Survey: Online consumers want the gift of convenience

Holiday shoppers have high expectations of their online customer experience this year.



According to the new JDA 2015 Consumer Survey of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers, 50% 0f respondents indicate that they will be unforgiving of retailers who provide less than satisfactory online home delivery experiences.



In addition, one in three consumers disclosed that convenience is a major factor when placing an online order. Retailers who can’t meet expectations risk losing 3% of shoppers to a competitor that offers a more convenient or streamlined shopping experience.



Results also show nearly one in four shoppers have opted to “Buy Online, Pick Up In Store” (BOPIS), as it felt more convenient than home delivery. However, nearly 40% of those shoppers experienced an employee-related issue with this service. The most commonly stated issues were that the store staff took a long time or were unable to find their order in the store or store system.



Respondents identified late delivery as the most common issue related to a poor online home delivery experienced in the last 12 months (45%). Among this group, 48% would be unlikely to shop with the offending retailer during a peak time, such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday, displaying a lack of trust in the retailer’s ability to fulfill their needs.



For 62% of online shoppers, their biggest frustration was having to pay for return postage and packaging. More than 50% of all shoppers consider the ease of returning items to retailers “very important” to where they make online purchases, while only about 10% view it as “not important.” It’s also significant to note that “Door-Buster Deals” are still a major factor for 50% of consumers when deciding where to shop for Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday.