Shoppers visit on average 7 e-tailers before making a purchase, report says

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Dec 7, 2017

British consumers are estimated to spend 7.2 hours on Christmas shopping and visit an average of 7 online retailers before making a purchase, in a process that is making Brits feel exhausted by the time Christmas Day arrives.

A new survey of 2,000 consumers revealed that British shoppers feel very stressed out and frustrated in the extended run up to Christmas, with in-store crowds being the number one stress for 25% of those surveyed. Meanwhile, finding the perfect gift topped the list of concerns for 20% of respondents.

According to Klarna, the stress shoppers are feeling could have a big impact on the bottom line of retailers if not addressed. Indeed, the research shows that 1 in 10 consumers have abandoned their online basket in frustration when the process is too complex.

Retailers can address the concerns in a variety of ways. For example, adding a ‘try before you pay’ service could help the 57% of shoppers who have been stuck with unwanted gifts they couldn’t return.

Enabling convenient payment processes can also be a key point of difference for retailers, says Klarna. Letting customers delay the costs of present buying could help them make it through the purchase journey, as a fifth of consumers think this would make Christmas shopping smoother for them.

Luke Griffiths, UK General Manager, Klarna, comments: “This research shows that the online customer journey at Christmas is fraught and can be easily fractured by a stressful moment. Retailers must be aware of this and invest in their user experience to deliver a smooth customer journey – from the first moment a customer spots your product to when it is sitting under the Christmas tree.

“Being aware of stress levels and worries about gift buying helps retailers win over customers that are unsure about a gift or struggling with finances, to spread the cost.”