Eye on Retail: The top priority for online shoppers is…
Three-quarters of consumers agree that one factor reigns supreme when selecting an online retailer.
According to a new consumer survey from commerce automation platform Linnworks, “The Effortless Economy: A New Age of Retail,” 76% of respondents cite convenience as a top priority when it comes to online shopping. In addition, 78% say they value ease and convenience now more than they did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 74% say the majority of their shopping will be done online moving forward because it is convenient.
Retailers should prepare to continue offer flexible shopping options introduced due to the pandemic, as 84% of respondents expect retailers to keep services like buy-online, pick-up-in-store (BOPIS) and curbside pick-up operational long-term.
In terms of what constitutes convenience, 81% of respondents expect retailers to offer seamless purchasing across devices, and 51% say they have abandoned a purchase due to having to restart their order on a separate device. More than one-third (35%) of respondents have made a purchase directly through a social media platform, while another 27% say they haven't yet but would try it.
When it comes to the final steps in the online purchase journey, 95% of respondents say shipping factors into their overall purchase decisions. While 61% say they are more willing to shop with brands that offer next-day delivery, communication is ultimately key, as 72% say they have abandoned a purchase due to lack of transparency around shipping.
Many respondents are also seeking convenience in how they pay for online purchases. Almost three in 10 (28%) say they have utilized a buy-now, pay-later option when shopping online, and another 24% say they're open to the idea. Of those who have used flexible payment options, 89% say it makes purchasing decisions faster and easier and 70% admit to making an impulse purchase due to having flexible payment options available.
More than eight in 10 (84%) respondents say they are more willing to buy big-ticket items if given flexible payment options, and 79% are more likely to shop with retailers that offer flexible payment.
Other interesting findings include:
• 91% of respondents now start their shopping journey directly on an online marketplace, although 44% have abandoned an online marketplace because they were overwhelmed by options.
• Nearly half (49%) of respondents have purchased from a direct-to-consumer brand in the past six months, and 76% would prefer to shop with their favorite brand directly if they were able to offer the same conveniences as an online marketplace.
[This article originally appeared on chainstoreage.com.]