Econsultancy posted a blog post today, entitled Why do consumers abandon online purchases, and it's just brilliant. It really underscores what we've been saying for years - based purely on experience. While this was just a small sample, the data stacks up with the reason behind the growth of the internet and search marketing as a result:- Consumers want to buy the right product at the right price
- Consumers want to buy it from the right place
Traditional marketing has always been built around a brand and search marketing (for example SEO) has always been built around generic. This has been difficult for Brand Marketing to understand. Brand marketing is, in it's worst form, quite often one dimensional. Often the message is "Yes you could buy this for less over there but we want you to spend more". That is - honestly - many people's perception of a company or a product. And that is a brand. Brand's don't want you calling it by the generic. They want you to remember the brand. So they engage in heavy advertising. They get music starts. Movie starts. "I love my [insert brand here]". Do they ever even use it?
Are you just paying more to have the same the thing sold to you at a higher price because you're aspirational?
Businesses are least likely to buy in this fashion but it was interesting to take the following away from the post
- Trustmarks (think SSL, Membership, Testimonials): 48%
- Contact Information: 46%
- Someone they know had used it before: 40%
- Looked Professional and well designed: 32%
Least important were:
- Well known brands: 24%
- Being fast: 23%
Most likely to stop you purchasing after adding a few products:
- High delivery charges: 74%
- Technical problems: 54%
- High Prices: 49%
- Needing to register: 24%
- Other: 2%
So, when you're reviewing your website, make sure you're pricing, returns policy and delivery prices are in order. You could probably increase sales more by reducing shipping charges (and maybe demonstrating how low they are) more than by many other improvements combined!
Its amazing how many people will tell you with absolute confidence that x, z and y are critical. With full conviction yet based solely on their own personal belief or vested interests!
