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Online Shopping

70% of people abandon online baskets prior to purchase

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By Jessica Davies, News Editor

July 2, 2013 | 2 min read

More than two thirds of UK shoppers abandon their online shopping carts before making a purchase, according to a survey commissioned by Cloud.IQ.

The study, which polled 2,000 online shoppers, revealed that 23 per cent of respondents backed out of a purchase because they were unable to speak to the retailer.

For larger-ticket items priced £50 and above half of respondents said they were more likely to complete a sale is they were offered a free call back form the retailer. This was classed as even more important by “digital natives” who expect to have direct contact with the retailer, according to the report.

James Critchley, CEO of cloud.IQ, said: “With Britons spending on average £1,000 each year online, it is crucial retailers make it as easy as possible for consumers to get in touch.

“People want to do business with people. The reality is that even when we’re buying stuff online - and particularly something that costs more than a few quid - we usually want to talk to someone as part of the transaction. It’s worrying that many retailers fail to offer this option.”

Callback buttons on a retailer’s site, which automatically direct customers straight through to a retailer’s representative, will help curb the drop-off in online shopping cart purchases, according to Critchley.

“With the use of a Callback button, the responsibility of contact falls back to the retailer. Agents can listen to customers’ needs and concerns and pitch accordingly. They ensure the customer receives a response quickly – before they get the chance to browse to a competitor site. By putting in that extra effort, retailers can expect to see less shopping carts abandoned and a real improvement in sales conversions,” he said.

Women are 7 per cent more likely to abandon an online shop than men, according to the study.

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