Annual consumer behavior report identifies online shopping trends to help brands meet consumer expectations in 2023 and beyond
Global business intelligence and risk prevention provider, ClearSale, has released its annual State of Consumer Attitudes on Ecommerce, Fraud, & CX 2022-2023. The survey of over 750 online shoppers in the North American countries of US, Canada, and Mexico as well as the Latin American countries of Colombia and Argentina provides insight into the attitudes and behaviors of consumers across age, gender, nationality, and online shopping investment. The data and insights collected serve as a practical tool for retailers looking to stay ahead of emerging trends and improve customer experience, all while driving growth through confidence and loyalty.
“More consumers have, of course, become comfortable with online shopping”
This year’s report includes a retrospective of data gathered since 2020, which has been a critical time period for online retailers. To thrive in the post-pandemic era, retailers must balance the ebb and flow of online shopping traffic changes, the economic state’s impact on buying behaviors, and the CX expectations of increasingly demanding consumers. This report offers ecommerce sellers an overview of the industry’s paradigm shifts and points to the gaps and potentials that will guide retailers to success.
Among the key findings:
- Consumer spending is leveling out: 16% of consumers spent between $200-400 per month on ecommerce purchases in 2022, compared to 19% in 2021.
- Local shops maintain loyalty, even online: 54% of consumers say they prefer buying from local shops online compared to 6% preferring overseas retailers.
- Important differences in generational shopping have emerged: Millennials and Gen Z exhibit noticeably different expectations and behaviors from Gen X and Baby Boomers when shopping online.
- Fraud schemes continue to evolve: Nearly half of consumers surveyed reported experiencing more fraud in 2022 than the previous year.
- Consumers prefer fraud prevention over convenience: 86% of shoppers prefer fraud protection over easy checkout, and 81% understand that prevention may require a store to contact them for confirmation.
The report helps online sellers grasp the needs of their particular audience. For instance, variations in generational buyer habits and behaviors span the data categories, from frequency and spending to personalization expectations to fraud management. Fifty-four percent of Gen Z and Millennials shop online 3 to 4 times a month, while 59% of Gen X and Baby Boomers shop only once or twice a month.
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“Ecommerce retailers truly need to understand their consumers,” says Sarah Elizabeth, ClearSale’s Managing Director of Product Marketing. “Who are they? What are their expectations? They must think about how each generation makes purchases and what their motivators are for buying, and then design websites accordingly.”
The report data also points to clear changes in buyer attitudes regarding fraud and identity protection. While previous preferences were for near-frictionless checkout experiences, today’s consumers are more savvy about the risks associated with online shopping. However, consumers remain intolerant of false declines, with 41% stating they will never return to a store after having a transaction falsely refused.
Collectively, the data reinforces that merchants need to be prepared to address shifting, and sometimes conflicting, consumer expectations. “More consumers have, of course, become comfortable with online shopping,” said Rafael Lourenco, EVP and Partner at ClearSale. “With that comfort, however, comes a level of sophistication and requirements in their online shopping experiences. It’s crucial that merchants design experiences that meet their customers’ expectations. If they don’t, there are others in the market that will fill that gap instead.”
