According to Forrester Research, online retail sales are set to grow 11% in 2009. Even though this is smallest growth in a decade it is still growth in a recession. However, consumers are still hesitant to press the ‘submit’ button even though they are clearly looking to buy. The E-tailing Group reports shoppers are abandoning shopping carts at rates of 41% to 50% of the time. And Marketing Sherpa reports an average abandonment rate of 60%.

The top reasons why consumers are hesitating are security and privacy, comparison shopping, hidden return policies, confusion and impatience. These reasons are rational and ultimately predictable. It is obvious many consumers are still not comfortable with the online shopping process. Online retailers have done a lot to try and comfort customers about the security of their site with lock symbols and 3rd party endorsements, but it still seems like the Wild West.

Consumers are right to be cautious. Even with the most elaborate security on a shopping site there are still real risks to the shopper. A secure site does not equal a secure transaction because the shoppers’ home computer is vulnerable. Hackers can get into most computers and find credit card and other personal information relatively easily. They build programs that spread to hundreds or thousands of computers, look for information that could be valuable and send it back to the hacker. In this way it is totally random and it could happen to anyone. Until there can be secure transactions we can expect large cart abandonment rates. For ways to improve your conversion rate take a look at www.ecommercetimes.com/rsstory/68143.html