Social and Mobile Integration, Shipping Options and Flexible Returns Drive Brand Loyalty
Brussels, September 26, 2013 - Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, and UPS (NYSE: UPS) today released the UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper™ Europe Study , a report analyzing what online shoppers are looking for in the customer experience – from pre-purchase to purchase to delivery and returns. The study touches on mobile trends, social media impact and the integrated buying experience of shopping in physical stores and online – also known as omnichannel retailing.
Results show consumers want more choices when it comes to shopping online, more control over when and where their purchases will be delivered, and a convenient returns process. Consumers are using social media to shop for the best deals and expect more shipping options from e-tailers.
Earlier this year, Comscore asked more than 5,500 online shoppers in six European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) about their online shopping habits and experiences. The study, which included more than 900 respondents in Belgium, covered factors such as what leads them to purchase or abandon their shopping carts and what motivates them to recommend retailers to friends, providing insight to help retailers increase sales. For example, 40% of Belgian consumers said they would be more likely to shop with a retailer if they could buy online and collect the item in-store, while 52% want the ability to buy online and return items in-store.
Mobile and social channels continue to change the way consumers shop across Europe. Belgium displays the lowest use of smartphones and tablets for online shopping across the markets surveyed, but nevertheless, 25% of Belgian shoppers who use a smartphone and 31% who use a tablet use their devices to make online purchases (as compared with an average of 50% and 62% across the surveyed countries respectively). In addition to this, 38% said they are less likely to comparison shop when using a retailer’s mobile app as opposed to a mobile website. Only 29% of Belgian consumers interviewed have “liked” a brand on Facebook (as compared to 50% across the surveyed countries), but of those, 91% pay attention to social media updates from the retailers they like.
“Consumers in Europe and across the globe have a growing number of digital touch points, with more ways to stay connected with their favorite online retailers through every phase of the shopping, buying and fulfillment process,” said Susan Engleson, Comscore senior director. “What will set apart one retailer from another in a competitive marketplace is how well they meet the rapidly evolving needs and expectations of customers.”
Choices and Convenience Shoppers in Belgium expect to see delivery options and total costs early in the purchase process. Flexibility is also important with 49% of Belgian consumers surveyed wanting more flexibility to choose a delivery date and 27% wanting improved options for collecting packages at a convenient retail location.
Not surprisingly, Belgian consumers value visibility, with almost all (97%) saying that the ability to track a purchase is essential or nice to have, 65% wanting to track their packages through e-mail alerts and 68% wanting the ability to track shipments directly through a retailer’s website.
“As consumers in Europe move more of their shopping online, their expectations of what retailers should offer continue to grow,” said Henk Kammeraat, country manager, UPS Benelux. “Today consumers expect online retailers to provide a robust and complete omnichannel shopping experience. UPS is positioned to help Belgian retailers, large or small, develop innovative logistics solutions that make them successful with their online customers.”
Hassle-Free Returns According to the report, returns can help drive sales and improve customer satisfaction. Half of online shoppers in Belgium said that ease of returns/exchanges is an area requiring improvement, 73% said they review a returns policy before making a purchase, and 66% stated they would shop more with a retailer if they offer a hassle-free returns policy.
To download a copy of the report and infographic please visit: www.ups.com/acheteurenligne2013/befr in French or www.ups.com/onlineshopper2013/benl in Flemish
About UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper: A Customer Experience Global Study The global study is based on a Comscore survey of more than 14,000 frequent online shoppers in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Australia, Mexico and Canada. Click on this animated map to learn more about each region.
About Comscore Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in digital measurement and analytics, delivering insights on web, mobile and TV consumer behavior that enable clients to maximize the value of their digital investments. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.
About UPS UPS (NYSE:UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including transporting packages and freight; facilitating international trade, and deploying advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the web at UPS.com and its corporate blog can be found at blog.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.
Hélène AzevedoComscore, Inc. +33 (0) 1 42 47 45 06worldpress@comscore.com