67% of Europeans want to be inspired when shopping online

A majority of consumers in Europe want to be inspired when browsing ecommerce websites online. But according to many shoppers, many online stores aren’t that inspirational. And that lack of inspiration is a barrier against using them.

As a matter of fact, only 29 percent of consumers in Europe say online retailer stores inspire them. And that’s not all: 57 percent claim a lack of inspiration or a poor shopping experience is a barrier against buying products from these online shops.

‘Transform offline shopper behavior online’

This is shown in a study from iPaper and Epinion among over 6,000 shoppers across the United Kingdom, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Italy, and Sweden. According to the researchers, retailers should identify how offline shopper behavior can be transformed online.

Create inspirational content targeting the majority of browsing shoppers.

“They need to understand the full buying journey of online shoppers, and create inspirational content targeting the majority of browsing shoppers, instead of the small percentage looking to buy.”

‘Showing off your product isn’t enough’

According to Jesper Lykke Nielsen, Director Digital Business at Epinion, the report shows that simply showing off your product isn’t enough. “As a retailer you need to inspire shoppers. True inspiration should be built on emotional engagement and a personalized shopping experience. By focusing on these two pillars, retailers can drive long-term customer loyalty.”

Amazon inspires

When it comes to ecommerce websites that deliver online inspiration, 51 percent of shoppers call Amazon the market leader. The ecommerce giant is also a preferred destination for product search and purchases. Six in ten shoppers use Amazon to buy products, compared to only 24 percent who use online shops.

Compete with Amazon on emotional inspiration.

Amazon may be efficient at functional inspiration, it doesn’t appeal to emotions. So, online retailers can still compete with Amazon by focusing more on emotional inspiration. “By building online platforms designed to inspire and communicate unique brand stories, retailers can connect with shoppers on an emotional level and increase shopper loyalty.”