Menu
3 out of 5 retailers blame cybersecurity fears for delay in digital transformation initiatives: study

3 out of 5 retailers blame cybersecurity fears for delay in digital transformation initiatives: study

Web defacements, data exfiltration and ransomware were the biggest concerns

AI is the ‘weapon of choice’ for three out of four retail organisations to bolster cybersecurity

A Frost & Sullivan study commissioned by Microsoft reveals that fear of cyberattacks has forced 60 per cent of retailers to put their digital transformation programmes on hold.

This is putting them at risk of falling behind the competition. While significant losses can result from cyberattacks, the benefits of digital transformation far outweigh the risks, says Microsoft New Zealand.

The study points out how the retail environment is becoming ever more centred on technology, with customers expected to interact with around 150 different sensor-enabled devices by next year.

These include digital displays that use facial recognition to provide personalised offers or enable automatic payment and smart kiosks where customers can search for products instore or scan barcodes for pricing information. Meanwhile 46 per cent of all customers already use retail mobile apps on a daily basis.

Microsoft says this study was taken from the results of a survey among 1,300 business and IT decision makers in 13 markets including New Zealand - with 10 per cent of respondents coming from the retail industry.

According to the study, more than half (56 per cent) of the retail organisations surveyed had either experienced a security incident (27 per cent) or were not sure if they had had a security incident as they hadn’t checked (29 per cent).

A cyberattack can cost a large retail organisation an average of $27.7 million (US$18.7 million) in direct and indirect economic loss, or $70,000 (US$47,000) for mid-sized retailers.

Job losses occurred at three quarters of the affected organisations as a result of the cyberattacks impacting businesses. The greatest indirect losses were due to customers going elsewhere, something known as customer churn.

“Trust is especially critical for retail organisations today as brand loyalty continues to erode in the digital era,” says Kenny Yeo, Industry Principal, Cyber Security at Frost & Sullivan.

Retailers have the highest customer churn after a cybersecurity incident, compared to other industries

Kenny Yeo, Frost & Sullivan

“If retail organisations do not have the reputation of being capable of protecting their customers’ personal information and financial data, consumers will switch to another option,” he states.

“This is why retail organisations have the highest customer churn after a cybersecurity incident, compared to other industries.”

More than three in five businesses (60 per cent) says cybersecurity concerns had impeded their plans to invest in new digital platforms.

Web defacements, data exfiltration and ransomware were the biggest concerns. Web defacements occur when content on the retailer’s website is replaced with malicious or ridiculous content by hackers.

Ransomware has the most severe impact on retail organisations, as cybercriminals encrypt files to stop users from accessing them, forcing organisations to pay a ransom.

On the other hand, the survey notes the significant gains to be made from digital transformation.

Adopting digital products and services saw retailers’ customer advocacy, productivity and profit margins increase by between 11 and 16 per cent in 2017 alone. Those gains are expected to double by 2020, it states.

“What retailers don’t realise is that the biggest risk is doing nothing. With so many competitors in the online retail space, based here and overseas, retailers can’t afford to put off exploring digital platforms and alternative channels for reaching their customers,” says Russell Craig, national technology officer for Microsoft New Zealand.

 Russell Craig
Russell Craig

Craig bats for the use of public cloud services as fundamental enablers for digital transformation. “With the right tools and partners in place, the gains retailers can achieve will far outweigh any risk.”

The study also found many retail organisations are turning to AI to safeguard themselves from cyberthreats as well as generate insights and deliver personalised shopping experiences. Three quarters (75 per cent) of retail organisations surveyed had either adopted or were considering an AI-based approach to complement their cybersecurity strategy.

By rapidly analysing vast quantities of data, AI-driven cybersecurity enables organisations to identify cyberattacks and remove persistent threats like ransomware faster than any humans.

“This makes AI an imperative for retail organisations who are looking to protect their digital platforms and customers from cybercriminals, as well as create the best customer experience,” says Craig.  

Get the latest on digital transformation: Sign up for  CIO newsletters for regular updates on CIO news, career tips, views and events. Follow CIO New Zealand on Twitter:@cio_nz

Send news tips and comments to divina_paredes@idg.co.nz @divinap


Join the CIO New Zealand group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.

Join the newsletter!

Or

Sign up to gain exclusive access to email subscriptions, event invitations, competitions, giveaways, and much more.

Membership is free, and your security and privacy remain protected. View our privacy policy before signing up.

Error: Please check your email address.

Tags strategyretailCISOcloud providerschange managementC-SuitechangectoazureFrost & Sullivanpublic cloudAIchange agentMicrosoft NZcxCXOransomware attacksDXanalytics economyRussell CraigleadershipKenny YeoWeb defacementsdata exfiltration

More about MicrosoftTwitter

Show Comments