Study: Online shoppers want simplicity

If online shoppers had their way, their favorite sites would offer coupons, rich media and themed merchandising areas and would be easy to navigate.

by Kristina Knight

A recent study followed online shoppers in Q4 2006 and found that themed collections had increased to 59% of online shopping sites. This is one feature that shoppers have repeatedly asked for. By collected themed items - beach wear, Superhero collectibles, sports memorabilia - into one area, they don't have to jump from page to page to find what they are looking for. Putting clearance items in one area is also a consumer driven improvement, with 73% of sites placing clearance items in one online area.

E-tailers have also changed the layout of landing pages to better appeal to consumers. By sorting products according to price, top sellers and brands, new arrivals and alphabetical listings merchants make it simple for shoppers to navigate through the pages. Offering online coupons and shipping discounts are additional ways to draw consumers into the portal and keep them shopping.

Lauren Freedman, president of the E-Tailing Group, Chicago, says "... merchant initiatives are focused on control, convenience, creativity, convergence, and community. From the shopper's perspective, the issues are making it easy and saving time..."

In 2006, online shopping surpassed $563 million. By making improvements to allow consumers simpler navigating, online shopping hubs can expect to see revenue increase even more in the coming years.