Tony McGrath
02 July 2010
A new study reveals that nine out of 10 ecommerce shoppers have abandoned their online shopping carts after putting goods into them, reports Internet Retailer magazine.
The study found that more than half of the buyers that left sites without purchasing did so because they were unhappy with shipping charges, while another third left because delivery would take too long.
The 31 percent of buyers who frequently abandon their online shopping carts represent a loss of £2.7 billion in lost sales, according to the magazine.
But online retailers can take steps to get buyers all the way through the checkout. The study found that 82 percent of shoppers would increase their use of a particular site if that site offered free shipping. Sixty-five percent said that excellent customer service would encourage their continued use of a certain site.
Sixty percent would be appeased if e-tailers offered clearer delivery pricing information from the start.
Dan Hewitt, head of small business goods fulfillment at Royal Mail, told the magazine the study shows that "delivery details and options remain a major influence on online shopping habits."
According to research from Forrester, 79 percent of retailers reported having consistent pricing across all their retail channels, both in-store and online. The added cost of delivery charges can push many shoppers to travel to the retail outlet rather than pay the addition money.
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