You’ve almost made it: you’ve put in your credit card details, you click ‘finalise purchase’… and, nothing.
There’s an error, a ‘404’, but what to do? You have no way of knowing whether your sale has been processed.
New consumer engagement figures have revealed that Australian consumers expect real-time help within 78 seconds when online.
That’s according to the latest Connecting with Customers report from LivePerson, which looks at trends in online behaviour and consumer expectations.
The survey, which included a total of 1,003 Australian respondents, revealed the pitfalls that lead to shopper abandonment online. Almost half of those surveyed (44 per cent) claimed they would abandon an interaction altogether and move to another website if they encountered a poor online experience.
“Overall online retail expenditure in Australia was estimated at $21.8 billion in 2013, an increase of 7 per cent compared to 2012. This statistic could be significantly higher, as approximately AU$9.8 billion (45 per cent) is currently spent on overseas eCommerce sites in Australia,” Dustin Dean, VP & GM, JAPAC at LivePerson said.
“In today’s increasingly digital and highly connected world, these statistics are testament to the need for Australian brands to better engage with customers at every touch point, more than ever before. Failure to engage consumers in the right way can translate to lost brand value and potentially drive customers to explore more compelling and engaging websites hosted overseas.”
The survey also indicated that Australians are generally very impatient when engaging with brands online. Some 77 per cent of Australian customers claim they want to get things done as quickly as possible.
“The opportunities for Aussie brands are clear: a positive experience online not only drives loyalty, it also impacts a brand’s reputation, dictates whether customers will become ‘repeat visitors’ to a site and ultimately affects a brand’s bottom line,” Dean added.
Key ‘repeat visit’ metrics:
Speed: 73 per cent of Australian shoppers identified speed and efficiency as the number one factor in creating a great online experience, with a further 60 per cent indicating the need to have issues resolved in a single transaction is also very important
Real-Time Help: More specifically, the research shows when customers encounter issues; they expect access to real-time help within less than two minutes – 78 seconds to be precise. Any longer than this and they will resort to slower, more frustrating options including emailing the company (82 per cent) or reaching for the phone to join a call centre queue (60 per cent).
Simplicity: Significantly, 84 per cent of customers stated they would return to a company website if their needs were met in a simple, efficient way, and 62 per cent if a retailer saved them time.
