# Protection of Personal Data in the Context of E-Commerce
## 6 Research Objectives and Methodology
### Results Analysis
#### 6.3.3 Consumer Trust and Regulatory Impact  
The third set of questions in the survey addressed the respondents' online shopping experiences, including the frequency of purchases before and after the enactment of stricter data protection regulations, the types of goods and services commonly purchased online, and general shopping experiences. The majority of respondents, 38%, reported shopping online every month. Annually, 29% of respondents make purchases, and 19% shop weekly. An equal percentage of 7% either shop daily or do not shop online. Respondents' familiarity with the GDPR varied, with 57% indicating partial familiarity. Twenty-two percent of respondents reported complete familiarity with the regulation, while 21% were unfamiliar. The GDPR's impact on respondents' confidence in online shopping was significant, particularly among those aged 36-45, who reported the highest influence, rating their increased trust with the highest score of 7 on a Likert scale. In contrast, the youngest and oldest age groups reported no significant change in trust levels, whereas middle-aged groups showed increased confidence in online shopping. Familiarity with the GDPR across different age groups showed that 94.12% of respondents aged 36-45 years were fully or somewhat familiar with the regulations, with only 5.88% lacking any familiarity. This pattern of familiarity was generally higher among respondents with higher educational backgrounds, with 96% of those holding a graduate or undergraduate degree reporting some level of understanding. As shown in Figure 4, regarding the frequency of online purchases post-regulation, 26% of respondents who previously shopped infrequently (\"rarely\") perceived an increase in their shopping frequency, suggesting a minimal but noticeable shift toward more frequent online shopping following stricter regulations. However, no significant increase was observed in other respondent groups regarding shopping frequency post-regulation. The following dominated product categories purchased online: clothing, footwear, and fashion accessories, with 59% of the sample purchasing them. Information technology, home appliances, and sports equipment were also popular categories, with 41% and 37% of respondents purchasing these items. The survey results, as shown in Figure 5, indicate significant concerns among respondents regarding online shopping, with the highest anxiety centered around credit card misuse (59%), followed by fear of fraud (48%) and personal data theft (47%). A total of 42% of respondents reported concerns about losing money, and the inability to return purchases concerned 28%. Additional worries included the cost and potential taxes on shipping (24%), while 16% expressed a general distrust of online shopping. Only 1% were concerned about not receiving their ordered items. The survey results provide a nuanced perspective on the impact of regulatory frameworks like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on consumer trust in online transactions. Although 64% of respondents reported being aware of the GDPR, only 45% expressed a significant improvement in their data security. This discrepancy indicates that although the regulation is acknowledged, there is a mixed perception regarding its effectiveness in improving consumer trust. Significant variations in trust levels across different demographics are evident from the data. In the case of younger respondents (aged 18-35), there was a tendency for them to exhibit higher levels of confidence in the security of their data compared to older age groups. Youthful consumers may feel more confident due to their comfort with digital environments and greater trust in technological solutions. In contrast, individuals aged 56 and above exhibited the lowest levels of trust due to their limited exposure to digital platforms and heightened concerns regarding privacy and security.