Christmas may seem like a very long way away, but online traders should be gearing up now for a busy festive season of e-tailing.
According to new research commissioned by IMRG, the Internet Marketing Retail Group, the economic slowdown is going to propel even greater numbers of shoppers into Christmas shopping online. Sixty eight per cent of shoppers said that they are more likely to shop online for Christmas presents this year, with 77% of shoppers planning to carry out about half or more of their Christmas shopping online (in 2007 it was 56%). This is influenced by the belief in the competitive prices available online, with 79% of respondents satisfied with the competitive pricing available from e-retailers.
The research also confirmed once more that the internet is becoming increasingly important as a tool for research before purchase and for driving consumer choice. The internet will be used by 86% of shoppers surveyed to research Christmas shopping options before buying in-store, and, vice versa, 59% stated they plan to research gift options in-store before buying online. Interestingly, the research also reveals that 58% of respondents are looking to commence their Christmas shopping earlier this year, to spread the cost, citing the economic slowdown as the main reason.
Overall, the IMRG research found that the number of respondents satisfied with shopping online is high at 79%, with those happy with the delivery of products by online retailers at 80%, and the number of those pleased with the range of products available online at 84%. In addition, 74% are satisfied with the security offered by web retailers and 76% are happy with the help available on websites provided by online retailers when they have a query.
The high levels of awareness amongst Christmas shoppers on the competitive pricing available online is good news for web businesses. But it also means they have to be well prepared for a busier than usual trading season by ensuring all business processes run smoothly end-to-end and that their website experience is high quality.
It is particularly important that web traders maintain the high levels of customer satisfaction by having the appropriate resources in place to cope with what is expected to be a record-breaking trading period. This not only includes order fulfilment but also responding quickly to email enquiries about products and delivery that customers often make prior to a purchase.
And while there are signs of a bumper internet shopping spree in store this year, companies that trade online should remember that this is a long game and consider incentives for customer loyalty and retention.
