Dive Brief:
- Almost three-quarters of retailers (72%) worldwide say they want their apps to offer payment security, according to new research from payments firm Aci Worldwide.
- Almost as many (71%) want apps to offer customers integrated loyalty options, and 55% want apps to offer seamless ordering.
- Only 38% of North American retailers cited “Payment/Data Security” as a leading priority for 2016, according to a separate survey from Boston Retail Partners.
Dive Insight:
Retailers in North America appear to be less concerned about payment and data security than a broader selection of retailers worldwide, according to recent surveys from Aci Worldwide and Boston Retail Partners.
At least where retail apps are concerned, the Aci survey reports that security trumps seamless commerce among retailers, 72% to 55%. But Boston Retail says that “Unified Commerce” is a priority for 85% of North American retailers, while “Payment and Data Security” is a priority for just 38%.
U.S. retailers have historically been slow to meet data security challenges. The Aci report indicates that more than four months after the EMV implementation deadline, only 48% of U.S. retailers rated themselves “prepared” or “somewhat prepared” to accept chip-and-PIN cards.
Keeping customers is important no matter where a retailer operates, however: 71% of worldwide retailers wanted loyalty options integrated into their apps, while 68% of North American retailers wanted to focus on “Customer Experience and Engagement.”