In the competitive world of retail, merchants must adapt to consumers’ relentless pursuit of convenience and the best merchandise for the best price.
Overall customer satisfaction with online shopping is high, at 83 percent, but is only 63 percent for the in-store experience, according to the 2014 UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper™ study, which surveyed 5,800 online U.S. shoppers. The survey suggests that not only is there room for improvement in e-commerce, but that creating a unified omnichannel environment can improve customer satisfaction across all interaction channels as well.
Access to Information
There are many things that modern “flex shoppers” say would make a difference when they’re in the process of buying something online, the survey reveals. Among them: making it easy for consumers to read ratings and reviews of products they’re considering (cited by 61 percent) and showing recommendations for other products based on a consumer’s own preferences (cited by 30 percent).
When they’re ready to buy, easy access to information plays a key role as well. In fact, the survey states that only 53 percent of online consumers are satisfied with the level of customer service information they can access during the checkout process. The key is instilling confidence about the products the consumer is considering and making the purchase process as easy as possible.
Mobile Expectations
When it comes to online buying, PCs are still the most frequent choice for researching and purchasing. But mobile devices are gaining in popularity. Fifty-one percent of tablet users and 41 percent of smartphone users say they’ve used those devices to make a purchase.
However, mobile devices have some obstacles to overcome. For instance, the biggest impediment to buying via a mobile phone is small or unclear product images. That factor is cited by 43 percent of survey respondents. Additionally, when shopping online, 68 percent of tablet users prefer a company’s full Web site to a tablet app or mobile site.
This doesn’t stop consumers from using their mobile devices at retail stores. The survey shows that once they’re in a store, 36 percent of consumers use their smartphones to compare prices, and 27 percent use phones to read product reviews and peer comments on the products they’re considering. Roughly one in four consumers call, email, or text a friend prior to purchasing.
Additionally, 40 percent of shoppers look for or redeem coupons on mobile devices, suggesting a retailer could send a discount voucher to someone shopping the aisles, using an indoor proximity system. Thirty-six percent of consumers say that an e-receipt, delivered electronically at the time of purchase, would make the in-store shopping experience more appealing. And 17 percent of shoppers say they would like it if a store associate automatically recommended products based on smartphone data about past purchases.
Post-Purchase Satisfaction Factors
Of course, the experience of online commerce also extends to what happens after the sale. The vast majority of consumers (four out of five) expect delivery to be free, and 93 percent have taken some action to qualify for free delivery (such as adding products to their carts, saying they’ll pick up the product at a local store, or agreeing to wait longer for the order to arrive).
This doesn’t mean they are willing to wait indefinitely. Fifty-six percent of shoppers say they’d rather see a merchant specify a delivery date than indicate how many days the delivery will take. One in three shoppers says postdelivery satisfaction hinges on whether the commitment of a delivery date is met. Mobile devices come into the picture here, too, with 28 percent of consumers using them to track packages.
Additionally, online shoppers are very concerned about returns. Eighty-two percent of consumers say they would be more apt to complete a purchase if they could return the item to a store, or if they knew a prepaid return label would come with the delivery.
The complete white paper with the results of the survey can be downloaded at ups.com/insideretail.