Fifty percent of UK consumers aged 16 and over are still wary of shopping online, a recent study has revealed.

Among the reasons cited by non-buyers, the most widespread one is a manifested preference for the ‘hands-on’ high street experience (expressed by 67 percent of interviewees). Also, 41 percent of responders say they are concerned about online security, while 36 percent indicate that they don’t have internet access.

Overall, 71 percent of respondents are concerned about the level of risk when purchasing online, up from 66 percent in 2008. According to survey initiator CyberSource, this shows that UK consumers’ perception of online shopping as a safe activity is not improving.

The main motivator for those who do shop on the internet, according to the survey, is to save time (83 percent). Other significant reasons include immediate access to a wide range of products and services (73 percent) and greater cost savings (61 percent). Interestingly, 76 percent of these consumers say that they would never use a mobile phone to make purchases.

Payment data security – still an issue

Sixty-eight percent of consumers who shop online said they trust retailers with their personal details and payment information. In direct contrast, when looking at all consumers (including those who do not buy online), 59 percent are not comfortable with retailers storing their credit card details. This may, in part, be due to media coverage, as the survey has revealed that respondents hear more negative stories about the safety of shopping online (59 percent) than positive news (46 percent).