1. The exponential growth of e-commerce has led to an increase in cyber-security risks, with cyber-criminals exploiting the vulnerabilities of online retailers.
2. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the trend towards e-commerce, with consumers seeking security and convenience in online shopping.
3. A mixed approach using Multicriteria Analysis and Likert Scale Survey was used to investigate the performance of European countries in e-commerce and the challenges to its further expansion, highlighting the need for cross-national and cross-cultural studies on online consumer behavior.
The article "E-Commerce Calls for Cyber-Security and Sustainability: How European Citizens Look for a Trusted Online Environment" discusses the relationship between e-commerce, cyber-security, and sustainability. The article highlights the exponential growth of e-commerce in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how this has increased the risk of cyber-attacks on online retailers. The article also discusses how consumer behavior has changed due to the pandemic, with more people turning to online shopping for security and convenience.
The article uses a mixed approach to collect data from websites and evaluate user experience. It employs Multicriteria Analysis (MCDA) to compare multiple alternatives based on scores associated with each alternative and weights assigned to the relevance of each criterion. The criteria chosen were all those available on Eurostat and referred to 2020 as the latest year available.
One potential bias in this article is that it focuses only on European countries, ignoring other regions where e-commerce is also growing rapidly. This narrow focus limits the generalizability of the findings and may not provide a complete picture of global trends in e-commerce.
Another potential bias is that the article assumes that consumers' purchasing decisions are solely based on their perception of security when exchanging private data during transactions. While this is an important factor, other factors such as price, product quality, and customer service may also influence consumers' decisions.
The article does not explore counterarguments or potential drawbacks of e-commerce, such as its impact on small businesses or its contribution to environmental degradation through increased packaging waste and carbon emissions from shipping.
Overall, while this article provides valuable insights into the relationship between e-commerce, cyber-security, and sustainability in Europe, it has some limitations in terms of its narrow focus and assumptions about consumer behavior. Further research is needed to fully understand these complex relationships in a global context.