by 
Accelerating growth in demand for high-tech products these days puts unprecedented pressure on manufacturers to understand their online consumers' preferences and purchasing behaviors.
We now know that customers demand greater flexibility and convenience from pre-purchase to delivery and post-purchase, and they want a better mobile experience. These are a few of the findings of the 2014 UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper study. High-tech companies must keep these priorities in mind as they plan product launches and continue to hone the shopping and user experience for their e-commerce and m-commerce customers.
In 2013 alone, manufacturers shipped 1 billion smartphones. That's a lot of high-tech products in the global supply chain coming from just one category. And this volume tells us plenty about the importance of mobile online shopping and the way customers feel about it.
Most consumers still prefer to use a desktop or laptop computer to make purchases, but more than half of tablet and e-reader users and 41% of smartphone users shop on mobile devices, the UPS study shows.
Despite the popularity of m-commerce, consumers remain frustrated by barriers. Forty-three percent of customers who purchased computers or electronic equipment online complained about being unable to get a clear or large-enough image of products. Thirty-eight percent of them said they have trouble viewing product information. And 33% of them have difficulty comparing products.
Whether a company makes mobile devices or other high-tech products, these issues are relevant — either for product development or for improving the user experience on mobile shopping sites.
Among the other survey findings that high-tech companies should heed:
- Even with the growth of e-commerce, the store remains important. More than half of online shoppers have chosen the “ship-to-store” option, with four out of 10 making an additional purchase while in the store. Omni-channel options are critical to the customer experience.
- Seventy-nine percent of electronics consumers want free shipping of online orders. Sixty-three percent like to see the estimated delivery date and shipping costs early in the shopping and checkout process. Fifty-seven percent want to see the actual date of arrival, compared with 23% who want to see the number of days it will take their shipment to arrive.
- Delivery preferences are evolving. While 72% of electronics consumers still prefer to have most of their orders delivered to their homes, there is a growing preference for alternate delivery locations.
- Returns are vital to the overall customer experience. Increasingly, electronics consumers are reviewing a retailer's returns policy before making purchases — 41% in 2014, compared with 33% in 2012.
Just as product innovation has always been crucial in the high-tech industry, supply chain and logistics innovation has become essential to the growth of e-commerce and m-commerce. It also fuels the rise of an informed and influential high-tech consumer base. Companies should assess opportunities for improvement in the customer experience across the path to purchase, including the post-purchase phase.
“Most consumers still prefer to use a desktop or laptop computer to make purchases, but more than half of tablet and e-reader users and 41% of smartphone users shop on mobile devices, the UPS study shows.”
Ken, I would like to know whether these statics covers the purchase through proprietary Apps. Now most of the online shopping websites like Amazon, eBay etc have their own mobile Apps.
“Despite the popularity of m-commerce, consumers remain frustrated by barriers. Forty-three percent of customers who purchased computers or electronic equipment online complained about being unable to get a clear or large-enough image of products. Thirty-eight percent of them said they have trouble viewing product information. And 33% of them have difficulty comparing products.”
Ken, that's why they are making a note that “pictures are only for representation/indication and actual products size and colors may, vary”. It's like taking advance bail.
” While 72% of electronics consumers still prefer to have most of their orders delivered to their homes, there is a growing preference for alternate delivery locations.” Hmm, that would make me suspicious. Is the person hiding the item from the family? The only other rational reason I could think of for another location is an item not wanted for home use, say for the office or purchased for somenoe else.
Not sure what the topic of your paper should be? Then it is time that you take assistance from the online writing services and decide the best one.
“Hmm, that would make me suspicious. Is the person hiding the item from the family? The only other rational reason I could think of for another location is an item not wanted for home use, say for the office or purchased for somenoe else. “
Ariella, normally courier peoples will try to deliver in primary address; but if the consignee is not available they used to redirect or deliver at secondary address. The reason is they want it deliver; that's all.
“Not sure what the topic of your paper should be? Then it is time that you take assistance from the online writing services and decide the best one. “
I think this is an advertisement for online writing. Link is redirecting to some other location.
“Not sure what the topic of your paper should be? Then it is time that you take assistance from the online writing services and decide the best one. ” <- SPAM
Be aware that your spamming messages will be deleted. No one here needs your cheating services.
-Susan
Yes, Jacob, “MaryFernando” is a spammer . Her messages will be deleted.
-Susan
@Jacob all my packages are delivered to my home without a problem. The courier instructions don't require them to get a signature, so they just leave the boxes in front of my door. It woudl be an issue, I suppose, though for someone who is concerned about theft.
“all my packages are delivered to my home without a problem. The courier instructions don't require them to get a signature, so they just leave the boxes in front of my door. It woudl be an issue, I suppose, though for someone who is concerned about theft.”
Ariella, that's true and I think it's negligence from the delivery people. They have to properly hand over the consign to the consignee and has to acknowledge the same either by a signature or thump impression.
“Yes, Jacob, “MaryFernando” is a spammer . Her messages will be deleted. “
Susan, thanks for the prompt and quick action; but still it's there.
Yes, Jacob, I saw it's still there. 🙁 It has been reported already.
-Susan
@Jacob I've been asked for signatures but never for thumb impressions. Some packages have instructions for that guarantee, but not all do. It may depend on the supplier's own policy.
Great question Jacob. I went back into the study and for these statistics, the answer choices for smartphone and tablets included both internet browsers and mobile applications. However, another question in the survey revealed that when purchasing through a smartphone, 23% of consumer electronics shoppers purchase through a mobile app, 45% use a mobile website, and 32% use a full website. Tablet users use mobile apps even less, at only 15% preferring the apps over the mobile website or full website. 43% of respondents said the reason for not using a mobile app is that they can't get a clear or large enough image of the product, while 38% said that the product information cannot be easily viewed. I hope this helps provide some additional “color” on the study.
“I've been asked for signatures but never for thumb impressions. Some packages have instructions for that guarantee, but not all do. It may depend on the supplier's own policy.”
Ariella, that depends up on delivery peoples. For blue dart & DSL courier they used to capture thump impression digitally.
“Yes, Jacob, I saw it's still there. 🙁 It has been reported already.”
Susan, thanks.
Ken, thanks for the clarification. It seems that App usages are increasing.
@jacob: Yes indeed the numbers are rising every minute. I guess people have identified the benefits of the apps and its proper usage. It really saves time rather than other factors. Anyway time = money
@Jacob I see. I usually get FedEx or UPS.
“Yes indeed the numbers are rising every minute. I guess people have identified the benefits of the apps and its proper usage. It really saves time rather than other factors. Anyway time = money”
Nimantha, yes you are right. convenience and ease of use are more important.
“I see. I usually get FedEx or UPS.”
Riella, thanks. We don't have these two service providers.
Wonderful inspiration, a great number of possibilities to pick from regarding different occasions.
@maryfernando: Yes true there are so many opportunities available everywhere if they really look into