Conchango recently commissioned GfK NOP to do some research to ascertain whether consumers behave differently when shopping online to shopping offline. We found some rather disturbing results including 7% of consumers who knew somone who had admitted to shopping online whilst naked and 6% whilst drunk!
I mentioned this to a friend who's boyfriend frequently shopped online after a night out with the boys and eating a kebab. Much to her dismay she is usually the one who has to answer the door to the courier delivering items in non-descript brown papers bags and boxes.
The internet has certainly opened up a new channel for many retailers. But what's so frustrating is some retailers still just don't get it!
I don't have much time to go browsing and shopping on the high street anymore. Like most people I have my favourite brands because I know what fits my style and figure. But not all of my favourite retailers offer an online channel, nor do they offer the same experience, choice, ease of purchase and security.
When I have time and I happen to be passing my favourite high street shop on Oxford Street, I have a fantastic shopping experience (if it's not on a busy Saturday - queues are horrendous), 3 floors of fashion and accessories in every colour and size possible. But then I visit their online shop and have a totally different experience. The home page takes ages to load all because they've got a background picture of a beautiful women - bothered? Not! Then I try to navigate the site (took me ages to find the navigation bar)....which makes me feel physically sick as the images of jeans flash by me one by one. Will my bum look big in them? Haven't a clue as I can only view the front of the image, can't zoom either to check out the finer details, which everyone women wants to do!
So what I'm saying is, retailers are causing consumers to have different brand loyalties online and offline. And until they realise they have to offer the same shopping experience offline - online, they're going to continue to alienate their customers.