Internet Trust Marks: Building Confidence and Profit Online

The fear of fraud, spoofing, phishing, identity theft, and lax website security have a sizeable percentage of consumers wary of using credit cards online. According to the 2011 Norton Cybercrime Report, cyber fears are on the rise – nearly three quarters of adults (74 percent) say that the possibility of cybercrime is something they are always aware of when online and nearly 9 in 10 adults say it’s important their security software protects their computer 100 percent of the time.

However, having the right website security solution in place is not enough by itself to turn the tide. Online merchants need to advertise their investments in website security and the commitment to their customer’s protection. As proven time and again, trust marks are one of the best ways to convey the notion of site security and establish peace of mind with would-be consumers. This paper examines how recent trends in Internet trust marks can help restore confidence in online shopping, and as concluded by at least one recent study, even induce those who do shop to spend more.