More Online Shopping Despite More Online Privacy Concerns

January 17th, 2008 by Carolyn Gardner

Despite record level concerns about privacy when shopping online, more and more people can’t get enough of that e-stuff. It’s an interesting reality because it makes no sense at all! One would think that if more and more of us are increasingly worried about privacy - particularly the potential for our credit cards to be “compromised” online - more and more of us would by shying away from buying online. But nope, online shopping is exploding!

It’s crazy really. But then not so crazy…

After all, there’s the undeniable convenience of shopping online…

e-stores are open 24/7
shipping and return policies are hassle-free
choices are awesome
line-ups at the cash - I don’t think so!
Hacker-safe messaging also gives us that little nudge saying everything shoullllllllld be ok

Anyhow, the folks over at University of Southern California’s Center for the Digital Future have just released their special 2008 report. You can actually buy it - $500 for indiv use or $1,500 for corp use. But fortunately the New York Times pulled a few findings from the report - like this one: “Sixty-one percent of adult Americans said they were very or extremely concerned about the privacy of personal information when buying online, an increase from 47 percent in 2006. Before last year, that figure had largely been dropping since 2001.”

Here’s another one which I find interesting as a mom….

“… online parents are more likely than ever to withhold Internet use as punishment — 62 percent in 2007, compared with 47 percent a year earlier and 32 percent in 2000. For the first time, denying Internet access is on par with banning television for bad behavior.”

Good to know! With this in my back pocket, I know two little ladies who may just find that family.ca is no longer something they can take for granted…

Posted in Carolyn Gardner, eCommerce |