TNS/TRUSTe Holiday Shopping Survey Shows Identity Theft, Spam, and Spyware To Be Top Concerns With Shopping Online

A Majority of Shoppers Say Online Threats Will Limit E-Commerce This Year

San Francisco, CA and New York, NY– November 30, 2005 – TRUSTe, the independent online trust authority, and TNS announced the results of their 2005 Holiday Shopping/Online Trust Survey. It revealed that while 78 percent of American Internet users plan to conduct some shopping online this year, 69 percent of those shoppers will limit their online purchasing because of fears associated with misuse of personal information. The 1,005 consumers surveyed also indicated that concerns about privacy issues will deter more than 40 percent of consumers from shopping at smaller online retailers.

The survey, conducted by TNS and sponsored by TRUSTe, indicates that based on these concerns, 22 percent of shoppers will not make any purchases online and an additional 14 percent will substantially limit their online spending. Among those willing to use e-commerce, nearly 42 percent prefer using the large, well-known online brands they believe will keep them safer from privacy-related threats.

“More than three out of four shoppers feel more comfortable purchasing at sites that display a privacy statement or privacy seal. Among these consumers, two-thirds are more likely to stick with well known brands because they fear that lesser known e-tailers might misuse their personal information,” said David Stark, North America privacy officer of TNS. “The data overwhelmingly show that privacy concerns continue to hinder the growth of e-commerce.”

“TRUSTe’s seal programs are designed to promote the companies that consumers can trust to respect their information, and that fight against the fraudsters,” said Fran Maier, president and executive director of TRUSTe. “This survey shows that most consumers are aware that the risks are greatest when shopping at sites that don’t clearly show that privacy is a priority.”

The top five factors that shoppers say might limit or prevent them from buying online this holiday season are, in order, identity theft (cited by 49 percent), spam resulting from online purchases (39 percent), credit card theft (39 percent), spyware (38 percent) and preference for the “touch and feel” of shopping in bricks-and-mortar stores (35 percent).

Holiday shopping tips to help consumers “Stop, Think, Click” can be found at www.OnGuardOnline.gov, the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer safety website.

The TNS/TRUSTe survey was conducted online between October 27 and November 1, 2005. Email invitations were sent to a nationally representative sample of the U.S. adult online population derived from the TNS NFO Internet Access Panel, which comprises more than one million U.S. households that have agreed to participate in survey research from time to time. In total, 1,005 online interviews were completed and the survey results are considered accurate to within three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About TNS

TNS is a market information group. We are the world’s largest custom research company and a leading provider of social and political polling. We are also a major supplier of consumer panel, TV audience measurement and media intelligence services.  

TNS operates a global network spanning 70 countries and employs over 13,000 people. We provide market information and measurement, together with insights and analysis, to local and multinational organizations.   

We combine our specialist sector knowledge with expertise in the areas of new product development, motivational research, brand and advertising research and stakeholder management to bring our clients up-to-the minute, internationally consistent information.  

We think differently to help our clients build competitive advantage, making TNS the sixth sense of business. www.tns-global.com

About TRUSTe

TRUSTe, the independent trust authority, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enabling individuals and organizations to establish trusting relationships based on respect for personal identity and information in the evolving networked world.

Founded in 1997, TRUSTe runs the largest privacy seal program certifying more than 1,500 Web sites throughout the world with support from its sponsors, Microsoft, AOL, DoubleClick and Intuit. TRUSTe also provides standards, certification and oversight into email accreditation with its Email Privacy Seal and the Bonded Sender Program. For more information on TRUSTe please visit www.truste.org.

###