How Passkeys Enhance the Online Shopping Experience

Ecommerce businesses rely a lot on user experience, and if there's one thing that makes customers lose patience quickly and react unpredictably, passwords have to be it.

Most shoppers are in a rush and simply don't want to go through the agony of being redirected, asked to say which city they were born in, and a couple of other annoying questions, before being sent a code that they have to enter so they can create a new password.

That's where passkeys come in. With a promise to make the online shopping experience secure yet user-friendly, they sure are worth considering.

But What Are Passkeys?

Let's make this as simple as it can be. Passkeys are a digital authentication method that replaces passwords. Instead of relying on a user to remember their password, they simply require you to enter your fingerprint or other biometric, after which the passkey is automatically generated.

Given that passkeys aren't stored anywhere, but are instead generated using cryptographic means, they are safer and easier to use than traditional passwords.

That solves one major problem for your ecommerce store. The other main problem would be fraud from imposters, and this is something you can solve by implementing Trestle's Identity Data APIs to ensure only legit customers go into your databases.

Reasons to Consider Passkeys

Wondering how passkeys can benefit your business? Here are a couple of benefits to consider:

1. They Are More Secure

Passwords are not only more annoying for your customers. Apparently, they are less secure than passkeys. That's because they are a little bit easier to crack if someone has the right information. That's why password users keep getting phishing attacks.

Not only that but passkeys aren't stored in some scrambled form on a physical server somewhere like passwords. They are generated during the authentication process.

What's more, with users not required to remember their passwords, it's unlikely they will resort to storing their login information in dodgy places and risking such details being uncovered during a data breach.

2. Better User Experience

Let's face it: Very few internet users, if any, are comfortable with having to remember their password and keying in complex combinations every time they want to gain access to their account.

This is especially annoying when an ecommerce platform keeps logging you out after a period of inactivity. Given the choice between passwords and something as simple as scanning one's fingerprint, most users would choose the latter.

Passkeys provide a similar experience with fast and easy logins and cross-platform access. The goal here is to ensure your customers can get into their accounts with as little login friction as possible. That way, they won't give up halfway and resort to looking elsewhere just because they feel like they are being tortured.

3. Outstanding Convenience Score

Convenience is usually among the top factors as far as determining user satisfaction is concerned. Passkeys, when compared to passwords, offer unparalleled convenience, since users don't have to remember or fill in anything. In the most complicated cases, a customer only has to use their biometrics and the system handles the rest in a matter of seconds.

Besides, passkeys work across multiple platforms and devices, giving your customers a unified authentication experience regardless of where they shop. Not enough? Passkey technology is future-proof making it a more consistent and convenient solution for a highly automated future.

Onboard the Right Customers, Then Enhance Their Experience

With technology and the internet giving us access to new solutions each day, it's crucial to take advantage so you don't miss out and become less competitive. Not so many online businesses have adopted passkeys which means that if you do, you'll be one of the few that care to simplify their customers' lives.

While at it, make sure you're only onboarding the right customers by adopting the identity data verification and validation solutions that Trestle offers. That way, you'll not only give your customers a better experience but also protect them and your business from fraud.