New Payment Methods Sought
SECAUCUS, N.J.-Consumers who limit their online shopping say they would make more purchases online if their financial institution offered them a safe payment method, according to research commissioned by NYCE Payments Network.
The research, conducted by marketing research firm Analytica, surveyed 2,608 consumers for their attitudes about shopping online and how they pick their payment methods. The findings indicated consumers remain concerned about the security of their personal information when shopping online:
* Of respondents who had never purchased on the Internet, 43.5% gave security concerns as the reason.
* Among those who rarely shopped online, 26.4% cited security as the reason they did not do so more often. Security was the second most commonly cited reason, behind a preference for the in-store shopping experience.
For info: www.nyce.net
Hanging Up On Cell Phones?
WASHINGTON-Deepening concerns about the recession already have caused millions of U.S. consumers to cut back on their cell phone spending and millions more are poised to join their ranks if the economic downturn continues for another six months.
That was the finding of a survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) on behalf of the New Millennium Research Council (NMRC). Among the findings:
* Two out of five Americans with contract-based cell phones are likely to cut back on their cell phones to save money, the study found. Cell phone extras, such as Internet connectivity, e-mail and texting,
* One in five cell phone users with cell-phone extras have "considered cutting back" (5%) or actually "have cut back" (15%) on such features because of actual job loss, fear of job loss or the recession.
More than two out of five cell phone users with extras on their phones (41%) say it is "very" (19%) or "somewhat" (21%) likely they will cut back on cell phone extras "if the economy gets worse in the next six months." Fewer than two in five (39%) say it is "not likely at all" they will make such cuts in the face of a deepening recession.
For info: www.thenmrc.org
