Digital-savvy consumers are more discerning

Tuesday, February 23, 2016 - 10:02 by Paul Tissington

A survey conducted by Kibo has found that almost two thirds of British shoppers are willing to abandon retailers if they cannot fulfil their needs in the online marketplace.

Four in five respondents also said that they prefer to make purchases via safe shopping online than any other platform that is available to them. But if retailers do not offer a variety of delivery options, including click and collect, then consumers will quickly choose to take their custom elsewhere.

The majority of those questioned said that another issue that would lead them to stop doing business with a particular retailer is the availability of stock level indications online. If a site does not list whether or not a product is available and in what quantity, 66 per cent revealed they would be unlikely to return to it.

Twenty five per cent said that click and collect delivery was not a feature they expected to encounter when carrying out safe shopping online as standard. A third even said that if same day delivery is available, they not only prefer it to alternative options, but also want to see it become a feature which does not cost extra to harness.

This study continues to confirm earlier reports, indicating that consumers are far less loyal in the e-commerce age than they were in the past. And most Brits would happily switch to a different retailer if they found that the company they rely on regularly does not offer the particular digital services they require.

While it may seem like consumers are being more fickle and picky than in the past, the simple fact is that the internet has made it possible for anyone to compare prices and delivery options from a wide range of retailers. So consumer empowerment has led to increased expectations.