Research identifies top three reasons why consumers abandon online purchases
New research has shown that concerns about online security, overlong forms and enforced sign-up are the three things most likely to make consumers abandon online purchases.
The research by Postcode Anywhere surveyed 1,000 UK consumers. When the respondents were asked to name the top three reasons why they might abandon their shopping online, security concerns topped the poll with 50% rating this as one of their main turn-offs.
Running second with 44% of votes was the problem of website forms taking “too long to fill out.” Enforced sign-up before checkout was the third highest complaint, with 38% of consumers placing it in their top three reasons for cart abandonment.
In joint fourth place with 31%, was having to leave the payment process to work out the final price, along with customers deciding they didn’t like the product after all.
Postcode Anywhere’s sales and marketing director Phil Rothwell said:
“While a lot of emphasis is rightly placed on the design of ecommerce sites it’s interesting that getting “the basics” right is essential – online buyers are more concerned about security and completing their transaction with a minimum amount of fuss.
“Based on feedback from our own customers, we’ve felt for some time that the second-highest sticking point – overly long forms – is a huge irritant to consumers. Named by 44% of consumers as a major reason to prematurely cut out of checkout, it’s actually easy to fix. Only ask for essential information.
“That anyone these days should be forced to ‘register for an account’
before placing an order simply beggars belief. Why not give them the option,
after the order has been placed? At least then you might a second and third
chance.”
