• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, June 15, 2016

Puma wanted to gain better insights into its consumers, especially those who would come to the site and not make a purchase. Its marketing team used software to analyze Web site and cart abandonment rates, but seeing and aggregating the data never did much good without having the ability to take action.

"It's about trying to leverage the information and target the consumer with a message," said Chris Hardisty, VP of ecommerce at Puma.

"People just don't come to the site to buy," he said. "They come to research product they saw in the store. They come to the site to learn more about the brand. You need to address their needs."

Addressing their needs meant finding a platform that not only would analyze why consumers abandoned the site or the cart without making a purchase, but take action by targeting a message to save the sale.

Bizrate Insights recently launched an update to its Abandonment Survey platform that recognizes when a consumer is about to leave a retail Web site. Data provides the fodder to trigger an invitation or initiate some form of communication with the consumer.

The platform recognizes what's in the cart and triggers a message or survey.

Puma, which launched Bizrate's Abandonment Survey about three weeks ago, plans to integrate the platform with its reporting portal where people give the brand direct feedback, Hardisty said. "People will share their problems and frustrations, and we look into them and try to correct them," he said.

Connexity's Bizrate Insights abandonment studies suggest about 15% of those who abandon a purchase come to an online store with the intent to buy. The remainder casually browse or prepare to make a future purchase. The key differences in their reasons for leaving depends on where they are in the process.

Some 45% visit the site and then leave --most because of out-of-stock items, or because they think a item is too expensive and they need a coupon. About 17% abandon the cart because they cannot find a coupon, must confirm the item meets their needs, or they got distracted and needed to turn their attention elsewhere.

The most frustrating for marketers are the 37% who abandon the purchase at checkout -- either because they must confirm that the item meets their needs, think it's too expensive and want a coupon, or there's a problem with coupon redemption or an item being out of stock.

Beyond providing reports for standard and custom site-abandonment survey questions, the platform will include additional analytical and customer support services such as path-to-purchase tracking.