Survey: Most shoppers have abandoned a purchase due to website raising doubts
While e-commerce is commonplace, a few factors give consumers pause before completing a purchase.
According to online business certification program provider TrustedSite's 2026 edition of its State of Ecommerce Trust, 94% of shoppers are concerned about fake businesses created with AI-generated content, while 93% about AI-generated phishing emails impersonating retailers, and 91% about fake product reviews written by AI.
More than half (51%) of shoppers cite questionable business legitimacy as a reason they have abandoned a purchase, up from 46% in TrustedSite’s 2024, and ahead of credit card security at 43%. In total, nearly nine-in-10 (89%) shoppers have abandoned a purchase because a site raised doubts.
The overwhelming majority (96%) of shoppers are concerned about sites they have never heard of, and 94% about sites they simply haven't bought from before, compared with 48% for large, established sites.
Eight-in-10 (82%) respondents say they are more likely to trust a site that prominently displays a third-party verified trust badge than one that does not, and 40% read the absence of third-party trust indicators as a possible sign of fraud. Shoppers say the statements that would most increase their likelihood of buying are that their data is encrypted and kept private (51%) and that the business's contact information has been validated (50%).
[READ MORE: Survey: Out-of-stocks often lead consumers to switch brands]
"As AI reshapes online shopping, trust has become more important than ever,” said Lisa Dowling, CEO of TrustedSite. “Consumers are navigating a landscape where it's harder to tell what's real, and they're looking for credible signals before they buy. Earned, verified trust gives businesses a way to stand out and gives shoppers the confidence to complete their purchase."
TrustedSite surveyed 1,295 U.S. consumers via SurveyMonkey Audiences in 2026. Concern figures exclude "N/A" responses and are based on consumers who answered each question. Year-over-year comparisons reference prior surveys from 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024.
