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Study finds delivery, return options key for online shoppers

June 3, 2013

Results from a new study by comScore and UPS reveal that consumers want more choices when it comes to shopping online. The UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper: A Customer Experience Study analyzed mobile trends, social media impact and the integrated buying experience of shopping in physical stores and online.

Mobile and social channels continue to change the way consumers shop, as 46 percent of the 3,000 respondents said they are less likely to comparison shop when using a retailer's mobile app, and 47 percent said they want a retailer to send a coupon to their smartphone when they are in-store or nearby. Not surprisingly, 84 percent of online shoppers use at least one social media site. Among Facebook users — the most popular channel — 60 percent "like" a brand to receive an incentive or promotion.

Convenience is a critical factor for the online shopper. According to the report, shoppers expect more shipping options from online retailers and 97 percent said tracking a purchase is essential or nice to have. Only 44 percent of consumers are currently satisfied with their ability to reroute a package, giving retailers that support changes to orders in-transit a competitive advantage. A hassle-free returns policy also plays a major role in a retailer's desirability to consumers, as the study found that 82 percent of consumers said they would complete a purchase if they could return the item for free.

"As consumers move more of their shopping online and gain exposure to a variety of purchasing experiences, their expectations for retailers continues to grow," said Alan Gershenhorn, UPS's chief sales and marketing officer. "Now consumers can shop from anywhere, at any time and are looking for online retailers to have an integrated and robust set of options as the customer experience no longer ends at checkout."

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