Better customer service will increase online sales

Over a third of Brits would part with more cash online if the customer care and advice was as good as that found in-store. Overall, 30% of the 2,107 respondents preferred shopping on the High Street because customer care was better than online (47%) and more easily accessible in-store (35%).

"It's clear that shoppers would spend more online if they had access to the recommendations and advice they currently get when visiting a physical store," said Pontus Kristiansson, chief executive and co-founder of Avail Intelligence.

"The challenge for retailers is offering that without impacting its cost base so much that it takes away the benefit consumers see in terms of lower prices online."

There were some advantages of online shopping. Over half (51%) of respondents said the range of products stocked by retailers online was better than the High Street and only 14% thought the ability to find what they wanted was better in a store than online.

When asked to rank the improvements online retailers could make to encourage more online spending respondents advised:-

Customer care - 22%
Pricing - 14%
Advice and support - 12%
Product information - 10%
Navigation - 9%
Range of products - 5%

Tags: consumer advice, customer service, e-commerce, in-store, online retail