eBay Report Sheds Light On Omni-Channel Behaviour Of UK Consumers

Roughly a third of UK consumers research products in-store before making a purchase online, eBay says in a new survey. The report provides new insights into the offline and online activities of UK shoppers.

The study, carried out by Deloitte on behalf of the eCommerce company, examines the impact of omni-channel retailing in selected European markets, including the UK. The results reveal that consumers rely upon a range of resources and technologies whilst considering both their online and offline purchasing options; in addition to visiting physical stores to better inform their online shopping decisions, as many as 34% also use online channels for research before or during an in-store purchase. People were most likely to research a product when buying electronics or home and garden products, eBay said.

Looking more closely into the way UK smartphone owners use their devices to make their shopping decisions, the report established that browsing nearby stores was the most common shopping related-activity among local consumers – as many as 31% of respondents admitted to doing this. Taking a picture of the product was popular with 30% of smartphone users, while comparing prices and researching additional product information was performed by 23% of UK connected shoppers.

The wide variety of shopping-related activities that smartphone owners involve themselves in is a sign that mobile technology is not just an extension of traditional e-commerce, eBay commented. Retailers can secure a strategic advantage by adapting their mobile offerings to consumers’ increasing willingness to make use of the various features of smartphones.