According to data from MasterCard, 90% of South African respondents have mentioned that the availability of secure payment facilities is highly important when shopping online.
The same source unveils that 42% of South African consumers, up by 4% as compared to the previous year, have not made purchases online in the first three months of 2014, due to the fact that they were concerned about the safety of the online transactions.
Research points out that slightly more than half of the respondents said visible and explicit assurance of security of transactions would improve the online shopping experience. A number of respondents recommended protection against unscrupulous websites.
Results also show that despite security concerns, 69% of respondents had made at least one online purchase during the period under review, with most very or extremely satisfied with their experience.
The survey reveals that the South African ecommerce industry is growing, as only 24% of local online spend was on foreign websites. This decreased from 27% in the previous year surveyed and 33% in 2012.
Compared with developed economies, South Africa has been relatively slow in its uptake of online shopping, due to low internet penetration in households. However, some companies expected gradual roll-out of cheaper broadband, as well as increased usage of mobile smartphones, to be a kicker for ecommerce.
According to MasterCard division president in South Africa Philip Panaino, the survey confirmed that mandating 3D Secure payment card authentication is an important measure to ensure the sustainability of South Africa’s ecommerce industry.
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