Consumers are more interested in security than in rewards or discounts when they decide where to shop online, according to a survey by PayPal Inc. and JupiterResearch LLC.
When other factors, notably price, are equal, 54% of respondents said that knowing an online retailer keeps their financial information secure would make them more likely to buy there; only 16% of the 2,140 people surveyed in January said that double rewards points would affect their decision about where to shop. Thirty-one percent said that receiving a discount on their next purchase would be a factor in their choice.
The top reason for choosing one site over another, according to 55% of respondents, was whether it accepted the payment mechanism they wanted to use.
Sixty-two percent of respondents said they feel more secure shopping online if they do not have to type in their credit card information, and 17% said they specifically look for sites that accept PayPal.
These results echo earlier sentiments about rewards programs that PayPal, a San Jose unit of eBay Inc., has said it hears from customers.
Rene Pelegero, PayPal's senior director of industry relations and strategy, said in December that PayPal had suggested offering rewards to its customers but "consumers said, 'What you're doing is fine.' "
