It should be no surprise that online demand this Black Friday/Cyber Monday period will be higher than ever before. With non-essential shops in the UK & Ireland closed until December, shoppers are almost fully reliant on digital this year; BFCM is set to be HUGE.
But what is it that customers really care about when it comes to shopping online this festive season?
Discounts are not the no.1 factor
A recent survey of UK shoppers asked which factors lead them to choose one brand over another when shopping online during this season. These emerged as the top 5 priorities for shoppers.
52% cited convenience and clarity
41% say value for money
41% say Free shipping
35% say Fast delivery
32% care about online sales & discounts
Value for money, rather than discounts were the top factor that would sway customers to go with a particular retailer. This wiser shopping behaviour is reflected in global google searches, as the search term “best affordable” has grown 60% this year. Younger shoppers (16-24) were the most likely to value choice (42%) and control (27%).
What shoppers want from delivery
The desire for value for money also extends to delivery preferences, as free delivery is a massive influencer when it comes to purchasing. The top reason for cart abandonment worldwide is unexpected costs at checkout, whether its taxes, payment fees or delivery costs.
More shoppers say they cared about free delivery more than fast delivery. Shoppers may be more understanding that fast shipping in a pandemic isn’t easy, but they still want to know that their parcel will arrive on time.
Offering multiple delivery options at checkout has been proven to ensure higher conversion rates than sites with only one or two delivery options.
Retailers with the ability to expand delivery capacity for BFCM will be in the best position here.
Convenience and clarity
Shoppers value ease and transparency overall (52%). A smooth checkout process and clear communication throughout is essential. It’s also not surprising that in a pandemic that 31% cite not having to leave the house as a convenient factor for choosing online brands.
So how to avoid inconveniencing them? Prevent anything that disrupts browsing or makes purchasing more difficult, for example, irrelevant ads. 29% said irrelevant ads and 28% said pop-ups are a particular peeve of shoppers; this was followed closely by out of stock products with no information when they will be available again (26%), especially ones they have received email offers about.
When it comes to clarity, a quarter of shoppers say a clear and simple returns policy is a priority for them.
Clarity also extends to communicating your brand’s values of community and social responsibility; this is close to the hearts of a quarter of shoppers aged between 16 and 44 so don’t hide any of the good work your company is doing for people or the planet.
Key Takeaways
- Offer value for money, e,g. product bundles and loyalty points.
- Offer delivery options at checkout, give the customer the power to choose.
- Give clear delivery tracking information via updates or a tracking link.
- Don’t annoy them with out of date offers, use real-time marketing and personalise the offers.
- Make the entire customer journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible.
- Be transparent and deliver on your promises.
Sources: Fresh Relevance, Internet Retailing, Shopify
AUTHOR
Laura Roche Marketing Executive, Scurri
Laura Roche is a Marketing Executive at Scurri, managing social media and content marketing. Laura shares breaking news in the eCommerce space with our readers as well as sharing insights across the delivery and logistics landscape.