UK shoppers want consistent cross-channel experience

It’s great to see new shopping technologies arise on the horizon, but this also means consumer expectations have shifted. They now want online retailers to offer them an enhanced and more consistent shopping experience across channels.

This is one of the most important conclusions of a survey conducted by payment technology company Verifone. British shoppers are embracing all these new technologies enthusiastically as they browse online to order goods and services. But at the same time all these new advances and choices leads them to expect more of retailers. Consumers want merchants to offer promotions and incentives consistently across all channels. If they don’t do this, it could harm the brand loyalty and the customer experience, the study suggests.

Getting familiar with new payment methods
One of the things happening in the UK (as well as in other countries) is consumers are getting more familiar with new payment methods. In London, 38 percent of respondents were either very of somewhat familiar with contactless payments, while 21 percent were very or somewhat familiar with mobile wallets. Nonetheless, cash is still the primary choice of payment for 65 percent, followed by chip and PIN transactions and online payment methods.

Consumers believe technology can play a more prominent role in meeting their needs and encouraging commitment to retailers. One in three respondents expect better sales promotions and discount in recognition of their loyalty, while about the same percentage (32%) expects to be treated as the same person whether they are shopping online, in-store on their mobile or using unattended machines. And finally, 28 percent wants to pay for things the way they want to, with all options available.

“We are seeing UK consumers begin to take to new technologies with enthusiasm, indicating that mass adoption won’t be far away,” said June Felix, President of Europe for Verifone. “However, shoppers also want to feel that retailers value and understand them more because of these technologies. Therefore, it’s imperative for these new technologies to provide a connected commerce experience that is clear and relevant to the consumer. Otherwise, retailers risk frustrating and even eroding trust with their customers.”