Shoppers are finding in-store purchases unnecessarily stressful, with customer service being a real issue. OLIVER Content Marketing Manager, Carina Jeppesen sheds light on why shoppers are leaning more towards online purchases.

Bad customer service, long queues and busy shops are just some of the things that are driving shoppers away from in-store purchasing. Click-and-collect may have changed some shopper’s lives in 2015, but online shopping is still far more convenient.

With shoppers also seeking faster, more efficient routes to purchase, the trends below show that retailers need to start making a real effort to drive in-store purchases.

19% of shoppers think customer service in-store is an issue

Shoppers are looking for convenience and they’re finding it less often on the high street. 21% say they shopped a little less on the high street, while 15% say they shopped a lot less in brick-and-mortar stores. 30% feel that queues are too long, making it far too busy and stressful.

Technology has more to add to the shopping experience

A surprising amount of people are still adopting online channels for shopping – 9% bought something online for the first time in 2015. It seems that technology still has a lot to add to the shopping experience. Click-and-collect was the technology that changed the way 19% of people shopped in 2015.

Online shopping is more convenient

An option for same-day delivery would encourage nearly half of people to shop more online. 69% say free delivery is a great incentive to shop online rather than in-store and 43% feel that one-hour delivery will boost their online shopping.

Despite this, brick-and-mortar stores have a distinct advantage

60% say they prefer shopping in stores rather than online because it gives them an opportunity to touch and feel the product. Perhaps that’s why online retailers like Amazon and Birchbox (a subscription based beauty retailer) launched their first physical stores in 2015?

It’s time for retailers to take their shopper marketing strategies to the next level. Get in touch with us to hear more about how we’ve helped brands like Starbucks and Britvic use online channels to drive in-store purchases.