Shopping: Channel switchers are more dissatisfied than mono-channel shoppers

Customers who have switched channels during their purchase decision are more dissatisfied than mono-channel shoppers. This is shown by the results of the new short study "smart.vernetzt.mobil. An outlook on the consumer behavior of tomorrow", which examines aspects of consumer purchasing behavior as well as the use and perception of cross-channel services. ECC Cologne, in collaboration with SAP Hybris, surveyed over 1,500 consumers on purchases in five sectors, with 75.3 percent of consumers satisfied with mono-channel purchases in stores, while the level of satisfaction drops to 69.8 percent when switching channels from stationary to online. A similar picture emerges in the other direction: satisfaction among online-only shoppers is 72.8%. If consumers switch to the stationary channel after researching online, only around 67% say they are satisfied.Cross-channel services are often not perceived as added valueBut why are channel switchers more dissatisfied? One reason is that cross-channel services are often not perceived as added value. The study shows that the use of some services tends to be perceived as forced. For example, almost 70 percent of smart consumers have already used the online display of product availability, but not because they wanted to, but because it was the only way for the majority to find the desired product. In the DIY sector in particular, this service is perceived by many consumers as a necessary evil. "With a view to smart consumers and their online-oriented behavior, retailers need to be more proactive in meeting the need for convenience and remove previous obstacles to switching channels. Errors in the system, for example when a product is unavailable, can be compensated for by services and also communicated transparently as added value," says Dr. Eva Stüber, Member of the Management Board at IFH Cologne. "Only in this way can cross-channel services also ensure greater satisfaction and not be perceived as a burden."Designing services to meet needs and communicating transparentlyThe increasing use of mobile devices, particularly among the smart consumer generation, will also lead to a further increase in consumers' multi-channel behavior in the future. This is also shown by the already significantly higher use of cross-channel services among smart consumers. To ensure that consumers remain satisfied even after switching channels, it is important to optimize services in line with their needs and to communicate them clearly as added value. "Even now, areas of activity are shifting more and more to the online area, smartphone use is increasing and, as a result, switching behavior between channels is also on the rise," explains Marcus Rübsam, Senior Vice President and Head of Strategy and Solutions at SAP Hybris. "If you want satisfied consumers, you have to ensure that the services offered are geared towards the needs of customers and that switching channels is as easy as possible thanks to the excellent design of the individual channels." The short study is based on a survey of 1,500 internet users in Germany in March 2017. The short study is available on the Website of SAP Hybris available for download free of charge.