Poorly performing e-commerce sites risk damaging future sales both online and in physical stores, according to a new survey from market research firm OnePoll.

The majority of both genders (72 per cent of women and 61 per cent of men) said that they have been frustrated with slow loading websites or mobile apps when shopping online. If a retailer’s website or mobile app performs poorly, both men (58 per cent) and women (52 per cent) tend to avoid making purchases from that website again.

Furthermore, just over half of the men surveyed claimed that they would be less likely to visit a retailer in-store if they had a negative experience on their website or mobile app, while only 43 per cent of women would do so.

A quarter of men and 20 per cent of women stated that two minutes is the longest they would be willing to wait during the checkout process when shopping online. The top reasons cited for waiting longer than usual to checkout were products being on sale, if the item is not available anywhere else, and the presence of discount codes.

Mehdi Daoudi, CEO and co-founder of Catchpoint, commented: “As more retailers reveal how much revenue growth comes from their online presence, the ability to constantly monitor how customers are experiencing digital services is going to be critical. Whether male or female, it looks like the Great British Shopper expects a rich and responsive online experience that enables them to find and pay for what they want with minimum fuss.”

Share Story: