What Consumers Value in Their Favorite Online Stores

What do online stores need to bear in mind when reaching consumers? The list of tips and standout elements valued in what e-commerce can offer is a long one.

There is the fact that it lets consumers shop at any time and from any place, the fact that a much wider and more varied selection can be accessed, and that products can be found that would be much harder to find elsewhere.

Consumers value this and shop online because of it, but they also expect certain features from their favourite online stores and want them to stand out in other areas too. That is what a study conducted by Smart Assistant and Researchscape on a sample of consumers from several countries has just demonstrated — asking about the reasons why they prefer some online stores over others.

The importance of trust

The first thing consumers want is for the company in question to be reliable. According to the study data, the primary consideration buyers have about online stores is that it inspires trust. Three-quarters of respondents say that being able to trust their favourite online store is very important to their shopping habits and consumer decisions. Trust is even more crucial in certain specific markets, such as the United States, where it rates above average.

The online store is something more

Consumers want stores to offer them advice and to be honest with them. This is what 68% of consumers say on average (in the UK the figure rises to 80%). They also want online stores to answer their questions quickly (66%), to proactively offer them tips and recommendations (44%), and to know their consumer preferences in advance (32%). In short, it could be said that consumers want companies to offer them a personalised, quality shopping experience.

Furthermore, consumers expect e-commerce players to become a kind of expert guide specialised in their field. They want them to be an extra, positive element that helps them make better purchase decisions and navigate products more confidently. Thus, 86% say it is important for online stores to provide expert advice and become a trusted source of recommendations about the products they sell.

E-commerce must therefore work to provide an increasingly complete, high-quality customer service experience. It needs to cover all the demands consumers have and all the needs buyers expect to have met.