
To read the study in full detail, please visit the website at http://investor.symantec.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=89422&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1500640&highlight