SMEs turned off by e-commerce

Just 18 per cent of SMEs are selling on-line according to the FSB

The threat of credit card fraud is driving hundreds of SMEs away from e-commerce according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

Following a House of Lords Science & Technology Committee report into fighting e-crime, the FSB claims that just 18 per cent of SMEs are selling on-line, with less than one per cent of those generating all their sales through the internet.

According to the FSB research - 19 per cent of businesses are concerned with credit card fraud, but just six per cent have actually experienced on-line fraud.

David Croucher-Jones, FSB Home Affairs Chairman, said: “The extent to which the UK’s SME sector is engaged in e-commerce is an issue of considerable economic significance. We applaud the Lords Committee for having highlighted and recommended proposals that are essential to Internet trade moving forward – but recommending and doing are two different things.

“E-crime needs to be given the same status as crime that is committed against a bricks and mortar business. Only when this is accomplished, by implementing the Lords recommendations, can more small businesses benefit from having a stronger online presence. Customers will also benefit from the increased choice and convenience that online security can bring.”