Dubai, UAE, 17 August 2021: More than a third (37%) of UAE consumers would rather switch retailers or shop on another site (35%) than wait if there were delays in completing their online purchase, according to the 2021 Stay Secure consumer survey released by world leader in digital payments, Visa, Dubai Police, and Dubai Economy (DED) as part of their annual Stay Secure consumer education campaign.
The survey indicates that as UAE consumers have become increasingly savvy about paying digitally, their expectations for both in-store and eCommerce payment experiences has skyrocketed. When shopping online, nearly one in two consumers abandon their shopping cart if they experience a delay or authentication error. eCommerce sites that offer customer reviews (51%), seamless refunds (42%) and a variety of payment options (41%) performed better in building high levels of consumer trust.
As consumer awareness of underlying security technology protecting digital payments has increased, a majority (57%) are also more open to store their card information on merchant sites if this helps to improve or speed up their shopping experience. The survey also showed that more than half of consumers surveyed (52%) continue to shop online with no signs of slowing down, while 43% said they are shopping less in stores despite the easing of restrictions.
Brigadier Jamal Salem Al Jalaf, Director of Criminal Investigation Department in Dubai Police, said, "The findings of the study are in line with the ongoing efforts of Dubai Police, Dubai Economy and Visa in promoting the "Stay Secure" campaign to spread consumer awareness on safe digital payments and eCommerce practices. This is in line with Dubai Police's commitment to fight online fraud in collaboration with our strategic partners."
Brigadier Al Jalaf added, "Dubai Police is pleased to partner with Visa and Dubai Economy on the "Stay Secure" initiative, which will strengthen our efforts to combat fraud and cybercrime and further support the recently launched National Fraud Awareness Campaign."
Ahmad Al Zaabi, Director of Consumer Protection in Dubai Economy, remarked that the online behaviour of consumers reflects their expectations of the overall shopping experience in Dubai. “Consumers in Dubai are eager to explore and experiment, and they have access to the best and the foremost as they live in one of the most connected cities in the world. Dubai Economy has progressively ensured a safe, secure and pleasant shopping across Dubai in association with the private sector and the insights gathered in the Stay Secure survey are valuable in extending the experience online. The advantages Dubai has as a business hub, shopping destination and a Smart City when combined can provide a unique digital retailing experience for consumers.”
Shahebaz Khan, General Manager for the UAE at Visa, commented, "Consumers in UAE are very savvy and will not settle for a shopping experience that does not match their expectations. Merchants need to recognize this and our survey provides them actionable insights that can help them combat fraud and ensure consumers feel safe when transacting with them. The 2021 Stay Secure survey also outlines steps merchants can take to improve the shopping experience both online and in-store. We are pleased to be able to share the results of this survey as part of our ongoing education efforts with Dubai Police and Dubai Economy and to help support local merchants’ recovery needs and their digital transformation.”
Consumers surveyed said they feel safe shopping on merchant sites that provide customer reviews, a seamless refund experience and offer a variety of payment options. Logos of payment providers and visible security features like ‘lock’ icon and SSL certificate also helped consumers know a merchant site was secure.
Merchants looking to provide an enhanced online experience for their customers can leverage solutions like Visa Secure to make online payments more secure and seamless, and to speed up authentication. Visa Secure uses the latest EMV 3-D Secure (3DS) specifications, which uses fraud detection intelligence working behind the scenes to verify cardholder identity and block unauthorized transactions.
The survey corresponds with the launch of Visa's sixth annual "Stay Secure" social media campaign on Facebook and Instagram (@VisaMiddleEast, @DubaiPolice @Dubai_DED) in partnership with Dubai Police and DED. The campaign reinforces safe digital payment practices and reminds consumers on how they can protect personal data even as they enjoy the benefits and convenience of eCommerce and contactless payments. The UAE Stay Secure webpage also includes fraud prevention tips for consumers and information on security features of digital payments.