Online Security Can Influence Holiday Shopping: A Study
During the past year, there have been multiple security breaches with major retailers including Target, Kmart, and Home Depot that have affected tens of millions of consumers. As such, it is not surprising that one quarter of the 3,039 participants in Web.com's second annual small business perception survey stated that they were likely to change their online shopping behaviour during the 2014 holiday season. In fact, nearly one third stated that they were seriously considering changing their habits.
The survey also revealed the following statistics:
- 69% of consumers are concerned about security and privacy while shopping online during the holiday season.
- 65% of consumers would be motivated to shop more online with small businesses.
- 12% of consumers are concerned about online security with small business retailers while 27% of consumers are concerned about online security at large retailers.
These numbers mean good things for small businesses. In light of the recent security breaches with major retailers this past year, more and more consumers are seeking out opportunities to “shop small.”
Regardless of the size of your company, it is more important than ever to reassure customers on a regular basis that your ecommerce site is secure. Maintaining trust, confidence, and loyalty ensures that you continue to have a strong base of customers. Display security certificates on the home page as well as the checkout pages. Make sure that users can locate your privacy policy with ease, and allocate time to update it on a regular basis.
Before the next holiday season, let your customers know that you're taking the necessary steps to keep your website secure. Think about setting up an email campaign or planning a series of timely social media posts. You want your target audience to feel comfortable with your site before they're even starting to think about holiday shopping.
Are you in need of assistance with staying up to date on the latest online security issues and precautions? Consider partnering with a reputable third party online service provider with extensive experience in the world of online security, such as Web.com's WebLock.
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