Survey looks at shopper satisfaction over festive period

Friday, December 6, 2013 - 08:53 by Graham Miller

A new study conducted by eDigitalResearch has found that about 25 per cent of people believe that the experience of shopping online is actually slightly better in the run up to Christmas.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, 42 per cent of the 2,000 consumers questioned in the report revealed that they find shopping at real world outlets to be much tougher to endure at this time of year. The crowds and the queuing involved in buying on the high street are the biggest obstacles to enjoyment.

Fifty three per cent of respondents said that e-commerce was desirable because it meant that they could bypass the usual Christmas crush and also overcome issues, such as a lack of available staff members to help them with queries.

Half of those questioned said that the lower prices available online made it better than high street retail, with a similar amount citing the variety of items available, as a top benefit.

A third revealed that they like the flexible options for delivery which are available online, while a quarter said that they were pleased to see retailers advertising the last date on which orders can be placed, in expectation of a pre-December 25th delivery.

Report spokesperson, Derek Eccleston, said that the competitive nature of the e-commerce market meant that retailers were compelled to keep customers happy, even during the busiest period of the year. This leads to more loyalty and helps to keep people coming back for more.

While high street retailers need to think about things like the atmosphere in their store and the way they deal with queues, online outlets must master their interfaces and checkout procedures, to win the hearts and minds of shoppers as the end of the year approaches.