Online Privacy and Security: The Fear Factor

eMarketer:US. In-depth look at online privacy, security and the impact that online theft and fraud have on online retail.

examines the proliferation of threats to Internet consumer privacy and security, and their adverse impact on online business and e-retail. Consumer passions continue to be aroused by alarming news reports of online scams used to steal credit card numbers over the Internet, or the latest information breach at large corporations. And online merchants are feeling the effects.

eMarketer estimates that over a third of US Internet users, ages 14 and up, do not buy online. Concerns over the security and privacy of personal information keep many from becoming online consumers.

It's a highly charged issue. Online shoppers are still wary of online privacy and security, and clearly it affects which Web merchants they trust with their business, and the strategies they employ to minimize online shopping risks.

The threat of cyber crime is altering online shopping behavior in other ways. One result is that small e-tailers suffer, as consumers switch their business to recognized retailers. Savvy marketers will be able to take advantage of this situation. Web retailers who know how to build consumer confidence can create a competitive advantage.

Some consumers' fears are based on misconceptions, that while it's true that credit card fraud occurs more online than offline, research also shows that less than 10% of identity thefts, such as stolen credit card numbers, occur over the Internet. .

Online Privacy and Security: The Fear Factor

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