The percentage of on-line shoppers willing to provide personal information on web sites has almost doubled over the last year – from 26% in 1999 to 47% in 2000. However, these consumers are still uneasy about the levels of security provided. The survey showed that only 14% of consumers believed that current web security is adequate, the majority being keen for increased security – even if this means a longer identification process for the individual shopper.
A password can also be easily forgotten and this creates an enormous volume of customer service enquiries. The report revealed that up to 10% of calls and e-mails to customer services involved forgotten passwords or usernames. Others commented that it was annoying and cumbersome to have to remember password logins, especially when visiting a number of different sites.
Available solutions include customer authentication cards, personal identification numbers (PIN) or a type of portable password created by the user's credit card company, for example as provided by Visa through the “Verified by Visa” password system.