Online Shopping Expectations Rise for 2008 and Will Lead to Higher Sales

I think the below comments from Kristina Knight, at Biz Report, summarize nicely what online merchants can garner in, and expect from, 2008 from online sales, if they listen to their customers and focus on making their websites the best shopping experience it can be.

You all have heard it before, I am sure, but please don't take this lightly.  Please note the last paragraph of the below report from Kristina.

If you spend a weekend strategizing and researching websites that do very well, because they are designed "flawlessly", and then create a design plan to ensure that customers have a wonderful shopping experience at your site, you will reap many rewards, namely sales and loyal customers in 2008.

-- Chip

"Having the right product at the right price isn't enough in today's online shopping realm. Ecommerce sites need much more according to a recent Allurent, Inc. survey. More than two-thirds of consumers surveyed said their online shopping expectations have risen since the 2006 holiday shopping season."

by Kristina Knight, Biz Report <<<CLICK HERE>>> for full article

80% of those surveyed said they would not return to an etailing hub after one bad experience!

The changes in technology are driving consumer expectations, according to the survey. Consumers noted that with increased technology and the ease of using technology they also want online shopping to become more advanced. Users want more than simple store-fronts and would like to see highly-advertised sites with more than just product explanations.

Bad online experiences are also beginning to bleed over into in-store purchases. More than 40% of those surveyed said that a bad online shopping experience would impact future in-store purchases. 60% said a bad shopping experience changes their view of the brand as a whole.

Along with this information, consumers said they expect to increase their online shopping during the 2008 holiday season. More than 65% of consumers said they would shop online more during the '08 holiday shopping season than they did during 2007.

<<<CLICK HERE>>> for full article