When I first got involved in digital marketing in the mid-1990s, online shopping via e-commerce was in its infancy. It's hard to believe now, but many consumers were reluctant to buy online, so it was important for retailers to understand the drivers and barriers to online purchase. Then tactics, messaging and incentives could be developed to encourage online purchase.
Today, purchasing online is accepted by many, but if you look across categories of purchase, there are some sectors where there is still reluctance to buy online, so online retailers still need to work on their tactics to encourage online conversion and multichannel tactics to encourage offline purchase in-store.
A new report from KPMG has some of the most detailed research evaluating the consumer psychology of purchase, broken down by different countries, so I'm showcasing some of the main findings here. I hope it will be particularly useful for students studying marketing qualifications who are looking to understand consumer behaviour and motivations.
These are main reasons consumers give for online shopping.
You can see that convenience and price comparison are the main drivers. This chart also illustrates the importance of free shipping offers. The 40-page report also considers variation in perception by country and in different generation groups from Baby Boomers to Gen X and Millenials.
This research reminded me of a simple mnemonic I developed in one of our books which I think is still covered in many universities and colleges. These are the 6Cs of Online Shopping or Consumer motivation:
Considering these, most are covered, but community is not - this relates to UGC and reviews which are covered elsewhere in the research report.
It's also useful for retailers to consider the drivers for offline purchases since this suggests how online merchandising techniques like interactive product shots, VR and AR can help with the need to see/touch/try the product.
It also shows the importance of the trust factor and it is still important to reassure the credibility of the supplier and possible provide human-assisted options online.
By Dave Chaffey
Digital strategist Dr Dave Chaffey is co-founder and Content Director of online marketing training platform and publisher Smart Insights. 'Dr Dave' is known for his strategic, but practical, data-driven advice. He has trained and consulted with many business of all sizes in most sectors. These include large international B2B and B2C brands including 3M, BP, Barclaycard, Dell, Confused.com, HSBC, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, M&G Investment, Rentokil Initial, O2, Royal Canin (Mars Group) plus many smaller businesses. Dave is editor of the templates, guides and courses in our digital marketing resource library used by our Business members to plan, manage and optimize their marketing. Free members can access our free sample templates here. Dave is also keynote speaker, trainer and consultant who is author of 5 bestselling books on digital marketing including Digital Marketing Excellence and Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice. In 2004 he was recognised by the Chartered Institute of Marketing as one of 50 marketing ‘gurus’ worldwide who have helped shape the future of marketing. My personal site, DaveChaffey.com, lists my latest Digital marketing and E-commerce books and support materials including a digital marketing glossary. Please connect on LinkedIn to receive updates or ask me a question.
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