Brits concerned over online travel purchases
Monday, 9 February 2009 12:00 AM
Concerns when booking on the net
Despite nearly half of travel transactions being made online , new findings from RBS WorldPay, reveal more than half (62 per cent) of consumers feel security is at risk purchasing over the internet.
With over half (55 per cent) of consumers ranking security as the most important factor when making an online purchase, the payment solutions brand is highlighting that travel providers may be missing out on potential transactions due to their customers' security concerns.
While consumers are happy with purchasing small ticket products online, nearly a third of consumers (30 per cent) feel more comfortable making a booking offline due to the large amount of money involved in the transaction.
In addition to security issues, the new research also shows technology failure halfway through the transaction process is a further bugbear of online travel bookers - cited as an issue by more than a quarter (26 per cent) of consumers surveyed.
Furthermore, while travel businesses may not regard payments as an obvious contributor to customer service, nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of consumers specifically says they want faster payment solutions when paying for travel.
Ron Kalifa, managing director of RBS WorldPay, explains: "This study clearly shows consumers buying travel services and packages want to see changes in the way they pay - be it in speed or security, on or offline.
"Security fears could deter transactions, which often involve large sums of money. This is unnecessary when you consider that developments in card payment technology can give everyone peace of mind. Security shouldn't be an issue for consumers or any travel business, regardless of size."
He continues: "Travel companies that consider new types of technology and adopt them where relevant will be among those that secure a competitive edge in the future.
"The efficiency of transactions plays a major part in the overall customer experience so improvements in this area can prove invaluable, particularly in the current economic climate."
When it comes to purchasing products offline, travelling consumers are even more demanding.
Four in ten said they would like to see a future where we have just one piece of technology (e.g. a mobile phone) or one card to handle all payment transactions and four in ten (42 per cent) said their lives would be much easier if they could pay for everything with cards rather than cash.
Half of those interviewed said they expect the UK to become a near cashless society by 2030.
Chris O'Toole
