Better technology needed for e-business

Better technology needed for e-business

P.C. Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

E-commerce businesspeople hope improved technology and a payment
system will lure the public back to the cyber marketplace.

Deputy manager of Visa International Hariyanto Gunawan,
however, said that customers must first make sure that the portal
has a security system to protect credit cards from hackers.

"Today, people should enjoy the benefit of more convenience in
carrying out e-commerce transactions because many reliable
portals are providing standard security systems to ensure the
privacy of their data," said Hariyanto over the weekend.

Many e-commerce portals now use standard security systems,
such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL), which will protect the safety,
privacy and reliability of payment data traveling over the
Internet by scrambling and unscrambling information so that it
can be read only by authorized parties.

However, a recent survey by Texas-based security company
ClearCommerce (Clearcommerce.com) reported that about 20 percent
of total transactions using credit cards from Indonesia were
fraudulent.

This indicates that widespread fraud in electronic
transactions has made both e-commerce entrepreneurs and buyers
reluctant to use credit cards as a payment tool via the Internet.

Budiono Darsono, the owner of detik.com, said that the portal
did not use credit cards for payment due to concern at poor data
security via the Internet.

"Since our target is the domestic market, it is more
convenient to use money transfers via banks," said Budiono.

Local portal detik.com, which was established in 1998,
currently provides online ticketing services for its customers.
During 2002, the portal managed to reap about Rp 100 million
(about US$12,000) per month from the sale of tickets.

"From January through February this year alone, we have
managed to reach a turnover of up to Rp 400 million from selling
music concert tickets via the 'Net," Budiono added.

With a better online banking infrastructure, he felt
optimistic that by April this year his portal would be able to
turn over up to Rp 2 billion in online ticketing business.

Online shopping guidance

1. Look for an "s" after the "http" in the web page address or
URL as an indicator that the web uses SSL.

2. Compare shops before buying online.

3. Protect your card details: never send payment information
via e-mail because it might be read by outside parties.

4. Read the delivery and return policies of the online store.

5. Keep a record of your transactions by saving the online
confirmation order.

6. Always look for privacy statements before ordering.