KHALEEJ TIMES, Thursday, Aug 19, 2021 | Muharram 10, 1443
UAE consumers will switch retailers over delays in completing online transactions
Emirates:
A significant number of shoppers across the UAE have said that they are
perfectly willing to switch to another shopping website
if there is a delay in completing their online purchase, new research has shown.
According to the ‘2021 Stay Secure’ consumer survey released by Visa, Dubai
Police, and Dubai Economy (DED), 37 per cent of UAE consumers would rather
switch retailers if there were delays in completing their online purchase; 35
per cent said that they would shop on another site rather than wait.
The findings of the survey indicate that UAE consumers have become increasingly
savvy about paying digitally, and that their expectations for both in-store and
e-commerce payment experiences has skyrocketed. When shopping online, nearly one
in two consumers abandon their shopping cart if they experience a delay or
authentication error. In addition, it was found that e-commerce sites that offer
customer reviews, seamless refunds, and a variety of payment options performed
better in building high levels of consumer trust.
Shahebaz Khan, GM for the UAE at Visa, said that consumers in UAE are very savvy
and will not settle for a shopping experience that does not match their
expectations. Merchants, he said, need to recognise this trend. “We are pleased
to be able to share the results of this survey as part of our ongoing education
efforts with Dubai Police and Dubai Economy and to help support local merchants’
recovery needs and their digital transformation,”
he added.
As consumer awareness of the underlying security technology protecting digital
payments has increased, 57 per cent of UAE consumers said that they are more
open to store their card information on merchant sites if it helps to improve or
speed up their shopping experience. The survey also showed that 52 per cent of
consumers surveyed continue to shop online with no signs of slowing down, while
43 per cent said they are shopping less in stores despite the easing of
restrictions.
Ahmad Al Zaabi, director of Consumer Protection in Dubai Economy, noted that the
online behaviour of consumers reflects their expectations of the overall
shopping experience in Dubai.
“Consumers in Dubai are eager to explore and experiment, and they have access to
the best and the foremost as they live in one of the most connected cities in
the world,” he said. “Dubai Economy has progressively ensured a safe, secure and
pleasant shopping across Dubai in association with the private sector, and the
insights gathered in the Stay Secure survey are valuable in extending the
experience online. The advantages Dubai has as a business hub, shopping
destination and a smart city, when combined, can provide a unique digital
retailing experience for consumers.”
Consumers surveyed said that they feel safe shopping on merchant sites that
provide customer reviews, a seamless refund experience and offer a variety of
payment options. Logos of payment providers and
visible security features like the ‘lock’ icon and SSL certificate also helped
consumers know a merchant site was secure.
Brigadier Jamal Salem Al Jalaf, director of Criminal Investigation Department in
Dubai Police, said that 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. The campaign reinforces safe digital payment practices, and reminds
consumers on how they can protect personal data even as they enjoy the benefits
and convenience of e-commerce and contactless payments. The UAE Stay Secure
webpage also includes fraud prevention tips for consumers and information on
security features of digital payments.