One of the most attractive aspects of ecommerce from a buyer’s perspective is that of convenience; total armchair shopping with little or no stress involved and the majority of online payment transactions processed quickly, efficiently and generally trouble free.
However, there is a universally recognised rule that for every pro there is usually a con, and the world of ecommerce is not exempt from that rule. Any type of online process or system that is capable of taking payment via credit card is open to abuse by the more unscrupulous and devious elements that haunt the Internet.
It is also important to remember that it’s not only credit card transactions that are under threat. Hacking into programmes that hold personal information such as bank account numbers, names and addresses etc, is another area that has a vast income potential for those who would use the information illegally.
Ecommerce security is more a case of prevention rather than cure, and to this end designers are constantly developing new and innovative anti-intrusion solutions into their ecommerce programmes.
The use of highly sophisticated encryption software and secure servers are just a couple of the numerous methods employed to keep the uninvited out, and although it’s true to say that at present no system can be guaranteed to be one hundred percent secure or fool proof, today’s rapid advances in software and technology certainly seems to be heading in the right direction.
Despite the occasional horror story about Internet scams and deceptions, online transactions generally remain quite safe but that doesn’t mean that the issue of online security has suddenly become a lower priority and designers and consumers alike should be wary of becoming complacent.
Ecommerce is here to stay, and for many it’s already second nature when it comes to shopping. Others may need some more convincing that their money and personal details will remain safe.
It’s a reasonable and understandable fear, and because of the business world’s ever growing demand for shopping cart capabilities, it’s perhaps the designers themselves that should realise if their systems instil user-confidence, ecommerce will continue to grow successfully and safely.
Until next time.
