Consumers still find online shopping frustrating

Failing to meet customers’ expectations online can have an adverse impact on both the brand and the store, finds a survey from Opinion Research Corporation.

by Helen Leggatt

opinion%20research%20corp%20logo.gif Nearly a quarter of the 1,092 respondents to Opinion Research Corporation’s “Ouch Point” survey cited their biggest online shopping frustration as receiving products they purchased online that bear little or no resemblance to the images portrayed on the website.

What's more troubling than the survey findings is that this is still occuring in 2008, years in to the era of online shopping.

Errors during payment processing, unclear return policies and failure to provide order confirmations are all on the list of consumer pet peeves. Marketers need to reassure consumers that their personal and financial information is secure by providing clear and concise information and to avoid confusion all processes should be easy to follow and understand. None of the above are difficult to rectify or incorporate, yet they are the foundation blocks of providing a positive online shopping experience.

Unsurprisingly, Amazon.com was rated as providing the best online shopping experience but 21% of respondents couldn’t name a website that particularly stood out. Linda Shea, SVP and Global Managing Director of Customer Strategies at Opinion Research Corporation believe this leaves “ample opportunity to create competitive differentiation and to establish best practice in the online shopping space.”