Consumer Satisfaction With E-Retailers Hits All-Time High

In their latest eCustomer Service Index report, IMRG and eDigital Research claim that online consumers are reaching the highest recorded levels of satisfaction. These levels reached a record-breaking 83.4% between July 2012 and January 2013 after plunging to an all-time low of 76.7% in July 2009.

IMRG began monitoring satisfaction levels with e-retailers in November 2008 in order to see how consumers assess the experiences they receive from retailers in a wide range of sectors, including fashion, travel, food and drink. Unsurprisingly, product range is the component consumers value most in an online retail website, as the online space allows retailers to offer an unlimited number of items compared to brick-and-mortar stores. The areas that online users are the least satisfied with in their shopping journeys are security and customer service, according to the white paper.

The increase in satisfaction levels could be explained with retailers’ higher investments into improving the online experience. As well as placing their focus on the customer, they show willingness to embrace technology elements, such as rich media and social tools, to assist clients in their purchasing decisions, Andy Mulcahy, head of communications at IMRG, explained.

The report does, however, highlight that retailers still have a lot work to do before making online shopping a completely smooth, stress-free experience, despite the recent soar in consumer satisfaction. Some 23% of Britons believe that retailers need to improve the delivery experience and 17% still consider responses to queries during their shopping journeys as slow. 40% of UK online shoppers suggest that retailers might think of certain ways to enhance their customer service contacts, be it a live chat tool or a free-phone contact number, if they want to improve the experience they deliver to shoppers.