Consumers demanding trusted web sites
Posted on | December 22, 2008 | add a comment
Before the Internet, businesses won customer trust through word-of-mouth, a handshake and exceptional service. But in today’s digital world, trust is earned through secure virtual storefronts with two-factor authentication, encryption and certification that a Web site is authentic.
Computer security is becoming so engrained in the psyche of consumers that many are willing to spend more to protect their PCs.
“These consumers understand that the repercussions of identity theft outweigh the few dollars they may be able to save by shopping on a questionable Web site, which is why 85% opt for sites they trust,” says Fran Rosch, senior vice president of products and strategy at VeriSign, the Internet security-services company that commissioned the survey.
The survey of 919 U.S. adults revealed that 85% believe trusti in a site is most important. By comparison, only 9% said pricing was most important and 5% said ease of use. A whopping 93% said they would cease transactions on an unsecure site.
–Jon Swartz