The UK’s internet shoppers are less satisfied with their ecommerce experience than in years gone by, an annual study into the customer experience has found.
Every Christmas, customer experience analytics company ForeSee measures the performance of the UK’s top 40 online retailers in the ForeSee Experience Index: 2013 UK Retail Report. For the first time in six years, this year it has found overall satisfaction levels falling. Previously, satisfaction had held steady or increased. The fall, from an aggregate score of 74 last year to 73 this year, is small. But, says, ForeSee, it is meaningful.
Larry Freed, chief executive at ForeSee, said: “After witnessing the aggregate customer satisfaction score increasing every year we’ve reported on the top 40 UK retailers’ Christmas performance, it’s disappointing to see a drop this year. It may be a fall of only one point, but this represents significant fallout for many – especially those which have seen larger drops.”
Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk continue to head the list, with satisfaction scores of 84. But the two sites from the same US retailer are the only to inch over the ‘excellence’ threshold of 80. John Lewis has fallen by a point to 79, followed by Apple (78), Marks & Spencer (77), Asda Direct and Ikea (both 76).
Ryanair continues to remain at the bottom of the list, with a score of 60, down a point from last year and eight points behind the next three worst performers (ticketmaster.co.uk, lastminute.com and B&Q site DIY.com, all at 68).
Freed said: “With a proven, quantifiable relationship between a positive customer experience online and increased loyalty, sales and recommendations, many of the online retailers in the UK Top 40 clearly need to pay more attention to satisfying their UK customers. This is especially true of the 19 retailers listed with an average or lower score, which are risking loyalty, recommendations, sales and market share.”
