Shoppers in the North East are Britain’s biggest complainers, particularly when they have bad online shopping experiences, a new study has revealed.
A survey of 2,000 Brits found that 40 per cent of shoppers in the North East have left a negative review online over the last three months, with 6 in 10 shoppers in the region having done so within the last year.
The shopping habits of UK consumers have been permanently altered by the coronavirus lockdown with more of us buying online. Three in five (60 per cent) consumers have purchased more goods since the lockdown began than they did before, with 53 per cent having shopped more online.
In addition, a quarter (25 per cent) of shoppers said they had tried new online retailers because of the lockdown, revealing a whole new audience for online shopping firms.
However, in the digital age, consumers are quicker to take to social media or online review sites to share their anger or dissatisfaction, with more than a third of Brits having left a negative online review in the past three months.
Digital savvy shoppers in the North West area are most prone to vent, with one in five shoppers stating they’d be very likely to leave a negative review after a bad online shopping experience.
Derek O’Carroll, CEO of digital operations platform Brightpearl, who commissioned the study, said: “With the rise of so many avenues for customer feedback, from online forums to social media, consumers have started exercising their right to have a moan when they receive sub-par service. While the North East tops the list of online complainers, it’s an emerging issue that all brands across the country need to start paying closer attention to.”
Another statistic brands and retailers should take heed of is that 69 per cent of UK online shoppers are unlikely to spend money with brands or retailers in future if the online shopping experience is poor, with late delivery cited as the number one reason for sub-par service during the coronavirus.
Consumers still expect their items to reach them quickly during this challenging period. Seven in ten (71 per cent) shoppers expect their items to reach them within a week
Brightpearl’s research also reveals that online consumers are becoming more reliant on the virtual feedback of other shoppers to support their decision making, and this is particularly true during the lockdown period.
Once again, it was shoppers in the North East who were found to put the most value on online reviews and star ratings; more than a third (35per cent) of consumers in the region consider online feedback to be ‘very important’ when considering buying from a brand.
But, shoppers in Yorkshire and Humber are most likely to spend more money with an online outlet, which had ‘excellent’ reviews or star ratings – almost one in five consumers would be happy to dig deeper into their wallets for a better service.
On a national level, Brightpearl’s researchers found that Brits would be willing to spend as much as 22 per cent more with a brand or retailer, which has received mostly ‘excellent’ reviews than one which has been reviewed less favourably.
Brightpearl’s O’Carroll adds: “During this challenging time, there’s a real opportunity for brands to leverage positive reviews and ratings to drive increased conversion, spend and long term customer loyalty. However, businesses need to consider solutions which allow them to fulfil the modern expectations of customers – from same-next day delivery options to real-time shipping, hassle-free returns and incredible response times.”
Top ten worst regions for online complainers
- North East (40 per cent)
- East Anglia (37 per cent)
- South East (35 per cent)
- West Midlands (34 per cent)
- East Midlands (33 per cent)
- Wales (32 per cent)
- South West (32 per cent)
- London (31 per cent)
- Scotland (29 per cent)
- Yorkshire and Humber (29 per cent)
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