visualsoft-2018年英国电子零售业调查（英文）-2019.4-19页_1mb

E-Retail Performance Report One Year On: 2018 Edition Summary

Core Content

This report evaluates the performance of UK e-retailers in terms of their ability to meet consumer demands and improve their online retail experience. It highlights key areas such as page speed, social media usage, multi-channel strategies, and customer experience, while comparing performance metrics between 2017 and 2018.

Main Findings

Page Speed and Visitor Loss on 3G

• Mobile page load speed has worsened since 2017.
• 62% of retailers have websites rated as "poor" (loading over 9 seconds on 3G), up from 54% in 2017.
• 16% of websites take 15 seconds or longer to load, an increase of 4%.
• Google estimates these retailers could be losing 32% of potential visitors due to slow load times.
• Only 1% of retailers have "excellent" mobile page speeds (under 4 seconds), down from 2% in 2017.
• The Google Speed Update (July 2018) penalises slow sites, emphasizing the importance of mobile performance.

Social Media

• 17% of UK e-retailers do not provide social sharing buttons, missing out on sales from customer networks.
• This is an increase of 4% from 2017.
• Average followers on social media platforms have increased significantly:
  • Twitter: doubled
  • YouTube: doubled
  • Pinterest: doubled
  • Instagram: only a slight increase despite the potential of shoppable posts.
• Social media is a key influencer in customer shopping decisions, with PwC reporting it as the number one influencer.

Multi-channel Strategies

• Only 36% of retailers use third-party marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, down from 39% in 2017.
• 28% of retailers utilise Google Shopping, a 3% decrease from 2017.
• The report stresses the importance of optimising content for each platform, monitoring prices, maintaining seller metrics, and adjusting delivery options to meet marketplace expectations.

Online Customer Experience and Ease of Purchase

• 98% of retailers have mobile-friendly websites, but 19% are still failing to optimise online search, up from 18% in 2017.
• 37% of retailers offer live chat or virtual assistant services, down by 2% from 2017.
• 40% of online shoppers are willing to pay extra for same-day delivery, with 27% considering it important when choosing a retailer.
• 67% of retailers force customers to create accounts, which can lead to 35% of basket abandonment.
• Average purchase steps increased from 3 in 2017 to 5 in 2018, with 10% of retailers requiring 8 or more steps.

Payment Options

• 23% of retailers only offer mainstream credit or debit card payments, up from 19% in 2017.
• PayPal remains the most popular alternative payment method, used by 71% of retailers.
• Amazon Pay is used by 10% of retailers.
• 81% of retailers now offer international currency options, up from 62% in 2017.
• 10% of retailers offer retail finance options like Klarna.

Key Recommendations

• Optimise for mobile: Ensure all new elements are designed with mobile in mind, and optimise images, videos, and animations for faster loading.
• Improve page speed: Fast loading pages are essential for retaining visitors and improving search engine rankings.
• Enhance social media integration: Implement sharing buttons and utilise user-generated content to increase brand reach and customer engagement.
• Utilise multi-channel strategies: Leverage third-party marketplaces and Google Shopping to expand reach and revenue.
• Streamline the purchase process: Reduce the number of steps required to complete a purchase, offer guest checkout, and simplify data collection.
• Encourage email sign-ups: Promote sign-ups prominently, especially on mobile versions, to increase customer engagement and sales.
• Provide diverse payment and delivery options: Offer multiple payment methods and flexible delivery choices to meet consumer expectations.

Conclusion

The UK's top e-retailers are facing increasing challenges in maintaining performance standards, with many failing to keep up with evolving consumer expectations. While some improvements have been noted, overall performance has stagnated or declined in key areas such as page speed, social media integration, and customer experience. Smaller businesses have an opportunity to capitalise on these shortcomings by focusing on optimisation and customer-centric strategies.