Online Shoppers Want Speedy Checkouts According to Postcode Anywhere
Survey shows rapid checkout and faster forms are essential to online shoppers
Worcester, United Kingdom, November 04, 2011 --(PR.com)-- A Postcode Anywhere poll has found that over a third of UK shoppers view a speedy checkout as critical to their overall shopping experience.
The survey of 1,000 consumers found that over three-quarters of online shoppers view a speedy checkout as important. Almost half of the respondents stated that they would abandon an online purchase before finishing if the form took too long to fill out.
Significantly for the address management industry, the survey found that 67% of online shoppers prefer forms with address auto-fill functionality, which fill out a complete address from a postal or zip code. 22% also reported that “it makes the online store look more professional,” with 35% stating “it’s a feature you expect to see in this day and age.”
Postcode Anywhere’s managing director Guy Mucklow said: “These figures highlight the importance of streamlining checkout functionality and minimising any potential frustrations which might cause a potential customer to shop elsewhere.
“Manually completing personal and separate delivery address details is an obvious example of such a frustration, as it can take up to 50% of the time in a typical checkout process.
“Of course, the principle of ‘fewer clicks and less typing’ applies to the whole procedure. E-tailers spend vast amounts of money every year generating website traffic, only to find a significant number abandon their carts before completion. For an online business to succeed there needs to be a clear focus on the whole customer experience.
“The payment process can be just as, if not more, important than the product itself. If the process is over-complicated or takes too long to complete, the customer will simply abandon their purchase - and you will lose out on at least one sale, and probably a lot more.”
Postcode Anywhere’s Sales and Marketing Director Phil Rothwell said: “A slow checkout process will almost definitely turn customers away – before you’ve even had the chance to talk to them. Anything that takes longer than a few seconds, and your visitors will click that back button, return to their search engine results, or type in a website they’re more familiar with – and you’ll have lost a customer.
“There are, however, many ways online stores can cultivate an effective, intuitive payment process. Our customers find postcode look-up software is one such service, which can dramatically improve site usability, customer retention, and the overall shopping experience.”
The survey polled 1,000 consumers. Of the respondents, 39% rated a speedy checkout process as “important” and 38% as “very important”. Further findings from the survey will be released in the run-up to Christmas.
The news follows evidence from Postcode Anywhere that overlong forms are the second-highest gripe among online consumers, with fears about online security being the largest concern.
To find out more about Postcode Anywhere’s range of software and services for ecommerce, see www.postcodeanywhere.com.
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Media contact for Postcode Anywhere
Jim Williams – PR Manager
jim@postcodeanywhere.com
+44 (0) 1905 888 562
Press centre at: www.postcodeanywhere.com/press
Notes for editors
About Postcode Anywhere
Postcode Anywhere supplies software and services which improve the day-to-day operations of over 8,000 organisations worldwide. Best known as a provider of address auto-fill and verification software, the company offers a range of data-driven services, including route planning, customer profiling and bank account validation. It is now the fastest-growing reseller of Royal Mail’s Postcode Address File (PAF®) and the market leader for online address auto-fill. A multi-award-winning organisation, it has also appeared in Deloitte’s European fast-growth technology company list for three years running. For more information about Postcode Anywhere, please visit www.postcodeanywhere.com.
Recent Awards and Recognition for Postcode Anywhere
• Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA 2008/9, 2009/10 & 2010/11
• Red Herring Top 100 Europe - 2010
• Best Small IT Supplier of the Year - UK IT Industry Awards (finalist) – 2009
• Dell Small Business Excellence Award (UK finalist) – 2009
• Small-Medium Sized Business of the Year (regional finalist) - National Business Awards 2009
• Orange Best Use of Technology (Midlands) - 2008 National Business Awards
• Growth Business of the Year - Chamber Awards 2008
• Small Business of the Year - Chamber Awards 2008
• Customer Service Team of the Year (finalist) - National Customer Services Awards 2008
The survey of 1,000 consumers found that over three-quarters of online shoppers view a speedy checkout as important. Almost half of the respondents stated that they would abandon an online purchase before finishing if the form took too long to fill out.
Significantly for the address management industry, the survey found that 67% of online shoppers prefer forms with address auto-fill functionality, which fill out a complete address from a postal or zip code. 22% also reported that “it makes the online store look more professional,” with 35% stating “it’s a feature you expect to see in this day and age.”
Postcode Anywhere’s managing director Guy Mucklow said: “These figures highlight the importance of streamlining checkout functionality and minimising any potential frustrations which might cause a potential customer to shop elsewhere.
“Manually completing personal and separate delivery address details is an obvious example of such a frustration, as it can take up to 50% of the time in a typical checkout process.
“Of course, the principle of ‘fewer clicks and less typing’ applies to the whole procedure. E-tailers spend vast amounts of money every year generating website traffic, only to find a significant number abandon their carts before completion. For an online business to succeed there needs to be a clear focus on the whole customer experience.
“The payment process can be just as, if not more, important than the product itself. If the process is over-complicated or takes too long to complete, the customer will simply abandon their purchase - and you will lose out on at least one sale, and probably a lot more.”
Postcode Anywhere’s Sales and Marketing Director Phil Rothwell said: “A slow checkout process will almost definitely turn customers away – before you’ve even had the chance to talk to them. Anything that takes longer than a few seconds, and your visitors will click that back button, return to their search engine results, or type in a website they’re more familiar with – and you’ll have lost a customer.
“There are, however, many ways online stores can cultivate an effective, intuitive payment process. Our customers find postcode look-up software is one such service, which can dramatically improve site usability, customer retention, and the overall shopping experience.”
The survey polled 1,000 consumers. Of the respondents, 39% rated a speedy checkout process as “important” and 38% as “very important”. Further findings from the survey will be released in the run-up to Christmas.
The news follows evidence from Postcode Anywhere that overlong forms are the second-highest gripe among online consumers, with fears about online security being the largest concern.
To find out more about Postcode Anywhere’s range of software and services for ecommerce, see www.postcodeanywhere.com.
###
Media contact for Postcode Anywhere
Jim Williams – PR Manager
jim@postcodeanywhere.com
+44 (0) 1905 888 562
Press centre at: www.postcodeanywhere.com/press
Notes for editors
About Postcode Anywhere
Postcode Anywhere supplies software and services which improve the day-to-day operations of over 8,000 organisations worldwide. Best known as a provider of address auto-fill and verification software, the company offers a range of data-driven services, including route planning, customer profiling and bank account validation. It is now the fastest-growing reseller of Royal Mail’s Postcode Address File (PAF®) and the market leader for online address auto-fill. A multi-award-winning organisation, it has also appeared in Deloitte’s European fast-growth technology company list for three years running. For more information about Postcode Anywhere, please visit www.postcodeanywhere.com.
Recent Awards and Recognition for Postcode Anywhere
• Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA 2008/9, 2009/10 & 2010/11
• Red Herring Top 100 Europe - 2010
• Best Small IT Supplier of the Year - UK IT Industry Awards (finalist) – 2009
• Dell Small Business Excellence Award (UK finalist) – 2009
• Small-Medium Sized Business of the Year (regional finalist) - National Business Awards 2009
• Orange Best Use of Technology (Midlands) - 2008 National Business Awards
• Growth Business of the Year - Chamber Awards 2008
• Small Business of the Year - Chamber Awards 2008
• Customer Service Team of the Year (finalist) - National Customer Services Awards 2008
Contact
Postcode Anywhere
Jim Williams
+44 (0)1905 888 562
www.postcodeanywhere.co.uk/
Jim Williams
+44 (0)1905 888 562
www.postcodeanywhere.co.uk/
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