When consumers struggle with retailers’ apps they abandon their mobile shopping carts 51 percent of the time, and 20 percent of customers stop using the app all together, according to a new study from Contact Solutions.
The Contact Solutions shopper study, “Mobile Shopping Cliffhanger,” shows that consumers are increasingly shopping via mobile device but need more frequent access to customer care.
Key findings include:
- Online shopping is widespread: three out of four shoppers shop online, and 30 percent of shoppers shop on a mobile device at least as much as they shop on a computer.
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- Shopping via mobile device is becoming more commonplace than ever before: one out of 10 shoppers already prefer mobile apps exclusively for their online shopping.
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- Mobile shopping isn't perfect: 16 percent of consumers say they struggle with mobile shopping apps at least half the time, and 38 percent of respondents said they are disappointed with the inability to get help within a mobile app.
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- Shoppers consistently struggle to get in-app help: More than half (55 percent) of consumers say they struggle at least once every five visits.
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- Consumers want in-app customer care: 92 percent of shoppers say it would be helpful to have customer care automatically provided within an app to help complete a task or goal.
“Retailer investments in online and mobile shopping experiences are starting to pay off, but keeping the trend going requires much more attention to customer care,” said John Hibel, director of marketing, Contact Solutions, in a statement. “Customers are using apps more frequently for shopping, but when they encounter problems and cannot get the help they need, the results are disastrous for retailers. The solution is simple: invest more in your app's customer care offerings so it can meet your customers' expectations and provide them with a seamless shopping experience.”