Online retailers could do better

A study of online shopping over Christmas 2007 reveals that difficulty in finding product and delivery information fuels consumer frustration and leads to shopping cart abandonment.

The survey, conducted by YouGov and commissioned by RightNow Technologies, polled nearly 2,000 regular internet users across Britain and found that of those that did Christmas shopping online, nearly one fifth (19 per cent) of online shoppers abandoned a purchase either because they could not find specific product information or could not ask questions about a product.

Some 16 per cent abandoned a purchase because they couldn't find information about delivery charges and times prior to checkout.

The findings cover a period during which time several top supermarkets made seasonal increases to their delivery charges and when understanding details about an intended purchase, and whether it will be delivered by Christmas, escalates in importance.

"Industry pundits continue to be bullish about online shopping; some even predict that internet shopping could account for half of Britain's GBP300 billion-a-year retail market by as early as 2018," commented Joe Brown, General Manager EMEA, RightNow.

"To capitalise on this burgeoning market a retail website should be as sticky as possible by being properly organised and consumer-centric - that means providing consumers with purchase decision-making information at the right place and at the right time.

"By designing a site with the consumer shopping experience in mind, retailers can reduce consumer frustration and increase sales.

"This survey reveals what consumers want and when - retailers should take heed of it rather than just guessing at what's needed".

Better accessibility to current and relevant information during the customer journey should help bolster satisfaction levels around customer experiences.

During the 2007 Christmas buying season, 14 per cent of those that did their Christmas shopping online indicated that they had a negative experience that will prevent them from doing any future business with the online retailer at fault.

The importance of providing a good customer experience is borne out with 24 per cent of consumers citing it as a top factor when shopping online.

The survey's findings add to the argument that retailers need to focus on the following areas to improve the online shopping experience provided to customers.

Clarify essential information - be clear early on what the delivery charges are and how the delivery process works.

Either have a tab where all the information can be found, or call out standard charges and processes on each web page.

Empower staff with the ability to quickly update and communicate anything impacting on delivery times.

Present dynamic content in context - learn what customers look for and what questions they ask so that information provided is dynamic, timely and relevant.

Present information in the context of where the customer is in his or her shopping experience.

Work with manufacturer's to syndicate product information from their websites so that customers have access to up-to-date information.

Offer multichannel choice - ensure customers have access to multichannel contact options (live chat, email-to-agent, click-to-call) throughout their journey so that they can ask questions about their intended purchase.

This multichannel support can prevent them leaving your site to look elsewhere for information.

Make it easy for customer to do business with you - allow customers to create a personalised 'my orders' portal so they can keep track of orders, deliveries and returns.

Drive towards repeat business - learn from pre- and post-purchase interactions with customers so you can segment your customer base to offer more relevant or personalised customer experiences which can drive future revenue.

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov.

Total sample size was 1,956 adults.

Fieldwork was undertaken between 28 and 31 December 2007.

The survey was carried out online.

The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

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