Consumers consider a secure environment the first priority when shopping online, according to survey results released today by Millard Group, reports DM News. Some 91 percent of survey participants cited security as most important, followed by sales specials. Also, 81 percent of participants said they would visit a company's website after receiving an email from the company, and 78 percent said they would do so after receiving a catalog - the first time in three years that email topped catalog.

Some 24 percent of respondents said they went to marketers' sites from links in emails, and 15 percent said they did so from search engines; 67 percent said they read at least three out of four emails from direct marketers.

Categories that slipped compared with the previous year included in-stock merchandise, at 44 percent (from 53 percent); timely order-status notification, at 60 percent (from 65 percent); and prompt delivery, at 53 percent (from 58 percent).

Regarding comparison-shopping, 60 percent said they check one or two other sites; 18 percent say they comparison-shop extensively.

The findings were for the quarter ended August 31, and 37 multi-channel merchants participated, generating 47,000 customer surveys.