RESOURCES · E-NEWSLETTERS · THINK · JULY 2008

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ONLINE SHOPPING FRUSTRATIONS IMPACT STORE AND BRAND PERCEPTION

Online shopping is bigger than ever for wealthy 25-44 year old women. According to an Ouch Point survey, they are the largest user group but they aren't the only ones. Ninety percent of the 1,000+ random participants said they shop online these days, with more than one-fifth making a purchase. Complaints are inherent with all shopping experiences, but for online users the biggest issue is that items purchased don't resemble the images from the web. There are, of course, other hazards, including customer service, or lack thereof, and unclear shipping and return information. Such frustrations have a direct impact on customer satisfaction and willingness to return for future shopping experiences.

Rising gas prices are creating strong growth in the online shopping sector, making this a perfect opportunity for companies to enhance the experience. Amazon was named the best online shopping location by one-quarter of those surveyed, but just as many people could not even identify a top candidate. Maybe good companies will create virtual stores and have real people at the end of webcams walking users through the process. Forget the drive to the mall and spend that gas savings online!

Article by:
Jill Enriquez, HMH, Media Director