Look Beyond Free Shipping to Online Returns, ComScore Says

Improving product returns presents the biggest opportunity for retailers who wish to increase online shopping satisfaction according to a study conducted by ComScore and UPS. While 86 percent of consumers are satisfied with the overall experience of shopping online, 63 percent of online shoppers look at a retailer's return policy before making a purchase.

Nearly half of respondents said that they would shop more often and recommend a retailer with a lenient returns policy, indicating its value in driving customer loyalty. Hassle-free returns and exchanges rank above average in terms of importance for shoppers but rank low in terms of current customer satisfaction, showing a significant area of opportunity for retailers.

Online shoppers also said they valued having tracking capabilities to know when their packages would arrive - 46 percent said receiving their orders when expected would lead them to recommend an online retailer. The ability to reroute a package and schedule a 2-hour delivery window is also important for shoppers in the delivery process.

The Online Shopping Customer Experience Study analyzed consumers' online shopping behaviors and preferences pertaining to the post-purchase experience. Drawing its analysis from a February 2012 comScore survey of more than 3,100 U.S. online shoppers and an online focus group held in January 2012, the report highlights which factors lead consumers to return items, to recommend online retailers to friends, their requirements for a smooth checkout process, and which shipping services they find most valuable.

ComScore director Susan Kleinman said, "While free shipping has tended to dominate the discussion regarding what provides satisfaction to online shoppers, the study shows there are several other factors critical to a positive online shopping experience. Retailers need a holistic understanding of these drivers if they hope to stimulate sales while maintaining healthy margins in this competitive retail environment."

Kleinman will present additional results at the 2012 IRCE in Chicago at the E-Commerce Technology Theater on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at 4:30 p.m.

ComScore also released data about smartphone purchases, finding nearly 19 million Americans made a purchase on their smartphone during the three-month average period ending April 2012. A look at the top purchase categories revealed that almost 1 in 3 of those purchasers bought clothing or accessories on their device.