Are
you an online shopper? If so, chances are you have experienced problems with
your purchase at some point. You might have ordered a product that you weren’t
expecting, or it arrived damaged. But the list does go on. Here are some of the
main problems that customers face when shopping online.
During
the last decade, online shopping has emerged as an immensely popular mode of
shopping. This trend is no surprise since it allows customers to shop without
having to leave their homes. However, there are some drawbacks to this mode of
shopping that customers need to be aware of.
The
shopping process is usually a very pleasant one when it comes to clothes,
electronics and other items. However, it's not always easy to shop while
avoiding problems. Here we listed some common problems faced by customers while
shopping online.
But
first, let’s talk about some latest online shopping statistics:
In
2021, an estimated 2.14 billion people worldwide
purchased goods online (Statista, 2017). At the same time, global ecommerce sales were
forecast at $4.891 trillion.
In
2022, there were 268 million online shoppers
in the United States. This number is projected to increase to almost 285 million online shoppers
in 2025.
According
to recent estimates, global e-commerce sales will reach $58.74 Trillion by 2028.
Let’s
dig into the problems customers face while shopping online, and also there are
a few things that you can do to help avoid these problems before they happen.
The 6 Problems Customers Face While Shopping Online
As
online shopping becomes more and more popular, there are more and more
companies selling products online. Unfortunately, this has also led to many
problems for customers who need to return or exchange products.
Here
are the top Online shopping problems and solutions they offer:
1. Additional Hidden Costs
An
additional cost is one of the common problems that customers experience while
shopping online. More often than not, they end up spending more money than they
had intended to. This is due to additional charges being added to the bill like
shipping charges, packaging cost, tax etc. In simpler terms, these are
instances where the customer does not receive what he or she expects from the
purchase. Additional hidden costs can make the
difference between a winning deal and a losing one.
Solution:
Merchants can simply display all the additional costs like
handling fees, shipping, tac, etc into the total price and try not to have any
hidden or additional charges at the time of checkout. Merchants can also add Magento
2 Extra Fee Extension to their Magento store to
display all the extra and hidden charges for additional services like rush
orders, gift wrap, packing charges, handling fees, etc. on orders.
2. Missing Product Details
Customers
who purchase items online often miss out on important details about the product
they are buying. This is due to a lack of transparency on the part of the
vendors. This can lead to disillusionment among buyers and, ultimately,
negative reviews about products and your brand. Merchants can simply lose their
customers if they don’t provide proper products details like products features, product benefits, descriptions, any manual,
videos and images. Don’t let unclear information cause potential buyers to
leave your website before making a purchase.
Solution:
Therefore, having proper & sufficient product details on
the website is essential. Try to provide detailed product descriptions, clear
product images, pricing details, proper size guide (if any), etc.
3. Payment Failure
Let’s
think that above, two problems are solved. But what if there's a problem with
payment failure? This happens to unsuspecting customers all the time, costing
them time and money.
Online
shoppers are increasingly turning to websites for their purchases. According to
Statista, in 2022, 268
million made an online purchase in the United
States. Of course, no transaction is complete until payment is processed. So
it’s important that any site that lets you shop online takes care of all the
payment details, payment transactions, secure payment process and much more.
Payment
Failure and Shopping Transaction Errors sometimes occurs due to technical
glitches or human error, these issues can crop up and upset customers
significantly. In some cases, attackers even use these problems to exploit
users’ information or steal their money.
Solutions:
Sites
that allow you to shop online need to take measures to ensure that transactions
go smoothly for both buyers and sellers alike. Websites must have safe and
secure payment options for their buyers. By monitoring user data closely and
guarding against malicious threats, online retailers can keep customers happy
and protected from any unfortunate occurrences.
4. Return & Exchange Issues
Consumers
face a number of problems while shopping online, including return &
exchange issues. Most of the customers experience this return, exchange or
refund issues while shopping online because many retailers don’t offer refunds,
exchanges or return policies. Reasons why customers ask for return order or ask for a refund or exchange includes damaged
product, dissatisfaction with the products(s) purchased, incorrect size
delivered or ordered, etc.
Solutions:
Merchants
can add clear and flexible returns & exchange policies to their website
that help customers to get their money back or replace products that do not
meet their expectations.
5. Product Quality Issues
Many
people prefer to purchase items online because it is more convenient and
cost-effective. However, this convenience comes at a price: there is increased
potential for product quality issues.
One of
the most common problem faced by customers while shopping online is the product
quality. You cannot be 100 assure about the product quality in online purchase.
Also, reviews are also not reliable all the time.
Solution:
Being
an online seller, don't comprise on the quality of your products. Also, you can
gain customers trust and make them believe that the products are of top quality
by displaying quality assurance certificates, clear approval marks
awarded by external companies who perform product inpections and by providing
all the details about your product precisely. You can also request your
potential buyers to share detailed feedbacks along with some product videos or
images so that other customers can view their reviews and make a purchase
decision.
6. Complex Check-out process
You
might be familiar with a complicated checkout process if you are an online
buyer. If customers go through such length and complex checkout process where
they are not clear or don't understand on how they're going to complete the
transaction, then you don't get customers who end up buying things online. This
will only lead to cart abandonment and customer frustration. If your website
have some unnecessary steps or takes too long at the checkout step, then you’re
going to see fewer conversions.
Solution:
Streamline
and optimize the website checkout process if you want to increase sales &
conversions. One-page checkout can simplify this process and try to make it
user-friendly. You can also use the checkout best practices to optimize the
checkout process of your Magento store.
Final Words
Online
shopping is a popular choice for consumers owing to the wide range of products
and services that are available. However, buying items online comes with its
own set of difficulties.
Problems
faced by customers while shopping online include additional costs, delayed
shipping, sending wrong information, complex checkout process, product quality
issues, and products not arriving at all. In order to avoid these problems and
ensure a smooth purchase, follow these tips:
- Verify the information you have about the product before making your purchase. Do some research on Google or elsewhere to make sure you have all the information you need about the product.
- Use a reputable seller if possible. Reviewing reviews is an excellent way to find a seller who has good feedback from their customers and who will ship your order promptly.
- Be patient - orders can take up to several days to arrive, but it is worth the wait for a quality product. If your order does not arrive within the expected timeframe, contact the seller immediately and ask for a refund or replacement product.
- If something goes wrong with your order, do not hesitate to put in a claim with the seller. This will help to speed up the process and get you a replacement or refund as soon as possible.
Above we have tried to cover the problems faced by customers in online shopping and also listed the solution to online shopping problems.
