retail consultants

The economic malaise may have curtailed the robust growth of the e-commerce channel for the time being, and if the Q2 results are any indication, retailers seem to be stepping up their efforts to ensure consumers can to find what they need easier, and have a more enjoyable online experience.

In our second issue of the Q4 international retail customer satisfaction results (in conjunction with iPerceptions), we are seeing notable positive shifts.

The most dramatic shift from previous quarters occurred in France.  French online retail shoppers’ “task completion” levels rose 17 percentage points from Q1/09, and there has been a corresponding increase in the level of satisfaction among shoppers (up 7 percentage points).  This would suggest that more French retailers are providing consumers with greater access to their products and services in the virtual world, and those consumers are responding positively to this gesture.

Retailers in the U.S. and U.K., the most mature online markets, are seemingly focusing their efforts on improving the online customer experience.   Retail consumers in both markets also reported higher “task completion” levels (up 6% and 7% p.p., respectively), as well as increases in their satisfaction levels (up 1% and 4% p.p., respectively).

 

Note: Task completion is the share of all respondents who indicated “Yes” to completing their primary intent.  Satisfaction is the mean of respondents’ score on a 0 to 10 scale, which is then normalized to a 100-point scale.  The results are based on a sample of over 700 consumers per country per quarter.

Canadian retail consumers reported slightly lower satisfaction and task completion levels from previous quarters.  Given that Canadians registered the highest “task completion” levels out of the gate, it is not unexpected that these levels will experience some fluctuations.  Correspondingly, the satisfaction levels have also slid back by 2 percentage points, but they continue to be comparable to those of other countries.

In the Chinese market, which is expected to experience the most robust online growth over the next several years, the Q2/09 task completion levels to satisfaction levels ratio continues to be in relative harmony.  Online retail consumers in this market reported slightly higher task completion levels (up 2 p.p.), and were just as satisfied in Q2/09 as they were in previous quarters.

As we move into the busiest shopping season in most of these markets, it will be interesting to see how these figures hold up.

Until next quarter....