A third of internet users refuse to use online shopping for fears of compromising their credit card details, according to a new study.
Many Britons are still afraid to use credit cards to make online purchases, new research from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has revealed.
The study found that a third of internet users do not use online shopping, with a lack of faith in the safety of their credit card details cited as the main reason. The OFT study comes on the back of similar reports showing consumers are still wary of the internet as a retail medium.
Even among internet surfers who do shop online, almost three-quarters said that they had reservations about doing so.
However, the OFT research did indicate that consumer confidence in general was increasing. Additionally, credit card users are more aware of their rights than in the past. Almost three-quarters knew they were not liable if they fell victim to online credit card fraud, up from two-thirds in 2006.
But the online retail sector is still struggling as a result consumers' lack of confidence, according to OFT chief executive John Fingleton.
"Online retailing is the future for many businesses and increasingly important to the economy," he said. "If consumers are not confident online, demand will grow at a slower rate. So, we must tackle these concerns right now if the online market is to grow at its full potential."
