Postcode Anywhere finds 'mixed buying' trends dominate e-commerce survey results

Postcode Anywhere finds 'mixed buying' trends dominate e-commerce survey results

Worcester-based address auto-fill software company Postcode Anywhere has released the final results of its 2011 e-commerce study this week.

The survey, which polled 1,000 UK consumers on their experiences with online shopping, investigated opinions on issues ranging from website usability to postal delivery.

Key findings included support for multichannel models, where just over half (51.9%) expressed that they valued mixed-mode buying, saying an option to collect goods in-store is important. But they also expect options, as almost two thirds (64.3%) also wanted timed delivery slots when ordering online.

Flexibility and reliability rated highly

But almost one in ten people (9.3%) said they had been put off shopping online this Christmas because of previous problems with delivery.

In terms of usability, the majority of consumers (76%) rated a speedy checkout as important or very important to their overall shopping experience. While overlong website forms and security concerns were the two most common gripes for consumers who subsequently abandoned their online shopping cart.

The survey also found that female shoppers rely more on online product reviews than men when making decisions. Just over one third (36%) more women than men rated customer reviews as “very important” when shopping online.

Guy Mucklow, Postcode Anywhere managing director, pointed out that e-commerce revenues are increasing year-on-year. "In late 2011, one pound in every ten is now spent online, and over 90% of retail sales growth comes from e-commerce'" he said.

Complacency warning issued

But he added that the industry must not become complacent. "As this report shows, continuous improvements must still be made along the whole buying process – from product research, through payment processes, down to the actual delivery of goods," Mucklow added.

“For an online business to succeed there needs to be a clear focus on the whole customer journey."

Postcode Anywhere has also released the raw data in full, which includes results cross-referenced with age, gender, location, earnings and education level.