Data security is becoming a hot topic in the retail industry as more merchants report data breaches. With Home Depot being the most recent retailer to potentially come under fire, biometrics may be a possible solution to keep shoppers’ identities more secure. In this week’s Editor Q&A, the RTP editors share their thoughts on whether biometrics will take off:
Debbie Hauss, Editor-In-Chief: While retailers, payment processors, credit card companies and others are scrambling to find the best security measures for payment authentication, biometrics sticks out like a sore thumb, so to speak. Fingerprint ID could go a long way to ending the struggle to figure out how to better secure shoppers’ identities. There’s also palm vein technology and facial recognition up for consideration. Retail may want to take a cue from the airline industry, which is using biometric fingerprint ID to help register travelers for the TSA Precheck program.
Alicia Fiorletta, Senior Editor: In the grand scheme of things, I think this technology has the potential to improve customer data security. However, I can’t help but think back to when the iPhone 5S was released and how people were debating the “Touch ID” feature. Specifically, I remember news outlets debating whether people will start to harm others (specifically chop off their fingers) to get access to iPhones they steal. I can imagine the same media circus if biometrics/fingerprint ID starts to roll out in the retail world.
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Kim Zimmermann, Managing Editor: While consumers want their data secure, I’m not sure they will submit to fingerprint scanning or any other action they see as invasive. If I don’t need to scan my fingerprint to transact business at the bank, why would I need it to buy a pair of shoes at at Macy’s? Retailers would really have to explain the benefits and not sure they would be able to convince most consumers.
Rob Fee, Managing Editor: News of security breaches in retail seem to happen with alarming frequency. Unfortunately, one of the most powerful solutions, biometrics, has the stigma of personal privacy invasion attached to it. The key to proliferation is education. Admittedly, it can be a bit odd to provide fingerprints to your favorite retailers or credit card companies, but it also offers a measure of security that will never be matched by a simple magnetic strip. The technology is starting to be more beneficial to consumers, and it’s popping up now on some mobile handsets as a security measure. As more consumers become exposed to it, they will start to see the benefits. This could translate to greater adoption for retail payments.
Glenn Taylor, Associate Editor: This type of technology intrigues me, since it shows exactly how far we’ve come in detection and identification capabilities. I’m sure we are going to see early adopters here and there, but there are going to be an endless amount of critics once news of this technology makes waves in the general public. It would take a lot of educating to the average consumer that the benefits outweigh any possible privacy issues (real or overblown). For the foreseeable future, I see it taking a similar route as RFID, with retailers looking to differentiate themselves via a specific part of the store (in this case, POS).
Brian Anderson, Associate Editor: While security is the primary reason why biometric technologies are appealing to retailers, it’s definitely going to be difficult to show that your company means well when these same biometrics come off as an invasion of privacy. When it comes down to any of the recent innovations in POS – such as Dunkin Donuts’ mobile app – that what made or broke these types of solutions was whether or not they brought convenience to the consumer. Although security is important, biometrics will take off when it proves that it can simplify transactions without cards or physical money. Consumers give information only if what the return is worthwhile; and I feel that biometrics can easily prove its worth.
