Friction at online checkout will be costly this Christmas

In the last week of delivery before Christmas, findings from ecommerce data expert PCA Predict reiterate the importance of retailers offering a seamless ecommerce experience.



In the UK 84% of shoppers profess to abandoning a complicated or lengthy checkout, while if a delivery fails three quarters of people say they will never shop again with that online retailer.



Moving into the new year, retailers must recognise that consumers expect a frictionless online checkout experience.



American shoppers are a little more forgiving of poor checkouts, with 74% of American consumers saying they will abandon a complicated or lengthy experience compared with 84% in the UK.



But disappointing delivery is a turn-off for more shoppers in America, with 95% saying they will not shop with a retailer again when a delivery has failed, compared with 75% in the UK.



Meanwhile, 75% of UK shoppers prefer retailers to confirm delivery times via email, while just 16% say SMS is their preferred method of communication.

“Lost parcels don’t just mean an angry customer. They also mean that as a retailer you’ve likely lost that customer’s trust forever”

PCA Predict head of marketing Chris Boaz said: “It is as simple as this. Lost parcels don’t just mean an angry customer. They also mean that as a retailer you’ve likely lost that customer’s trust forever. In this day and age consumers won’t accept a parcel going missing, especially at Christmas time.

“Technology, like address verification, is crucial in making sure parcels arrive at the right destination and at the right time. But address verification is actually much more than the technology it offers.

“For the consumer it eliminates their biggest frustration when shopping via a smartphone: inputting correct information. For retailers it saves time, money and can actually positively impact upon customer conversions.”