Consumers Like Online Convenience, But Are Frustrated By Processes
As the holiday shopping season looms, a new study from verification solutions firm SheerID has found that today’s consumers want an in-store experience without actually stepping into a store. Conducted in September 2016, the survey of over 500 U.S. shoppers who have made purchases online looked at shoppers’ habits, likes and dislikes, as well as holiday spending plans for the upcoming holiday season.
With the vast majority planning to spend over $250 on holiday shopping, over 61% of survey respondents noted that they intend to buy 50-100% of their holiday goods without visiting a brick-and-mortar store. However, although shoppers clearly favor ecommerce, the data showed that many have issues with the process, which leads to shopping cart abandonment. More than half (56%) of respondents said they would abandon their shopping carts due to expensive shipping, while over 40% said they would abandon their carts as a result of a frustrating checkout experience.
“A great customer experience is no longer a question of if, but how, when it comes to driving conversions online,” said Jake Weatherly, CEO of SheerID, in a news release. “Especially over the holidays, shoppers are looking for an in-person buying experience without actually having to leave their homes. It is up to retailers to provide that experience to them at every point in the buying process, including checkout.”
As a part of that checkout experience, 20% of respondents noted that issues redeeming a discount would lead them to abandon their purchase. Additional data also pointed to the importance of online discounts in the buying process. Only 10% of respondents said that discounts on products aren’t important to them, while 63% responded that they are important or very important. The type of discount or offer is another contributing factor in purchasing decisions. Just over 40% of respondents said that free shipping is their offer of choice, with the second most popular being a large discount on one item, at 25%.
Source: Marketwired; edited by Richard Carufel
