By editorial@silicon.com, 6 October 1999 00:02
NEWS Local merchants in Europe are increasingly profiting from online retail trade according to a study by Jupiter Communications. Figures show that consumers in Europe are three times more likely to visit local merchant sites than they were two to three years ago. The research, commissioned by payment system Europay International, demonstrates a definite shift in consumer choice. Making purchases with local online merchants has risen to 15 per cent in Europe, however, it still lags behind the 85 per cent documented in the US. Dag Fjortoft, head of products and services at Europay International, said: "These facts mean that there is a huge potential for European banks and their retail customers to tap into this new and powerful selling tool in order to meet retail demands." The European results also showed that credit cards are the most popular form of payment - with an overwhelming 75 per cent - followed by debit cards and other methods. The survey also revealed that 64 per cent believe that purchases over the net are more expensive than in traditional shops, over half are concerned with the return policy and 56 per cent were worried about payment security.
In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.
Log in or create your silicon.com account below