WATER COOLER Ecommerce Stores Are Underperforming, Survey Findings Report Consumers have high expectations for ecommerce stores, but the findings of a survey by SaaS platform Coreo shows that sites are falling short. A working ecommerce site is arguably one of the most fundamental ways for businesses to attract and retain customers today. However, despite the importance of a functioning website, more than nine in 10 adults experienced a problem when shopping online in the past year, according to the findings of a recent study. The Coveo 2022 Ecommerce Relevance Report, conducted by Quebec, Canada-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) enterprise and which collected insights from 4,000 adults in the U.S. and UK, found that most online retailers fall short of consumers’ expectations. Majority of respondents (91%) said they encountered at least one problem when shopping online in the last year, with more than a third citing slow websites (35%) and not finding what they want (34%), as well as disorganized navigation (29%). Further, only 6% said they believed that online experiences were always relevant. The pressure is on for ecommerce stores to perform and the potential for gains is significant. Ninety-three percent of respondents said they expect the online experience to exceed or at least mirror the quality of the in-store experience, up 3% from last year. Respondents also said they’d be willing to pay more for a product if: • they received value-added services that augmented the experience (69%) • they could easily find what they are looking for (52%) • they received supporting content that added value to the product (48%) • they could discover something new (44%) • they received tailored recommendations (44%) The findings, which were reported in February, also identified an oxymoron: Many consumers want a personalized experience but don’t trust the site security enough to provide their personal details. For instance, the survey found that 40% of shoppers choose to remain anonymous at checkout; something which prevents companies from providing any personalization. Renda is an associate editor at PPAI. 70 | APRIL 2022 | THINK
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