Retailers must get to know customers’ shipping expectations, BigCommerce

The majority of retailers are unaware of the impact and value of shipping options, according to research by BigCommerce.

The company surveyed 283 online shoppers in the UK and 776 of its merchants from the UK, US and Australia. It found that 73% of the former have abandoned their cart because they did not like the shipping options on offer. Yet 47% of the latter don’t know their cart abandonment rates. One in three consumers have stopped shopping with an online retailer altogether because of a bad delivery experience. Nine in ten have added items in order to receive free shipping.

Mark Adams, Vice President and General Manager of Europe at BigCommerce, comments: “Retailers need to treat shipping as a critical piece of their business – or risk being left behind. A brand’s shipping experience can carry as much weight as the marketing or products themselves. Spending the time and money getting to know customers’ shipping expectations might not be at the top of the priority list, but our research shows it holds the potential to deliver repeat shoppers and increased sales.”

Sign up for our free retail technology newsletter here.