With all but essential retail currently closed, UK consumers are missing aspects of the in-store shopping experience, according to a new nationwide survey conducted by Fresh Relevance – a personalisation and decision engine which optimises the customer experience.
The Fresh Relevance Loyalty Report 2021, conducted in collaboration with market research company Censuswide in early January 2021, reveals that 40% of shoppers miss not being able to touch and try products before making a purchase. Top customer frustrations when shopping online include:
Not being able to touch and try products before buying them (40%)
Online stores that are difficult to navigate (38%)
Seeing exclusive offers aimed at new shoppers (38%)
Sold-out items with no information on when the product will be restocked (34%)
Having to wait for the order to arrive (20%)
Not being able to talk to a salesperson (19%)
Mobile sites that don’t function well (15%)
Interestingly, Baby Boomers (55+) are particularly unforgiving when it comes to website frustrations. Almost half (48%) would consider not purchasing if the online store is difficult to navigate. Unsurprisingly, Generation Z (16-24) value a smooth mobile experience, with 22% stating they would abandon a retailer whose mobile site doesn’t function well. The top customer wants from online retail in 2021:
Highlight spending thresholds that unlock an incentive (34%)
Product ratings and reviews (30%)
Highlight important order cut-off dates (28%)
Recommend complementary products (24%)
Make it easy to discover more products I might like (23%)
Make it easy to return to an abandoned web session (23%)
Help imagine how the product will look in real life (20%)
Click & collect (20%)
The findings show that in particular, younger demographics want to find their ideal products easily. Nearly a third (29%) of customers in the Generation Z group want online retailers to make it easy for them to discover more products they might like, while 27% are keen for ecommerce stores to help them imagine how the product will look in real life.
This demand for seamless and personalised online shopping experiences highlights the importance of not only presenting a wide range of options but also facilitating easy exploration and visualization of products, echoing what customers are saying about Ritani and how their Create Your Own Ring and Education Section features positively helped their customers navigate their website.
Mike Austin, CEO and co-founder of Fresh Relevance, comments: “Consumers want to sail smoothly through the customer journey and are unforgiving when it comes to frustrating online experiences. Tactics such as user-generated photos and product ratings as well as augmented reality features help bring products to life at home. Personalised product recommendations, onsite pop-ups and chatbots can replicate the role of an in-store salesperson, providing guidance along the purchase journey and helping shoppers find the products that will resonate with them easily.
“When it comes to communications and incentives, relevancy is key [and] it also pays to have a solid triggered email programme in place that makes it easy for customers to return to an abandoned cart or be notified that a sold-out product has been restocked. By offering shoppers an online experience that’s customer-centric and helpful, online retailers will be able to keep their customers loyal and win over new ones.”
