Survey: Consumers Avoid Shopping At Retailers That Had Data Breaches

CreditCards.com announced the results of a survey of consumers about data breaches and their shopping habits. Key results found:

"45 percent of respondents with credit or debit cards said they would definitely or probably avoid one of their regular stores over the holidays if that retailer had experienced a data breach. 16 percent said they definitely would not return to a retailer if the store had been hacked and 29 percent said they probably would not shop at such stores... 48 percent saying security breaches will make them more likely to pay with cash."

However, the results varied by household income:

"Only 31 percent of those in households earning $75,000 or more annually said they'd definitely or probably avoid retailers who experienced a data breach, compared to 56 percent of those in households earning less than $30,000 a year."

Results also varied by gender:

"Among the women surveyed, 56 percent say they would definitely (10 percent) or probably (46 percent) shop at a store where a security breach had occurred, compared to 48 percent of men who say they would definitely (12 percent) or probably (36 percent) shop at such a store."

And by geography:

"Those living in the West and Midwest were the most forgiving. Fifty-nine percent of both Westerners and Midwesterners said they definitely or probably would shop at a retailer that had been hacked, compared to 52 percent of those living in the Northeast and 45 percent of Southerners."

The survey, conducted from October 2 to 5, included 865 adults in the United States. Princeton Survey Research Associates International conducted the survey on behalf of CreditCards.com.

This is very timely information since the holiday shopping season approaches.  It's also relevant given several massive and high-profile data breaches at retailers during the last couple months:

• October 20: Staples Stores: customers' payment information compromised/stolen: number of records unknown
• October 6: AT&T: insider identity theft: 1,600 records
• September 29: Albertson's, Supervalu, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's and Star Markets stores in about 18 states: customers' payment informaiton compromised/stolen: number of records unknown
• September 10: Bartell Hotels: customers' credit card information compromised/stolen: 55,000 records
• September 2: Home Depot stores in the USA and Canada: customers' debit/credit card information: 56 million records
• September 1: Apple Computer: hackers accessed iCloud services: unknown number of records
• August 28: JPMorgan Chase bank: compromised/stolen contact information of customers who used Chase.com, JPMorganonline, ChaseMobile apps, and JPMorgan Mobile apps: 76 million consumers and 7 million businesses
• August 27: Dairy Queen: malware in point-of-sale terminals in 400 stores; unknown number of records
• August 20: UPS Stores: compromised/stolen payment information of customers: unknown number of records

 What are your opinions of the survey? Of the above data breaches? Have these breaches affected your holiday shopping plans? If so, please share how. Do you believe retailers can protect consumers' sensitive payment information? Why or why not?