Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
clear sky
weather
OMAN
25°C / 25°C
EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Fear over online shopping in Sultanate: Survey

minus
plus

By Staff Reporter — MUSCAT: April 29 - Online trading has redefined the way people shop around the world. At the same time, many have concerns over making payments online because of a rise in the cases of online cheating, debit/ credit card fraud and other related crimes. Sample this: thirty-nine per cent of Oman respondents still feel offline shopping is “more secure”, with only 24 per cent considering online shopping “equally safe”, a survey conducted by YouGov has found. Across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the lack of confidence in online payment security has deterred 34 per cent from shopping online, says the report.


The study interviewed 2,700 participants from across the GCC, including Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.


Another study commissioned by Seamless Middle East recently reveals that although 48 per cent of GCC residents prefer to shop online, they are all “worried about the payment security”.


The Arab Federation for e-Commerce (AFEC) said last month that the region’s current share of e-commerce market represents only one per cent of the global market. However, the survey results highlight the increasing opportunities for e-commerce in the region.


“The existing appetite for online shopping in the Gulf countries poses a promising opportunity for international and regional investors in the e-commerce sector,” says Dr Eng Ali al Khouri, First Deputy Chairman of Arab E-commerce Union, and Chairman of the Supreme Committee.


“The Arab Federation of e-commerce will play a central role in supporting and advising the public and private sectors in the Arab states to ensure continuous growth and further development of e-commerce in the region as we strive to capture a fair share of the global digital industry,” Al Khouri further said.


Eric Claudel, senior vice president banking and payment solutions for CISMEA region at Gemalto, said, “The current and projected growth of e-commerce in the region has facilitated and encouraged accelerated development of digital payment experiences.”


He said the demand for optimised payments experience — in terms of speed, convenience and multi-channel accessibility but most importantly in terms of security — is growing at a fast pace.


SHARE ARTICLE
arrow up
home icon