22% of consumers in Ireland are buying fewer items online because they fear cyberattacks, according to new research.
The data from security managed service provider Ekco shows that 19% have started to pay in-person in cash when they can.
Despite year-on-year growth in online spending, just 30% of those surveyed believe they know how to check if a retailer’s website is safe or not.
In the last 12 months, 14% have entered their payment details on a fraudulent website, thinking it was legitimate, while 26% have found themselves on a fake website which was attempting to mirror a real one.
Ekco’s research suggests that the constant desire for convenience could be making consumers less focused on security.
When offered, 31% opt to store payment details on websites to save time during the check-out process, and the same percentage have payment details stored on multiple websites.
However, many consumers are unforgiving when retailers suffer a cyberattack.
In the last 12 months, a quarter of consumers have avoided purchasing from, or using the services of, a retailer because it suffered a cyberattack.
"Our research shows that while consumers want a hassle-free shopping experience - with conveniences such as having their payment details stored - they are also concerned about the security of their information," said Conor Scolard, Director of Cyber Resilience at Ekco.
"It is vital that retailers have the robust infrastructure in place that enables them to assure customers that their data is safe, regardless of how they choose to pay: in-person in cash, or online - with or without stored card details," he added.
