Speed, convenience and security is drawing New Zealand shoppers to online retailers
Auckland – 3 July 2018 – Three out of five (59 percent) New Zealanders are now shopping online at least once a month, with security and the
quality of goods purchased topping the list of considerations when using this channel, according to Mastercard research.
New research out today from Mastercard, which surveyed more than 1,000 New Zealanders about their online shopping and
digital payment habits, found ensuring banking and personal details are secure (62 percent) and the products are good
quality (61 percent), are front of mind when shopping online.
“As more New Zealanders enjoy the benefits of online shopping, it is great to see a heightened awareness around cyber
security and that Kiwis are actively thinking about the ability of online retailers to protect their data,” says Ruth
Riviere, Mastercard Country Manager for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
Other important factors Kiwis are considering when shopping online include ensuring the business is legitimate (55
percent); that goods can be returned easily (37 percent); and products are delivered in a timely manner (29 percent).
As consumers look for safer ways to pay, Mastercard is advocating for a move towards a token-only storage of payment
details and is actively supporting the new EMVCO secure Remote Commerce (SRC) framework. This framework proposes all
technology and payment providers join together to give consumers the same simple, secure and convenient payment
experience across every browser and device.
“Kiwis – and consumers the world over – want to know that their data is secure when they are making a transaction. As
cyber criminals become more sophisticated, retailers and financial providers need to work together to ensure we stay one
step ahead,” says Riviere.
“Mastercard believes that tokenization is critical when it comes to helping to secure the digital world. Tokenization
will enable anyone taking a payment to protect sensitive data, such as credit card details, by replacing it with
randomly generated substitute characters – ‘tokens’. These tokens have no intrinsic value, but they allow authorised
users to retrieve the sensitive data when needed and render tokenized data useless if it is lost or stolen.
“In the US, research shows that 30 percent of consumers abandon their online shopping carts because the payment process
is too complicated. Mastercard aims to help retailers deliver the best customer experience by enabling consumer choice,
security, transparency and privacy, and it believe this starts with consistency. Similar to the payment that takes place
in-store, tokenization and a move towards an industry wide online payment framework could help retailers move towards a
payment process that is simple with a single, common online checkout button.”
Although Mastercard is working hard to streamline and improve the security of online shopping and prevent breaches of
digital payments, Riviere notes that it is equally important that customers are vigilant and do not sacrifice security
for convenience.
Some of Mastercard’s top tips for safer online shopping are:
1. Monitor your account activity. Make regular activity check-ups part of your routine. This will help keep you
aware and on top of any possible threats or suspicious activity in your account.
2. Be smart with your passwords. Use a good combination of letters, numbers and symbols. This doesn’t have to be
complicated – it can be a simple and memorable sequence.
3. Check for the padlock. A good rule of thumb for any online sites involving your money is to check for “https”
and a green padlock symbol by the URL. Try to stick to legitimate websites that are familiar to you, or others you know,
when shopping online or making online charity donations.
4. Let your bank know. If you do notice suspicious activity on your account, or are aware of identity theft, the
best thing to do is leave it to the experts. Notify your bank immediately, and they’ll track down the issue and work to
sort it out.
5. Know you’re protected. If you are unlucky enough to be impacted by fraudulent activity, customers are covered
under Mastercard Zero Liability, which covers consumers regardless of whether they shop online or in store for any unauthorised purchases.
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