Oracle Report: Consumers Fickle About Ecommerce Security Controls

Online consumers don't have much patience for security controls that slow or complicate their purchases -- even though they say they don't trust existing online security to keep them safe, according to a new report.

In a survey commissioned by Oracle in the U.K., Foviance, a user experience consultancy, found that while two-thirds of U.K. online consumers want more security on Websites where they shop, about 30 percent said they'd go to a retailer's competitor if additional security meant it would take more time to conduct a transaction or add to the complexity.

Oracle released the data yesterday as part of its "Online Security: A Human Perspective" report analyzing online consumers' attitudes and behaviors in regard to security. "Organizations must remember that security is an emotive subject that understandably triggers very primitive instincts for consumers and citizens," says Des Powley, director of security for Oracle UK and Ireland. "It's time to be more strategic, which includes using technologies such as adaptive authentication and single sign-on -- all delivered seamlessly with the service."

Around 30 percent of the nearly 500 respondents say they don't trust online security measures, and 70 percent took the blame for their own security problems. Nearly 25 percent say when they encounter login problems, it's the fault of the Website, brand, or technology. More than 70 percent say they had at least one problem with an ecommerce site in the past three months.

Respondents aren't keeping their user names and passwords safe all of the time, either: Twenty-five percent say they have written lists of their online credentials. Around 30 percent don't trust their local or central government to protect their personal information. Time is a priority when it comes to online shopping: The main reason most abort a transaction is that it took too long (48 percent).

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