Hill Ferguson, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Consumer Business

Online shopping has transformed the retail

industry and the way consumers make purchases. While most people today understand the value of shopping online wherever and whenever they want, there’s still a surprisingly high percentage of people that rarely make Internet purchases or still prefer the in-store experience.

According to a 2012 Ipsos report, only half of the world’s population had shopped online. Of course, there are many parts of the world where Internet purchases aren’t as prevalent or needed in everyday life. On the flip side, there are also consumers out there that simply don’t trust the online shopping system.

As one of the most trusted global leaders in online payments and with 15 years of experience under our belts, PayPal is here to clear up some of the myths about online shopping:

No Trust. You don’t think online shopping is trustworthy. When it comes to buying online, you want to trust who’s handling your money and know that it’s safer and secure.

Around the world, markets such as Russia have such little trust in online shopping that they prefer to pay on delivery with cash. We understand the desire to get goods before having to pay – there’s a level of satisfaction once you know you’re really getting what you set out to buy. That’s why we provide our Pay After Delivery service so users can buy online and pay for their goods 14 days later - or sooner if preferred. PayPal then sends an alert before deducting money from their bank account.

Convenience. Face it, when you want something, you want it right away. If your online shopping experience isn’t more convenient than going to the store and buying on the spot, you aren’t going to do it. However, a recent 2014 survey PayPal commissioned with Ipsos found that 43 percent of online shoppers do so for convenience – particularly because it saves them time and money. Another specific element that people love about online shopping is the option of fast or free shipping.

Returns. You don’t want to deal with the hassle of returning products you buy online. Additionally, you don’t want to pay more for something than you would in-store, so paying for return shipping is a deal-breaker for many people. According to a comScore report, people now expect free returns. In fact, 82 percent of respondents stated they would complete a purchase if they could return the item to in store or have free return shipping. That’s why PayPal offers return shipping at no cost in 22 markets around the globe.

Online shopping doesn’t have to be scary. It can actually make your life easier – and allow you to shop from all around the world. With options from Pay After Delivery to free two-day shipping to return shipping at no cost, we give the trust and security that has been missing from online shopping.