Dubai: Feeling flustered that the checkout process at the store is taking too long? That you keep getting told that ‘payment is being processed’? You are not alone.
More than a third (37 per cent) of UAE consumers are projected to either switch retailers or shop on another site (35 per cent) than wait if there were delays in completing their online purchase. The 2021 Stay Secure consumer survey released by Visa, Dubai Police, and Dubai Economy indicates that as UAE consumers have become increasingly savvy about paying digitally.
The consumer expectations for both in-store and ecommerce payment experiences have skyrocketed. When online, nearly one in two consumers abandon their shopping cart if they experience a delay or authentication error. Ecommerce sites that offer customer reviews (51 per cent), seamless refunds (42 per cent) and a variety of payment options (41 per cent) performed better in building high levels of consumer trust.
Seamless check-outs
A majority (57 per cent) 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 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.
Shahebaz Khan, General Manager for Visa UAE, commented, "Merchants need to recognize this and our survey provides them actionable insights that can help them combat fraud and ensure consumers feel safe when transacting with them.”
Consumers said they also 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 ‘lock’ icon and SSL certificate also helped consumers know a merchant site was secure.
