PCI Pal, the secure payment solution provider, conducted a study that shows that millions of Americans have officially become online shoppers, which means data security and customer experience online will be more important than ever this holiday season.

PCI Pal’s study showed that over 70 percent of respondents plan to continue shopping online for some or most of their shopping once the COVID-19 pandemic is over. This study shows a behavioral shift that is wide in scale and will change the online shopping scene.

“Retailers face an unpredictable and unexpectedly challenging year due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Geoff Forsyth, CISO, PCI Pal. “What they can control, however, is delivering a seamless, secure shopping experience in-store and across digital shopping channels to offer customers much-needed peace of mind this holiday season.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic has battered the economy, 86 percent of the study’s respondents said they plan to shop their favorite retailers during the holiday season. More than half, or 54 percent, plan to shop online, while 32 percent said they would shop in-store.

Other trends in the study include uneasiness about personal data security, with 20 percent of consumers viewing online shopping as the least secure payment method. Additionally, 70 percent of respondents said they would stop shopping with a brand for a few months or even permanently if it experienced a data breach before the holidays, again showing businesses’ need to prioritize online data security.