An online shopping study from e-commerce provider, ATG has found that many European 'e-tailers' do not cater for local shopping habits.   The research, which quizzed more than 6,500 consumers on satisfaction, likes and dislikes, common frustrations and spending habits, showed that in countries where satisfaction was poor, consumer spend was also lower.  

An online shopping study from e-commerce provider, ATG has found that many European 'e-tailers' do not cater for local shopping habits.

The research, which quizzed more than 6,500 consumers on satisfaction, likes and dislikes, common frustrations and spending habits, showed that in countries where satisfaction was poor, consumer spend was also lower.

In fact, a quarter of Europeans refused to describe their online shopping experiences as anything more than 'satisfactory'. One in 10 Spanish respondents went so far as to say their experience of e-commerce is 'poor' or 'very poor'. And overall, Europeans thought the entertainment sector offered the best service (43%) and homewares the least (6%)

One in three (38%) French respondents thought comparing products to find deals is the best thing about online shopping. While 34 per cent of Germans liked the speed and efficiency of shopping online best. By contrast, one in five Britons preferred to reading peer reviews and comments before making a buying decision, and around one in 10 in the Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (Benelux) region liked having information emailed or texted to them.

The biggest annoyance across Europe however was a lack of customer service (64%). Shoppers in France and Spain were most put off by difficulties reaching the organisation when they had questions (38%). Nearly one in three Britons (29%) were frustrated by forgetting their log-in details. And 36% of Germans were annoyed with problems at checkout.

More than half of those surveyed (53%) said they would not spend more than €50 (£43.61) at a time online. But one in 14 Brits said they would spend £5,000 or more. Taking into consideration dissatisfaction with online service levels, ATG said it was likely that online spend would rise if customer care improved.

Frank Lord, vice president for ATG in Europe, the Middle East and Africa commented on the results: "It's clear the e-tail market in Europe is still finding its feet. Web shops that consider customer service first by integrating the tools that meet local needs, such as shorter checkout sequences in the UK and Germany, and live help in France and Spain, stand to benefit. But true internationalisation is managed best from one platform that delivers a seamless customer experience both online and offline across many countries, languages and websites."

www.atg.com