Retailers Miss Oportunity as 40% of Consumers Abandon Baskets

Retailers will continue to miss opportunities to secure more sales unless they provide online shoppers with the right information on deliveries, refunds and returns, according to new research conducted by Hermes, the consumer delivery specialist. In the lead-up to Christmas, 40% of customers abandoned their baskets before confirming their purchases.

The data, which was collected from 1,935 online shoppers across the UK, also showed that one in two consumers aged between 25 and 34 abandoned their baskets, compared to just 19% of people aged 65 and over. 

Non-conversion costs the industry billions of pounds a year and Hermes CEO Carole Woodhead believes that consumers want access to more information about delivery and costs before reaching the checkout.

She said: “Whilst some online retailers offer a multitude of delivery options, are transparent over delivery costs, and provide easy to access information on refunds and returns, there are some that need to make small changes to their websites in order to secure more sales. When a consumer has spent time picking their items it is important for them to have all of the necessary information so they then have the confidence to finalise their order.” 

Despite the growth in popularity of Click & Collect, the research also revealed that home delivery is still the preferred choice for online shoppers – even if that means forking out additional costs. 51% said they would favour paying £1.99 for home delivery rather than collecting purchases free of charge from a store, whilst 42.5% of consumers would rather save their money and pick-up their items themselves.

Carole added: “As online shopping figures continue to grow each year, consumers are demanding more choice and convenience when it comes to receiving their purchases. According to the results of our survey, home delivery is still the ‘method of choice’, which is constantly being supported by innovative new features and services, like the Hermes Parcel Manager App that provides up to date tracking information on a smartphone or tablet.”

Hermes conducted the research off the back of its busiest peak season to date. The company processed 24.4 million parcels in total, which represents a year-on-year rise of 15%. During its busiest week of the year Hermes handled 6.9 million parcels, up 27% on 2013.