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Maëlle Chetal Gaillard

How is Consumer Behaviour Changing when it comes to Digital Identity?

The number of online accounts is increasing all the time. Today, around 72% of French consumers have at least 10 active accounts (compared with 75% worldwide). These are all online accounts that need to be secured.





Digital identity specialist Okta has unveiled its first survey of trends in customer identity. The study, carried out between August 2022 and February 2023, reveals a number of key findings.


Password requests are a major sticking point


Almost two-thirds of French consumers (65%) feel overwhelmed by the number of usernames and passwords they have to manage. This multitude of identifiers is having a significant negative impact on French consumers: 21% of respondents say they have entered the same data repeatedly in the last six months, and almost one in five French people have reset their password more than six times in the last six months (19%). It's hardly surprising, then, that 60% of French consumers say they are more likely to spend money with brands that offer simple, secure and frictionless login experiences. Despite these irritants, the traditional password remains the security measure preferred by French consumers to secure their e-commerce, media and online entertainment accounts, ahead of multifactor authentication (MFA). However, more than a third of respondents (34%) say they prefer to provide several proofs of identity when creating an account, making it easier for them to log on to an online sales site or marketplace the next time.


Consumers want to control their data


When they connect to applications and make purchases, customers expect fluid, personalised and instantaneous experiences," sums up Pierre Barbier, Managing Director France and Italy at Okta. At the same time, they also want to control the data they share, and have the appropriate security controls in place to protect it." Confidentiality appears to be a major concern for today's consumers: 78% of French respondents attach importance to their ability to control their data.


When it comes to data protection measures, French consumers cite first and foremost the use of complex passwords (57%), limiting data sharing (44%), regularly deleting cookies (44%) and using different passwords for each online account (39%). Only 22% of French people use a password manager. Paradoxically, although the majority of French consumers recognise the importance of controlling their personal data, almost half of them (45%) admit that they could protect it better.


The digital wallet is gaining in popularity


Whether on a smartphone or another device, more and more French people are adopting digital wallets. More than a quarter (27%) of French consumers use them. A further 36% say they are ready to adopt it. Among the advantages cited, ease of use and the centralisation of digital data are at the top of the list, as is better data protection. However, there are still obstacles to its widespread use. Indeed, 44% of French respondents refuse to use it for fear of centralising their data in one place, while 38% do not want to be dependent on one device.


Half of French consumers are aware of their digital footprint


Half of French consumers are aware of their digital footprint and are trying to take steps to reduce it. In fact, 65% of French people now consider a brand's approach to climate change before buying a product online. Another interesting indicator is that 47% of French respondents seem aware that the increase in the number of identifiers will have an impact on the environment, a higher percentage than the global average (31%).


Method:


Statista conducted an international survey on behalf of Okta involving 21,512 consumers across 14 countries: the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan and South Korea. Data was collected in August 2022 and February 2023 by e-mail invitation and an online survey. All participants were at least 18 years old.


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