Australia’s e-commerce industry needs improvement

According to a survey of over a thousand Australians, there is a lot of room for improvement in Australia’s e-commerce offerings.

The survey, conducted by delivery service Couriers Please, found that 74 per cent of respondents would require free return on all items purchased in order to consider shopping exclusively online.

Additionally, 57 per cent would require better sizing information and more clear product imagery online.

“With more Aussies willing to take their shopping online, it’s important that retailers listen to their feedback and find ways to further enhance their e-commerce experience,” Couriers Please chief executive Mark McGinley said.

“Retailers need to make improvements which allows customers to comfortably complete their purchase online with the reassurance that they’re getting the same service and experience as they would in store.”

One in three (33 per cent) believed that websites needed to offer better security, while 24 per cent require better payment processes.

Only six per cent believe the online retail experience is up to par.

Recently, Rakuten’s APAC e-commerce report found that Australians are more wary of online shopping than any other country in the region.

Issues with shipping was cited as the main reason for this, with 38 per cent of respondents expressing an issue with the cost of shipping, while a further 28 per cent took issue with return procedures.

According to Rakuten, only 2 per cent of Australian’s prefer to shop exclusively online, whereas 20 per cent shop exclusively offline – the most of any country in the APAC region.

This story originally appeared on sister-site Internet Retailing. 

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