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As Americans gear up for the holiday shopping season and Cyber Monday, the unofficial start of the online holiday shopping season on November 30, it is clear that Web site security plays a major part in consumers’ purchasing decisions, according to a new poll by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Symantec [ SYMC]. The poll, conducted by Zogby International, of more than 3,500 Americans found that online retailers will lose sales if consumers have concerns about a site’s security.

According to the poll, more than 63 percent of respondents reported that they did not complete a Web site purchase because of security concerns. Of those that did not make a purchase due to security concerns, several reason reasons were given (note: respondents were able to select more than one reason) including:
41 percent said the site requested more information than necessary for the transaction

46 percent were worried about providing the information requested
32 percent said it wasn’t clear about how the site would use personal information
62 percent simply were not sure the site was secure

In the online world where speed and convenience are measured in milliseconds, some online retailers have voiced concerns that adding layers of security on their sites would repel purchasers. Yet, the NCSA poll found that Americans are willing to endure additional safeguards in order to protect their personal information. Just over 75 percent of those polled said their likeliness to use a service or make a purchase would NOT be affected if a Web site required an additional process to verify identity above and beyond the basic username and password.

“Americans are extremely focused on protecting their personal information and their identities,” said Michael Kaiser, executive director of the NCSA. “Skepticism is a front-line defense and it is heartening to see that Americans are actively engaged in making critical decisions when shopping online. This poll should alert online retailers that there is direct relationship between security and revenue.”

Source National Cyber Security Alliance