1 in 4 Hong Kong consumers shop via mobile

More than one in four Hong Kongers (25.5 percent) shopped online via their mobile phones in the past six months, but the majority are concerned about security and identity theft.

These are among the findings of a recent online survey conducted by Zogby Analytics and commissioned by TransUnion.

The online survey of 500 adults, conducted by Zogby Analytics and commissioned by TransUnion, revealed that two in three Hong Kongers have shopped online more than three times in the past six months, including 20.9 percent who have shopped more than 10 times.

While the far majority (76.8 percent) still preferred to make online purchases from a PC or laptop, 42.6 percent also used other devices, including mobile phones (25.5 percent) and tablets (17.1 percent). Most of them (65.3 percent) spent or would spend less than HK$1,000 on a single item.

Even with online shopping becoming increasingly popular, 53.3 percent said security and identity theft is their main concern when shopping online, followed by 22.1 percent who worry that the item they purchase will not be as it appears on the website.

“Hong Kongers are more and more comfortable shopping online and e-commerce offers a popular way to buy gifts during the hectic holiday period. However, our research demonstrates that consumers in Hong Kong might not be as aware of online security threats as they ought to be,” said Samuel Ho, chief executive officer for TransUnion Hong Kong.

Ho said it is essential for holiday shoppers to protect their personal and financial data online.

Besides creating strong passwords, setting a unique one for each shopping account and device, and only making purchases at encrypted shopping websites, consumers should also monitor their credit reports often so that unauthorized purchases won’t go unnoticed.