Ecommerce may be on the rise, but online customers are becoming increasingly fickle about delivery and payment options, a new study has found.
The Kibo ‘2016 Consumer Trends Report‘ has found that digital services are expected as standard by the average customer in the UK and the US. Of 3,000 contributors, more than half said they were willing to abandon their baskets if their chosen retailer was unable to provide their preferred method of delivery.
Delivery was the name of the game as Britain approached its winter sales period, with companies like Argos and Amazon investing heavily in their ability to provide the fastest delivery and click-and-collect options for customers. Despite this peak in effort, however, it would appear that these options are now taken as the industry standard.
“As the marketplace becomes increasingly crowded, retailers need to remain a step ahead with their digital services and fulfilment options to ensure the loyalty of their customers,” said Kenneth Frank, CEO of Kibo. “Most consumers have their preferred places to shop, yet, retailers‘ lack or progression toward offering a true omni-channel experience can erode their customers‘ loyalty. As such, the only option left open to many customers is a move to the closest competitor who will.”
Almost a quarter of Americans surveyed, and a third of Brits, expect delivery times of two days or less, whilst around four in ten in both countries would prefer click-and-collect options if available. Furthermore, 29% of all those surveyed said they would not purchase anything from retailers unable to offer in-store-pickup or extended payment options.
“The speed of change in the retail landscape is relentless. Embracing modern technologies is especially crucial for retailers and manufacturers looking to compete with the likes of Amazon and other internet giants setting the digital benchmark,” Frank continued. “The ability to effectively route orders to match where they‘re most demand, using a cost-effective cloud-based advanced order management system, is a critical component of any modern retail or manufacturer‘s armour. The ability to do this will help ensure customers have no excuse to look elsewhere.”
