The top contributing ingredients to an e-tailer’s success were an easy payment process, selected by 64 per cent of respondents, closely followed by the website’s usability (54 per cent) and its customer service offering (52 per cent). The retailers surveyed did not believe consumers considered the site’s fraud prevention capabilities (22 per cent) instrumental in the success of their business, while a social media presence was considered important by just seven per cent of respondents.

Michael Norton, managing director of PayPoint.net, comments on the research:  “It is important that consumers realise all that glitters is not necessarily gold when it comes to online shopping. People should be vigilant in ensuring they are not lulled into a false sense of security and don’t fall victim to online scams just because the site is well presented or easy to navigate. If people have doubts as to whether a site is genuine, there are things they can look out for, like a returns policy and UK contact details, which they should check before clicking ‘buy’. Consumers need to be confident in where they’re spending their money.”

For safe shopping online this Christmas PayPoint.net has provided the following tips:

• Compare the costs of the goods on sale with other sellers – although there are bargains to be found online, if the price is too good to be true, it probably is
  
• If you’re using a site for the first time, make sure there is a UK contact number and mailing address clearly visible
• Make sure the sites you use have ‘SSL’ encryption – a padlock should be clearly visible in the lower left hand corner of your browser
• Look out for the ISIS (internet shopping is safe) logo on the retailer’s website – this means the site complies with IMRG security regulations

To help retailers offer consumers the safest online shopping experience, PayPoint.net’s FraudGuard fraud management platform reduces online fraud by up to 70 per cent. It checks each transaction against 35 fraud criteria in real time, allowing online retailers to fine-tune fraud policies and protect their customers against fraudulent activity, such as ID theft and payment card fraud.

ENDS

About the research

PayPoint.net surveyed 229 of its merchant customers between 9^th and 23^rd November 2010.

About PayPoint.net

PayPoint.net is an internet payment service provider that helps businesses take advantage of the opportunities, and manage the risks, of trading online. Drawing on its 12-year heritage in online payments, it provides a highly secure payment platform and FraudGuard, one of the most advanced online fraud management systems on the market.

Its customers span high-profile retail brands such as Urban Industry, UNIQLO and Firebox.com, small business and start-ups, for which it can arrange all the facilities needed to trade online in just 24 hours.

PayPoint.net is certified to the highest level of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), offering all its customers compliance by default.  Additionally, it has links with all multiple acquiring banks, accepts all major payment cards and online payment schemes, and can process payments made online in cash, at more than 22,000 local shops equipped with PayPoint terminals throughout the UK. 

PayPoint.net is part of the PayPoint group.

Contacts

Karla Winch / Katie Buckett

Brands2Life

020 7592 1200

paypoint2@brands2life.com