76% consumers across 6 nations say online shopping 'lacks excitement'

More than half (61 per cent) of shoppers say they turn to online shopping purely for convenience, while a third (36 per cent) lament the loss of ‘unexpected finds’ online, which is a key driver of retail joy, the survey revealed.

Criteo partnered with Harvard PR and market research specialist Vitreous World to poll 6,000 consumers and 600 brand leaders across the US, UK, German, French, Japanese and South Korean markets.

Seventy-nine per cent of consumers feel online shopping is ‘lonely’, and 78 per cent say they are overwhelmed by too many product choices. Only 50 per cent find online shopping relaxing or enjoyable.

Thirty-nine per cent of respondents said engaging advertisements make them feel positively towards a brand. When directly engaging with a brand, 41 per cent feel excited when reading a positive review or forum discussion.

Customers want to be understood by brands also, as 43 per cent of online shoppers expect brands to use their data to create personalised experiences.

Fifty-five per cent of brand leaders believe influencers drive traffic, but only 29 per cent of consumers say influencer content makes them feel positively towards a brand. Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of consumers say visiting a brand’s website contributes to their excitement.

Almost all brand leaders (98 per cent) believe their discovery strategies are effective, and 80 per cent stating their approach contributes to brand growth, the Criteo survey found.

While 79 per cent of brands acknowledge that data privacy concerns hinder their ability to refine discovery strategies, almost half (43 per cent) of online shoppers are open to brands using their data when it leads to better, more personalised experiences, provided it’s done transparently and with trust.

More than four-in-five (83 per cent) brands say they are set to lean on AI tools to improve user experience.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)