We all knew that online shopping would become more and more prevalent but this year, it has been an absolute saviour. From our grocery shops, to DIY supplies, to entertainment for the kids and the rest of the family, online shopping has been essential for everyone up and down the country.  

The digital activity seen this year isn’t an isolated case, this behaviour is here to stay. We have adapted to the ease of scrolling and clicking, then sitting back whilst everything gets delivered to our door.  

What surprises me is how so many businesses are still making simple yet fundamental mistakes. There is tonnes of online advice to help you optimise the online journey, but I’m going to highlight my biggest online retail pet peeves: 

1. Unbranded packaging – if I buy from an independent eBay seller, I expect a generic jiffy bag with a handwritten address label. If I’m buying from a global retailer, I expect a branded bag with my goodies carefully wrapped inside. Include promotional material and discount codes too to encourage customer loyalty! 

2. Confirmation email – how do I know you have received my order if I don’t receive a confirmation email? JD Sports has nailed this – you get text updates once your item has been picked, again when shipped and again once delivered. Talk about keeping you up to date!  

3. Costly p&p – like it or loath it, Amazon is taking over and with their extremely competitive delivery options, if you aren’t offering something similar, you will lose your customers. Offer free click and collect (you can partner with other providers if you do not have physical stores), offer a delivery subscription package or incentivise customers to increase their basket spend for free delivery.  

4. Unavailable stock – if the item is no longer available, I don’t want to see it. If the item is available to pre-order, make it clear! Allow customers to be notified when the item is back in stock via email or text with a hyperlink to purchase. If you have no intention of replenishing the stock, take it off the website.  

5.  Filter options – sometimes we want to filter by 2 colours because we haven’t made our mind up as to whether we want to wear red or black so let us choose both! There is nothing more annoying than only being able to filter by one option and it is even more infuriating when you can’t filter by multiple categories such as size and length.  

Customer loyalty is dwindling as we become more focused on speed and ease. It has never been more vital to have an easy to navigate website and a slick overall user experience.  

If you feel you need some extra support with your online presence, get in touch to discuss how we can help you find the brightest talent for your business!

If you are looking for your next challenge in Digital & Ecommere, check out our latest roles! 

Rachel Wheeler is Product & Ecommerce Lead at Forward Role.