72% of Aussie shoppers say they wouldn’t give an online retailer a second chance if they had a bad experience. Online shoppers were savvy before, but how much has the pandemic changed our online shopping expectations? For starters, there are more than a just a few online shopping trends we’re holding onto. In this article, we highlight some of the top online store features customers can’t do without. So if your online business is looking to make the most of the e-commerce surge; consider implementing these features if you haven’t already.
Just last year in Australia alone, 1.3 million households were first-time shoppers – 93% of them making their very first purchases between March and December 2020. With these increasing numbers, e-commerce businesses must not only anticipate changing customer interests, but also consider just how diverse shopper demographics can be. In case you’re worried about getting a case of shiny object syndrome, here’s what’s worked well so far.
In a survey according to Savings.com, the most valued feature for 49% of American customers (compared to a year ago) is having convenient payment options. Other features include:
• Fast shipping options 46%
• Simple returns process 44%
• Easy-to-navigate website 43%
• Pricing information clearly shown 37%
• Rarely out of stock 35%
• Quick checkout 35%
• Fast websites 31%
There are also differences between men and women when it came to the following options.
Preferences from Female Shoppers vs. Male Shoppers
• Fast shipping women 51%, men 41%
• Simple return process women 48%, men 40%
• Easy-to-navigate website women 50%, men 36%
• Pricing information clearly shown women 42%, men 32%
• Rarely out of stock women 42%, men 28%
72% of women shop online compared to 68% of the men.
So what does this mean for the role of innovation in user experience? A need for timely, engaging and personalised touch points. Whilst a digital-first approach gives way to more innovative online shopping experiences, we can see that (amongst Australian consumers in particular) having an online store that brings them as close as possible to the offline experience is great step in the right direction. 63% of Australians say they’re looking forward to being able to shop in-store for pleasure, which is considerably more than the 55% global average.
Online Shopping Trends & Store Features Australian Shoppers Love
- Faster page loads: 48% of Aussies with a household income of less than $50,000 would switch for a faster experience, 63% of those with incomes over $150,000 would change.
- Simple and free returns: 86% of cross-border shoppers say easy returns are important to their purchasing decisions. BigCommerce found that 62% of ANZ shoppers have switched online stores for free returns.
- Easy, accurate checkout and order review: 44% of Aussie shoppers have abandoned purchases because checkout took too long or was too complicated. 40% said they’d left before buying to avoid creating an account first.
- Free Delivery : 71% of Australian shoppers say that free delivery is a priority when ordering online, while only 19% prioritise fast deliveries.
What Aussie shoppers would like to see more of in online stores (Emarsys)
• Augmented reality features to try on products take the lead – 40 %
• In-app quizzes to ensure products are personalised to individual preference – 28 per cent%
• Having the ability to track down products worn by influencers/celebrities online and automated stylists that recommend products based on previous purchases – 26 %
Sources:
Savings.com Survey: https://www.savings.com/insights/consumer-shopping-preferences
Need an eCommerce marketing agency that has your back? Find out how we can help boost your business. Book a free strategy session here. Or, better yet, check out our agency secret to helping your business grow with less effort over time.