Supre, YD, and Mecca exhibited the most distinct Overall Online Store Experience for customers among all retailers ranked by the Online CX Index, Australia’s first and only online retailer performance platform powered by real data.

The Online CX Index, a partnership between Inside Retail and Humii, covers the entire website experience through checkout, delivery and even returns, evaluating eight key criteria based on up to 200 data points.

For the Overall Online Store Experience, the Online CX Index covered search and discovery, pre-purchase support, and checkout and payment – analysing up to 100 data points across the entire pre-purchase experience.

“The online shopping journey is filled with moments that can either convert a visitor into a loyal customer – or drive them away for good,” said Mareile Osthus, Humii’s co-founder and CEO.

Supre: Seamless navigation, well-structured search stand out

Supre’s customers praised the female fashion retailer’s seamless navigation and well-structured search that provide highly relevant results even for specific queries.

Useful filters add to the smooth online shopping experience, with the option to adjust imagery size contributing to the ease of use.

Its live chat response times outperformed the young fashion segment’s average by 10 per cent and shoppers also appreciate the displaying of queue numbers to help set expectations.

Moreover, customers compliment Supre’s wide range of payment and flexible shipping options and authority to leave deliveries.

However, Osthus said that Humii found an inconsistency as the company advertises free shipping on first orders over $30, its checkout requires spending at least $50.

YD: Live chat improvement does not go unnoticed

Similar to Supre, YD earned recognition for its search and navigation feature, making it convenient to look for answers and refine results.

It also provides clear and detailed product descriptions and its clever use of icons made its website user-friendly as it minimised the need for shoppers to excessively read or scroll.

In addition, customers loved the improvement of its live chat resolution times over the past few weeks.

YD’s one-page checkout also streamlines the process, removing the hassle for customers to place an order.

Mecca: Packaging options enhance shopping experience

Mecca showcases a visually appealing website with helpful reviews and outstanding articles, and its “Shop by Skin Type” feature is another highlight.

Furthermore, its checkout feature stands out among customers as it offers various delivery and payment options, including authority to leave.

Shoppers also appreciate the ability to choose their packaging, which adds a personal touch.

However, customers complain that Mecca’s live chat resolution time takes twice as long as the average beauty cluster due to the difficulty of getting through to an agent.

Delightful online store journey, not a coincidence

“It was no coincidence that shoppers could find the right items quickly, thanks to intuitive navigation, tailored experiences, and seamless checkout processes that put customer satisfaction front and centre,” said Osthus.

She explained that too many retailers underestimate how customers can easily get lost without a proper search and discovery function. Failure to deliver relevant results, especially when filters are already applied, can create immediate friction.

“For retailers with a large assortment, robust filtering options are crucial, and a flexible price filter is non-negotiable,” said Osthus.

“If a product has sustainable credentials, customers expect to see it clearly labelled, with detailed information available in the description.”

She also noted that aggressive pop-ups – regardless if they’re offering a discount or asking for an email sign-up – can distract customers and make them leave the website.

Osthus warned that it could also be frustrating for customers only to find out that an item they’re attempting to order isn’t available, emphasising the need for businesses to provide real-time stock visibility.

“Retailers who fail to provide this information risk losing not just a sale, but the customer’s trust,” said Osthus.

Information should be made accessible and centralised, Osthus remarked, explaining that transparency and expectation management are key to keeping customers.

Checkouts and upselling can make or break

Osthus pointed out that retailers lose customers unnecessarily in the checkout process, with shoppers now expecting express checkout and guest checkout options as many of them don’t want to create accounts to make a purchase.

Retailers must also provide address lookup tools to help speed up checking out, and payment flexibility, which includes at least one Buy Now Pay Later option, with Apple Pay being consistently one of the most requested features.

“Customers should never have to reach the final step of checkout just to find out how much they’ll be paying for delivery,” said Osthus.

“Unexpected fees, excessive form fields, and limited payment options are all common reasons shoppers abandon their carts at the last moment.”

She furthered that businesses must strategically consider upselling as it could either improve or hurt the customer experience.

“If suggested add-ons feel relevant—such as complementary products or frequently bought-together items—customers may be more inclined to consider them.”

“But if the recommendations feel random or forced, they can come across as overly aggressive.”

Robert Stockdill, global head of news at Inside Retail, said the findings of CX Index underlined the importance of retailers not dropping the ball on customer service online. 

“Today’s savvy online shoppers have vast experience with buying goods and services online, and accordingly have developed high expectations. Clarity, consistency, convenience and efficiency are all a given when these people shop online. Mess it up – especially on a customer’s first visit – with incorrect information in promotional advertising, out-of-stocks evident only at checkout, and a lack of payment or delivery options can not only cost a sale, but they can end a relationship between a retailer and a customer,” he said. 

“On the flip side, retailers who underpromise and overdeliver during the entire customer experience – from landing on a website to receiving the goods – can build long-term loyalty and encourage priceless word-of-mouth marketing.”