Brits miss tailored in-store experiences when shopping online
New research from Ve Global reveals the top products British consumers find difficult to buy online.
As part of this, 2,014 consumers ranked products they have started buying online in the last 12 months, with clothing (27%), groceries (21%), vehicles (20%) and home and garden furniture (16%) proving to be the most challenging.
Top reasons include difficulty browsing for products online (25%), confusing product specifications (21%) and not being able to ask a sales assistant for guidance or advice (21%).
Consumers missed getting help from sales assistants most when shopping online for white goods (37%), consumer electronics (37%), vehicles (29%) and beauty products (26%), which are typically considered high value purchases and/or long term investments.
Other common reasons included not being able to touch or test products (61%), or gauge the size of products (45%).
25% of Brits said being able to ask questions and get advice live on the site would make them more likely to buy products that are challenging to buy online.
Respondents also said detailed product details (31%), the ability to tailor research results to their needs (21%) and the ability to discover relevant products more easily (20%) would make them more likely to complete their purchase.
“With the return of in-store shopping, and the personal service it brings, consumers looking for products that they find difficult to buy online will be the first to ditch the laptop for the high street,” says Jack Wearne, CEO at Ve Global.
“So having a website alone isn’t enough for online retailers to compete for considered purchases. Adaptable brands are experimenting with technology to make online shopping even more convenient.”
“Brands that can reimagine the in-store sales assistant online will enable customers to get the guidance they need to discover and choose products, and importantly get the same premium experience they’re used to getting in-store.”
