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Sellers think they understand their customers. The figures suggest otherwise. DHL surveyed 29,000 customers across 29 countries and 5,800 online businesses, and compared the responses. Sellers are most often wrong when they are confident they have already done everything.
The study is entitled ‘The Market in Motion: Two Sides of the Story’; the experts at STELVEL have highlighted the key points.
Sales are lost at the checkout
62 per cent of shoppers abandon their purchase if they cannot find their preferred payment method. Yet only 45 per cent of retailers cite this as a reason. It appears that almost one in two retailers underestimates this problem, which arises only after the shopper has selected their items and is ready to pay.
This happens because retailers view their shop from the inside. They track visitor numbers, count orders and monitor cost-per-click. They have the least insight into the final step because they do not go through it themselves. Consequently, when customers leave the checkout page, retailers usually add new payment methods. Today, shops offer an average of seven payment methods, although customers actually use only four. But the problem isn’t the number. Among the seven options, the one the customer is used to might not be available, according to experts at Stelvel EOOD.
An abandoned basket is no accident
54 per cent of companies cite a complicated checkout process as the reason for cart abandonment, but only 31 per cent of shoppers mention this factor. A similar discrepancy is seen with promotional codes that do not work, the absence of security certificates on the website, and the requirement to register before making a purchase.
Each of these details may seem insignificant on its own. However, as the experts at Dropshipping Stelvel EOOD point out, shoppers do not evaluate individual elements of the interface, but rather the entire process. And if the checkout process drags on, the website is slow, or they have to create an account to make a purchase, some customers will simply give up.
Delivery is the deciding factor at the final stage
67 per cent of shoppers abandon their purchase at the final stage. And the reason for this is the delivery terms. 52 per cent of companies confirm this.
Shoppers are attracted by free delivery. However, retailers tend to rely more on discounts and special offers. The reason is clear: the retailer controls the discount themselves, and its impact is easy to measure. They view delivery costs as an external expense rather than part of their offering. This does not mean that every shop needs to offer free delivery at any cost. It is important to understand which factors really influence the customer’s decision.
Reach is not the same as trust
63 per cent of companies sell products via social media, yet only 45 per cent of consumers make purchases there, according to experts at Stelvel EOOD. When choosing a channel for promotion and advertising, a company assesses the metrics and invests in what can be measured. Shoppers, on the other hand, pay more attention to reviews, user-generated content and the opinions of other customers.
A similar gap is evident when it comes to seasonal promotions. 77 per cent of companies believe that shoppers fully trust their offers and prices. Among shoppers themselves, however, only 54 per cent share this view.
Today’s shoppers often know more about prices than the seller does. They compare, check and remember how much a product cost before the ‘sale’. As a result, a discount that shoppers do not believe in does not attract new customers – it simply reduces the margin on those who would have bought anyway.
The buyer who is also a seller
Another shift is that buyers are increasingly taking on the role of sellers. More than half of those surveyed have already sold items via online marketplaces. Selling goods to other users is no longer a niche activity.
Such a buyer is more experienced than the seller might think. They know how to list an item, negotiate a price, pack it and dispatch the parcel. They compare offers and understand what lies behind the delivery cost. Consequently, it is easier for them to spot additional charges and unfavourable terms than the seller might realise.
Cross-border shopping
70 per cent of shoppers order goods from overseas online shops. A year ago, the figure was 60 per cent. However, interest in overseas shops does not mean that shoppers are prepared to accept just any terms. High costs and long delivery times remain one of the main obstacles. Shoppers also value prices in their local currency and clear delivery times, according to experts at Stelvel EOOD.
For a shop entering the international market, it is not enough simply to offer delivery to another country. The purchasing process itself needs to be adapted: prices must be displayed in the customer’s familiar currency, and delivery times and any potential additional costs must be explained in advance. Otherwise, the customer may turn to a competitor offering clearer terms and conditions.
The AI agent as a shopper
Businesses are anticipating the arrival of the AI shopper sooner than the technology is ready. 59 per cent of companies predict that their customers will shop more frequently via AI assistants. However, only 23 per cent of shoppers are willing to entrust their choices to algorithms. It is therefore a mistake to structure sales around them.
However, failing to take AI trends into account is a mistake. When an AI assistant selects a product, it compares specifications, the total price and the returns policy. A human might forgive an inaccurate or incomplete description. An algorithm will simply suggest another option.
What this means
An online shop may expand its product range, run promotions, integrate new platforms and implement AI, but none of this can make up for a cumbersome payment process, a lack of transparency regarding delivery, or an offering that customers do not trust.
The DHL report shows that it is not always the case that online shops lack new tools. Sometimes they simply fail to notice what is already preventing the customer from placing an order. And before investing in yet another sales channel or technology, it is worth checking how well the existing solutions are working.
Understanding the customer means taking into account not only their interests, but also what might prevent them from making a purchase. At STELVEL, we help dropshippers select products with clear specifications and find reliable suppliers with predictable delivery times. After all, customers don’t judge a shop by its promises, but by the entire experience – from choosing a product to receiving their order.