Audience Recommendations for Every Vertical
Mobile Integration, Delivery Options and Flexible Returns Can Improve Online Shopping Experience
Singapore, September 26, 2013 - Comscore Inc., (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, and UPS (NYSE:UPS) today released the UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper™: A Customer Experience Study for Asia and Australia. The survey is part of a global study that measures e-commerce preferences of consumers and the integrated buying experience of shopping in physical stores and online, also known as omni-channel retailing.
At just 51%, Singapore’s overall satisfaction with online shopping came in as one of the lowest globally, lower than the United States (83%), Europe (78%), and China (60%). Areas which see low satisfaction range from issues with delivery dates and times, to lack of convenient retail locations for collection and general returns policies.
Transparency Critical to Shopping Experience Shoppers today are increasingly discerning in their choices when it comes to online shopping and seek greater control over their purchases. Amongst the surveyed Asian consumers, Singaporeans (81%) were found to have the highest tendency to abandon carts during the purchasing process, equating to lost opportunities for retailers.
The key reasons behind cart abandonment include the discovery that delivery costs make the total purchase price higher than expected. More than 66% of shoppers also said the expected shipping time is too long or not provided. In Singapore, more than 55% of the respondents indicated that delivery times exceeding eight days would increase the chances of cart abandonment.
Post-sales services, especially when it comes to control over the delivery experience, are also important. For example, consumers look for communication about their orders after check-out. The ability to track packages is of high importance in Singapore with almost all of the respondents (97%) rating tracking as either “essential” or “nice to have.”
“Our survey reveals consumers are seeking greater transparency for their online shopping experience. At UPS, our suite of innovative tools provides shippers total visibility within a single tracking tool, allowing them to focus on their core capabilities and outperform the market competition,” said Ms. Ingrid Sidiadinoto, managing director of UPS Singapore. “From tracking services that offer rapid notifications about shipment status to offerings that allow retailers to provide useful information to package receivers, UPS aims to deliver an unparalleled level of convenience, control and reliability that customers seek.” Hassle-Free Returns as a Competitive Advantage More than 60% of Singapore consumers ranked an easy return or exchange process as the second most important aspect of e-commerce, just after free or discounted shipping. A hassle-free returns policy would also influence 61% of Singapore consumers to make a purchase from a retailer they are shopping with for the first time and 62% agreed it would drive word-of-mouth recommendations and shopper loyalty.
“Providing a positive customer experience in e-commerce extends beyond just efficiency and reliability. Ease of returns also plays a crucial role in safeguarding customer satisfaction as well as driving positive recommendations and repeat customers,” said Sidiadinoto. “It is important for retailers to streamline the returns management and reverse logistics through leveraging the expertise of professional supply chain management partners, and ultimately transform their returns process into a competitive advantage.”
An Omnichannel Experience Boasting the highest smartphone penetration rate in Asia at 92% and a tablet penetration of 60%, the regional study found rapid adoption of mobile devices for e-commerce in Singapore. In a typical three-month period, 65% of respondents used smartphones to make a purchase while close to 75% used tablets.
Considering consumer behavior at a broader level, the combination of purchasing online and having interaction with retail stores is changing shopping behaviors. From the study, 70% said they want to the ability to make purchases online and later return them to a physical store, or ship them back for free. Having coupons or promotions sent to their mobile phones when near a retailer also ranks highly as a purchase driver and is supported by 51% wanting to receive such location-based deals.
“The ‘mobile first’ mentality when it comes to shopping is critical for retailers to not only understand, but incorporate into their strategies,” said Susan Engleson, Comscore senior director. “Knowing how, when and where shoppers are using mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets will help retailers enhance customer experiences, leading to increased sales and brand loyalty.”
About UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper: A Customer Experience Study The study evaluates consumer shopping habits from pre-purchase to post-delivery and is based on a Comscore survey of more than 4,000 online shoppers in Australia, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Click here to download a copy of the reports and infographic.
The global study is based on a Comscore survey of more than 14,000 frequent online shoppers in the U.S., Europe (Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy and the UK), Asia (China, Hong Kong, Singapore), Australia, Mexico and Canada. Click on this animated map to learn more about each region.
About Comscore Comscore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in digital measurement and analytics, delivering insights on web, mobile and TV consumer behavior that enable clients to maximize the value of their digital investments. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.
About UPS UPS (NYSE:UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the web at UPS.com and its corporate blog can be found at blog.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.
Amarpal SinghSenior Marketing Manager APACComscore, Inc.+65 6221 9100worldpress@comscore.com