More than a third (37 percent) of UAE consumers would rather switch retailers or shop on another site (35 percent) than wait if there are delays in completing their online purchase, according to a new survey.
The 2021 Stay Secure consumer survey released by Visa, Dubai Police and Dubai Economy (DED), indicates that as UAE consumers have become increasingly savvy about paying digitally, their expectations for both in-store and e-commerce payment experiences have skyrocketed.
When shopping online, nearly one in two consumers abandon their shopping cart if they experience a delay or authentication error, according to the poll.
E-commerce sites that offer customer reviews (51 percent), seamless refunds (42 percent) and a variety of payment options (41 percent) performed better in building high levels of consumer trust, it noted.
As consumer awareness of underlying security technology protecting digital payments has increased, a majority (57 percent) are also more open to store their card information on merchant sites if this helps to improve or speed up their shopping experience.
The survey also showed that more than half of consumers surveyed (52 percent) continue to shop online with no signs of slowing down, while 43 percent said they are shopping less in stores despite the easing of restrictions.
Jamal Salem Al Jalaf, director of Criminal Investigation Department in Dubai Police, said: “The findings of the study are in line with the ongoing efforts of Dubai Police, Dubai Economy and Visa in promoting the Stay Secure campaign to spread consumer awareness on safe digital payments and e-commerce practices.”
Shahebaz Khan, general manager for the UAE at Visa, said: “Consumers in UAE are very savvy and will not settle for a shopping experience that does not match their expectations.
“Merchants need to recognise this and our survey provides them actionable insights that can help them combat fraud and ensure consumers feel safe when transacting with them.”
Consumers surveyed said they feel safe shopping on merchant sites that provide customer reviews, a seamless refund experience and offer a variety of payment options.
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