Costly Complaints: Troubleshooting Online Orders

September 04, 2018

Consumers are increasingly turning to online shopping, but not everyone is happy with their online shopping experience.

Three in every four online shopping carts are abandoned. What’s going wrong? Radial’s recently released The Consumer Concerns on Online Orders That Could Cost You report provides some insight.

We will provide an overview of the 4 most common consumer complaints with suggestions on how to troubleshoot each.

Complaint #1: Delivery Dissatisfaction

Is the item delivered on time and in good condition? Younger shoppers are more likely than older shoppers to be dissatisfied with their online order fulfillment.

35% of consumers report at least occasional challenges receiving online orders

41% of consumers between 18-34 report that their orders were not on time and/or not in perfect condition

28% of consumers 55 and older report dissatisfaction with delivery

Troubleshooting: Of course, human error happens, but a large part of the appeal of online shopping is not needing to visit to a store. That means there is much less opportunity for direct contact with a customer service representative for damage control. Provide customers with ways to connect with your customer service channels.

Keep the lines of communication open throughout the process so customers know what the status is—44% of consumers prefer for proactive communications throughout the entire shipping process. And don’t be shy about sharing positive customer reviews to allay concerns. 97% of shoppers read online reviews before making a purchase.

Complaint #2: Speed

One-third of all 18-24 year-olds listed speed as their top concern when ordering items online. Speed is a problem for both the online ordering process and how long it takes the order to arrive. 34% of this same age group expressed frustration at how long it took for their item to arrive.

Three in 10 shoppers use a buy online, pickup in-store (click and collect) option because it’s more convenient than waiting for delivery.

Troubleshooting: Amazon’s 2-day delivery window for Prime members is a high bar to compete with. Be transparent about shipping windows and find ways to make the checkout process as efficient as possible to reduce potential for frustration.

Complaint #3: Cost

Two in 10 18-24 year-olds are concerned with shipping costs. 61% of all U.S. adults cite extra costs as the top reason they abandoned their online shopping.

Troubleshooting: Incentive customers for selecting click-and-collect to skirt delivery costs. Shipping costs are the top reason customers use click-and-collect.

Complaint #4: Theft

Just because a package is delivered doesn’t mean it gets to its recipient. 12% of 18-24 year-olds are concerned about package theft yet 75% of U.S. consumers prefer packages get delivered to their doorsteps.

Troubleshooting: Communicate with the customer. Use your channels to let them know that their item was delivered and confirm that they received it. Be transparent about your policy regarding stolen items and make sure customers can find it before they make a purchase.

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