Consumer satisfaction with UK websites continues to rise

eDigitalResearch's eMysteryShopper survey was conducted in August to compare the customer journey of 51 UK retail websites ranking them on a variety of criteria from first impressions to delivery and refunds.

It found that now, more than ever before, consumers are happier with their online shopping experiences thanks to website improvements and comprehensive customer service initiatives.

According to the survey results, multi-channel retailers are now being overtaken by these pure players who are able to provide a positive experience both on and offline, having implemented operational processes and customer service procedures that work seamlessly with their online operations.

"This is an exciting time for retailers," said Derek Eccleston, research director at eDigitalResearch. "More and more consumers are flocking to the internet to shop and browse. Our eRetail Benchmark study shows that in order to capitalize on these new shoppers, retailers need to be continually updating and evolving their sites in line with customer behavior and shopping trends, an important aspect of any online business"."

Keyword search is one of the areas that saw a large increase in satisfaction levels, primarily due to the introduction of predictive text operations and other new search technologies. Similarly, navigation remains one of the highest performing sectors within the study, with multi-filtering options ranked as a key consideration.

Online lingerie retailer Figleaves was voted best website for the second time in 12 months thanks to their "consistent and well thought out online customer journey" and for its "industry best practice for their shopping basket, offering customers a wealth of information and highlighting similar or matching items, helping to minimize basket abandonment and increase revenues".

Tags: consumer insight, ecommerce, eretail, survey, UK, website