Convenience And Free Shipping Beat Discounts In COVID-19 Era: Study

The COVID-19 outbreak has accelerated changes that were already underway in online shopping patterns. For instance, convenience has emerged as the key driver among consumers, especially those who favor digitally native brands, according to Who Wins Where: Lessons For Digital Brands, a study recently released by Avionos. 

It’s something to keep in mind if you are using email to drive online sales conversions. 

Of those who shop with digitally native brands, 70% want a simple and easy online or mobile shopping experience, versus 52% of those who buy from traditional retailers. 

In addition, 56% of digitally native customers desire fast, free shipping, as do 50% of those who choose traditional retailers. 

Overall, 76% say fast shipping speed contributes to a positive experience, compared with 62% in 2019. 

What’s more, 60% demand an easy delivery process -- up from 54% last year. And 55% ask for an easy/reasonable returns policy, a slight increase over 53% in 2019.

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However, traditional retail shoppers are more likely to want personalized product, size and/or color recommendations, compared with 30% of digital native customers. The figure for traditional customers is up from 28% in 2019.  

But discounts have fallen -- from a level of 48% last year to 32% this time around. 

Retail brands that market by email have the task of intense personalization in both product recommendations and cart abandonment emails. 

The study also found that 73% of consumers who shop at digitally native firms prefer the online in-store experience over that provided by traditional retailers. 

Both groups of shoppers are roughly equal in their eagerness to post online review — 23% of digital native brand customers will do so, as will 22% of those going to traditional retailers.  

What drives customer confidence? For digitally native brand, 57% cite online reviews, compared with 46% of those shopping with traditional retailers. 

And 49% of digitally native shoppers want detail product information, along with 41% of traditional retail customers.

Avionos surveyed 1,250 U.S. shoppers. 

 

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