Mobile shopping may be one of the major retail growth areas but two-thirds of people actually abandon their shopping carts before completing a purchase, according to a new study.
Abandoned carts are a perennial problem for online businesses, spurring the creation of a raft of “remarketing email” products to try to seal the deal.
Figures for mobile abandonment have always been higher than desktop devices but the study from Cloud IQ highlights the importance of developing a “call back” strategy – often something that is overlooked on mobile sites.
For larger-ticket items priced £50 and above half of those surveyed said they were more likely to complete a sale is they were offered a free call back from the retailer. This was classed as even more important by “digital natives” who expect to have direct contact with the retailer, according to the report.
Cloud IQ chief executive James Critchley said: “With Britons spending on average £1,000 each year online, it is crucial retailers make it as easy as possible for consumers to get in touch.
“People want to do business with people. The reality is that even when we’re buying stuff online – and particularly something that costs more than a few quid – we usually want to talk to someone as part of the transaction. It’s worrying that many retailers fail to offer this option.
“With the use of a Callback button, the responsibility of contact falls back to the retailer. Agents can listen to customers’ needs and concerns and pitch accordingly. They ensure the customer receives a response quickly – before they get the chance to browse to a competitor site. By putting in that extra effort, retailers can expect to see less shopping carts abandoned and a real improvement in sales conversions,” he said.
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