Providing customers with plenty of information during the buying process can help convert more browsers to buyers, according to a new survey of US web users.
Harris Interactive's Online Retail Report (pdf) surveyed 2,873 US adults, finding that 48% of respondents have increased their online shopping habits.
One interesting stat from the survey was that 44% of consumers have abandoned their shopping cart because they couldn't find answers to questions about the purchase or the product.
In addition, 56% said that the ability to find information during the checkout process would be helpful when shopping online, and 42% wanted to be able to find the answers themselves, rather than having to wait for a response to an email query, which can take a while in some cases.
In the UK, companies have been criticised for failing to provide online self-service for customers. A study of 125 major UK firms found that just 17% were providing acceptable customer self-service solutions.
Further reading:
Six ways to improve online experience
Graham Charlton is Editor at Econsultancy. Follow him on Twitter or connect via Linkedin or Google+.
Recommended reports
Online Customer Service Buyer's Guide 2009
An invaluable resource for those investigating the market for online customer service and online surveys, with profiles of leading vendors, the latest market trends and tips and pitfalls for buyers.
How We Shop in 2010: Habits and Motivations of Consumers
How We Shop in 2010: Habits and Motivations of Consumers is split into two separate documents for the US and UK, examining e-commerce consumer behavior in both countries. Both reports focus on how consumers interact with e-commerce brands, conduct product research and the different factors in the buying decision-making process.
Reader comments (0):
Add your own
Enter your comment below