Nearly two-thirds of consumers will abandon an online purchase if shipping costs are deemed too high, new research has found.
Findings from a survey of 2,000 UK adults by Feefo showed how 79% of their respondents have left their shopping cart before making a purchase, with high shipping costs a deciding factor in over almost two-thirds (63%) of cases. When choosing whether to buy, 55% of consumers are influenced by the brand values of a business.
Being unable to find answers to questions is the most common frustration for more than half of these online shoppers. Richard Tank, Feefo’s Head of Digital, said brands of all sizes must do everything they can to develop strong relationships with their customers to create a strong and enduring business.
‘Consumer confidence and trust is essential to developing an online business that grows, and lasts. Listening, learning and developing more personalised customer experiences is key to long term success. Technology as an enabler, must be fully utilised in order for online businesses to achieve this.’
The research also showed the most common annoyances for online shoppers – the biggest customer service gripe for 30% of consumers is being passed around by call centre operatives. Automated voice systems were chosen as the second biggest bugbear for 21% of respondents.
53% of the 2,000 survey respondents revealed that their most common frustration is not being able to find any answers to their questions when shopping online. The research also revealed how brand loyalty is now under threat in the world of online retail – nearly a third of consumers (30%) stated that they would switch to a rival retailer after only one negative experience with a brand.
The study also explored the online shopping habits of consumers with the majority beginning their searches for purchase on either Google or Amazon. More than 40% use Google while 35% choose Amazon as their first stop when it comes to shopping.
Richard added: ‘While Google’s online monopoly on the web has long been documented, it’s clear that Amazon is now just as prominent as the search engine, even though it’s technically an online retailer.
‘It’s important to recognize that while consumers may start their search on these websites, they often end up buying from somewhere else. Today’s digital landscape is ever-changing and businesses have to meet the needs of their customers across the whole purchase journey in order to maintain sales and brand loyalty.’
