70% of shoppers abandon mobile transactions when the process is too difficult, new survey finds

More than two-thirds of consumers in Ireland will abandon mobile transactions out of principle if the process is too difficult, according to latest research from global payments expert, Elavon. The study of 1,000 adults in Ireland on their mobile shopping experience identified that 70% of shoppers will abandon online transactions when the process is too difficult. Similarly, nearly two-thirds surveyed reported that a poor experience would impact their decision to shop with the brand in the future.

The major sources of frustration ranging from being forced to repeat information (57%) to obligatory sign-up processes (42%) and limited payment options (40%).

The research also revealed that almost half of those who buy products online report getting frustrated when shopping or carrying out payment transactions on their mobile. This rose to 60% of 18-24-year olds while those over the age of 55 get less frustrated at only 43%. Half of respondents also still prefer to use the merchant’s website through a mobile browser when shopping online, with only 28% preferring the merchant’s app.

Eric Horgan, Country Manager Ireland, comments: “Our research highlights issues with eCommerce that are not difficult for companies to get right. Having a usable and secure website and app, multiple payment options available, and speedy page loading times go a long way to improve the consumer experience. Taking customer loyalty for granted is more dangerous than ever – abandoned transactions are just a swipe away.”

When asked about when and where they choose to transact on a mobile phone or tablet, 80% of adults still prefer to do this at home, rising to 85% for those who shop on their mobile device at least once a month.

Eric Horgan adds: “Our research reveals the growing sense of frustration among consumers who focus on mobile devices for online shopping, which is felt acutely around the holiday shopping periods. This is particularly the case for the ‘digital natives’ aged 18-24. There’s a clear opportunity for retailers to optimise their eCommerce platforms as a competitive advantage to strengthen brand loyalty.”

Chief frustrations for mobile shoppers are as follows:

Sites that force repeated re-entry of personal details (57%)
A forced sign-up process to enable me to place an order (42%)
Limited or restrictive payment methods (40%)
No confirmation message after payment (40%)
The payment page hangs or server times out after clicking pay now (37%)
Being interrupted by multiple new pages or page refreshes (37%)
Forms requiring unnecessary or totally irrelevant information and marketing questions (35%)
Consent checkboxes that are impossible to understand (22%)