42% Of UK Shoppers Abandon A Purchase Due To Lack Of Information

The digital revolution has greatly impacted consumers’ expectations regarding product information, as nowadays many wouldn’t hesitate to cancel a purchase if they don’t receive enough information about the item in question.

GS1 UK, an organisation dedicated to promoting global location, transport and trading standards, polled 2,000 shoppers across the UK in a report, and established that providing customers with as much information as possible regarding the item of interest is critical for the success of today’s retailers.

The results revealed that more than four in ten (42%) UK shoppers have given up on an online purchase, as they were not provided with sufficient information regarding the product they were interested in. Meanwhile, around a quarter of respondents (24%) admitted they trust product information provided online less than information given in-store, and around half of all shoppers said they have abandoned an online transaction due to a lack of trust in the retailer.

Ideas such as extending bar-code numbers to virtually link to product information, and even enabling bar-code-scanning technology to be used on mobile phones, have been considered in order to address the issue.

In the online world, failing to provide key information needed for product identification is synonymous with running out-of-stock in a tangible store, said David Smith, digital solutions manager at GS1 UK. Digital and social media will undoubtedly continue to change the way consumers think, behave and interact with brands, especially in the retail sector, where the impact will be particularly great. Tomorrow’s brand leaders need to work towards delivering a seamless, integrated and relevant experience across channels – otherwise they risk losing out to rivals that use this approach, according to Smith.