E-tailers worried about customer experience

03/10/2008

Online retailers will have to place a greater emphasis on overall customer experience if they are to prosper in the future, a market expert has predicted.

The suggestion was made by Cameron McLean, general manager of merchant services for PayPal, after a study by the online payment company found that e-commerce businesses were concerned that a number of factors may deter online shoppers from using their sites.

Internet security problems were highlighted as a potential worry for consumers, as was poor website design.

Unclear navigation, poor site experience, registration requirements, frustratingly long online checkout processes and a lack of confidence in post-sale service were all flagged up as issues that may prevent potential customers from completing purchases or making return visits to a site.

Mr Cameron said the findings showed that retailers were aware that shoppers who do not believe they are getting a "quality experience" now know there are other online outlets that will give them what they want.

"We predict that this focus on services will be more and more crucial in those markets where price differences are less pronounced," he added.

The importance of good e-commerce web design was emphasised by a recent eMarketer report that predicted the average internet shopper in the UK would spend more than £2,100 on online purchases this year.