Online Shopping Frustrations Impact Store and Brand Perception

by Jack Loechner, Apr 29, 2008, 8:15 AM

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Online Shopping Frustrations Impact Store and Brand PerceptionAccording to the latest Ouch Point survey from Opinion Research Corporation, among a sample of 1,092 respondents, 90% shop online, with more than one-fifth making a purchase. Women, consumers 25-44 years old, residents in the Northeast and households with incomes of $75K or more were the most likely to make purchases.

However, nearly one quarter of consumers said their biggest online shopping frustration is purchased items having no resemblance to their image on the Internet. A similar amount indicated the inability to speak to a customer service representative at an online store to address any purchasing questions or concerns was their top headache.

While Amazon.com was named the company offering the best online shopping experience by more than one-quarter of online shoppers, 21% could not identify a top candidate.

Linda Shea, SVP and Global Managing Director of Customer Strategies at Opinion Research, said "... there is ample opportunity to create competitive differentiation and... best practice in the online shopping space. Failing to meet customers' expectations,... from login to receipt of item... can have an adverse impact on the customer's perception of...the store (and) the brand."

The survey also found:

• 19% dislike learning an item was backordered or out of stock after said item was placed in a shopping cart
• 14% are frustrated by Web sites that malfunction as payment is being processed
• 8% are confounded by unclear return policies
• 6% don't like unclear shipping information
• 6% dislike not getting an acknowledgement after an order has been placed

And, at the same time iCongo, Inc., released the results of a consumer survey  conducted by Harris Interactive that reveals how the rising price of gasoline is reflected in American attitudes towards shopping.

33 percent of online U.S. adults indicated they are more likely to shop online rather than in-person at a store due to the high price of gasoline.

Irwin Kramer, founder and CEO of iCongo, concludes "Based on these results, it's fair to say that consumers may be looking to fire up their computer more often than their car or truck when it comes to retail shopping," said. "One in three adults said high gas prices are making them more likely to shop online instead of in a store - a clear indication that gas prices are having an effect on shopping attitudes."

Please visit Direct Magazine here for more information, or iCongo here.

 

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