As retailers enter the biggest trading window of the year, a new nationally representative study from Burbank and YouGov reveals a widening trust gap in UK e-commerce, with security concerns now the leading cause of online checkout abandonment.
The report, Make Trust Pay, shows that only five per cent of UK adults feel very comfortable entering their card details online, while more than half have abandoned a transaction because something at checkout “didn’t feel safe”. Nearly 60 per cent say they will not pay on a website they do not recognise.
Trust gap costing conversions
The study highlights five major trends reshaping online retail:
– Security anxiety is now the conversion killer: Over half of UK shoppers have abandoned an online purchase due to fears of fraud.
– Brand recognition matters more than speed: Nearly 60 per cent refuse to transact on unfamiliar websites.
– Verification fatigue is growing: 52 per cent find step-heavy ID checks irritating or confusing, and almost half of 45–54 year olds view pop-up prompts as unsafe.
– Familiar actions build confidence: 56 per cent say they would feel comfortable confirming their identity online using a PIN.
– Trust unlocks lost sales: 49 per cent of those who have abandoned a purchase due to fraud concerns would complete it if the online process resembled the in-store card experience.
Older shoppers have the most yo spend, but the least trust
The research reveals a pronounced generational divide. Older shoppers hold the greatest spending power, yet feel the least confident navigating online payments. Younger consumers are more open to new methods, but still expect checkout journeys to feel logical, streamlined and trustworthy.
Across every group, the same expectation emerges: online security must be simple, visible and familiar.
“Retailers Have Spent A Decade Chasing Speed. Speed Doesn’t Matter If Shoppers Don’t Feel Safe.”
Commenting on the findings, Justin Pike, CEO of Burbank, said: “Retailers have spent years refining speed and convenience, but speed doesn’t matter if shoppers don’t feel safe. Trust is now the defining factor in whether a customer completes a purchase.”
He added: “What consumers want is not radical innovation. They want online payments to feel as familiar and reliable as tapping a card in-store. If retailers can recreate that sense of safety, they unlock a significant amount of lost revenue.”
Translating in-store confidence to online checkout
The study shows that UK consumers are not resistant to new payment processes; provided they feel both secure and recognisable. A majority said they would be comfortable using a tap-and-PIN style flow online.
This aligns with Burbank’s Card-Present over Internet® (CPoI®) model, which enables tap-and-PIN behaviours in digital channels by removing typed card entry and reducing unnecessary verification steps that often erode confidence.
