A third of UK online shoppers load up their virtual basket and then abandon it at the checkout, according to new research.
Royal Mail study found that almost two-thirds (61%) of 18 to 24-year-olds often leave a website without paying, compared to just over a third (39%) of 35 to 44-year-olds.
Overall, 19% said they were just browsing, while one in 10 said they got cold feet when they realised how much they were spending. Nine per cent said they found a better deal elsewhere, while 7% got interrupted and another 7% said the item was out of stock.
The annual Royal Mail Delivery Matters findings suggest UK adults could be experiencing cold feet associated with spending more than they have or more than they set out to spend online, leading them to abandon their shopping baskets altogether.
The annual Delivery Matters report found that a third of UK online shoppers (34 per cent) frequently abandon their online shopping basket after loading it up with items.
Nick Landon, managing director of Royal Mail Parcels, said “The findings suggest that online shoppers often start off browsing online innocently, – a term known as digital window shopping – get carried away by attractive offers and great product reviews, load up their baskets, proceed to check out and then have an ‘oops moment’ when they see their total spend. This then prompts them to seek a better deal elsewhere or abandon the purchase completely.”
The study into the shopping habits and preferences of UK online shoppers also found that consumers are buying more frequently online than they did a year ago. The report found a 14 per cent increase in the number of times consumers in the UK purchased items online.
Nick Landon, added: “As online shopping frequency increases, so does the consumer’s expectations of their delivery experience. Fast delivery times, tracking, free returns and trust play an increasingly large role when online shoppers make their purchasing decision.”
