NEW YORK - Forty-five percent of consumers in a research firm's survey called commercial bank Web sites "excellent" or "very good," the firm reported.
Fifty-eight percent said they had banked online in the previous six months.
Barry Leeds & Associates said 214 Internet users had participated in the survey. They were asked to try out Web sites of commercial banks, brokerages, mutual funds companies, savings banks, credit unions, finance companies, mortgage companies, and insurance companies.
Asked which kinds of financial companies have the most sophisticated sites, 40% said commercial banks and 25% said brokerage sites. The questions did not differentiate between Internet-only banks and the Web channels of brick-and-mortar banks.
Forty-nine percent said Web banking is completely safe. Two-thirds said such transactions are accurate, and 59% said they are easy to conduct.