In the United Kingdom, more than four in five people (81%) make purchases online—and that number is projected to top 90% in the next two years. In short, online transactions—from retail to banking—are here to stay.
When it comes to great digital experiences, consumers know exactly what they’re looking for. The real question is: Do businesses?
A new consumer survey from Fullstory reveals exactly what shoppers expect from digital businesses, and what happens when companies don’t meet those expectations. (Spoiler alert: They leave.) Plus, respondents share important insights about how they’re changing their spending habits in the face of economic uncertainty.
See the complete findings from the global consumers survey here.
4 findings from UK consumers that brands need to know for the year ahead
1. UK consumers are quick to abandon (and unlikely to return)
What do consumers in the United Kingdom do when they encounter a digital issue or frustration? According to the survey, 70% will abandon a site or app without completing their purchase. This is markedly higher than the global average of 64%.
Making the consequences of digital friction even more dire, 59% of UK respondents are unlikely to return to a business that has provided a poor digital experience in the past. For online businesses, making a good first impression can be the difference between long-lasting loyalty and being abandoned forever.
2. Frustrated consumers let their actions speak for them
Just because your company’s support inbox isn’t flooded with complaints about digital frustrations doesn’t mean there aren’t any.
In the survey, only 38% of UK consumers say they give feedback to a company when they experience a problem on a site or app.
While consumers may not be telling you there are issues, what they do on your site or mobile app says otherwise. Of survey respondents, 77% have Rage Clicked on something that frustrated them online. If your organisation isn’t using a behavioral data platform to monitor frustration signals like Rage Clicks, it’s likely that you’re missing out on conversion-impacting insights about visitor habits.
3. UK consumers want simple, seamless experiences
You’re probably aware that online shoppers want quick, easy-to-use experiences—but you may not realise how badly they want them.
In the survey, 77% of UK respondents say the most important element of a great digital experience is the ability to quickly accomplish what they came to do.
In fact, it’s so important that 55% of respondents would actually be willing to pay more–up to 25% more–for a flawless digital experience. Additionally, 38% say they don’t care which site or app they buy from, as long as it works.
What do UK consumers find frustrating when transacting online? Here are the leading culprits cited by survey respondents:
73%—slow loading pages
63%—page loading errors
46%—dead links or buttons
39%—broken forms
4. There will be fewer pounds to go around in 2023
It’s unlikely anyone needs a reminder that the world is facing economic headwinds that have consumers tightening their purse strings. In the survey, we asked consumers to identify the specific areas where they plan to cut back on their spending this year.
Here’s how UK consumers’ responses compare to the global averages:
Consumer expectations are higher than ever, and competitors are only a tab away. If your organisation isn’t using Digital Experience Intelligence to monitor and optimise your site or app experience, it’s likely you’re losing customers to friction you’re not even aware of.
Request a demo to learn more about how Fullstory empowers you to make data-driven, revenue-impacting digital experience decisions.
