ChannelAdvisor Announces 2021 E-Commerce Consumer Survey Results

Over 1,000 U.S. consumers provide brands and retailers with actionable insights into when, where, and how they shop online

ChannelAdvisor Corporation , a leading provider of cloud-based e-commerce solutions, released the results of its newest consumer survey, which gauged the shopping behaviors of over 1,000 respondents in the U.S., ranging from 18-65+ years old. The nationwide survey results, fielded by Dynata, offer brands and retailers actionable insights as the upcoming holiday season kicks into gear amid supply chain challenges and ongoing concerns for the COVID-19 Delta variant. ChannelAdvisor’s e-commerce experts will share more survey details and deeper insights into the digital transformation that’s driving new purchase habits during a webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 11 a.m. ET.

Survey participants provided a broad view of how their product searching, researching and buying have changed in response to the pandemic and whether they will continue to embrace shopping options, such as “click and collect” and same-day delivery. Additionally, these consumers shared their reasons for abandoning a purchase — invaluable information for e-commerce brands and retailers during the busiest shopping season of the year.

“The survey results are clear: consumers aren’t buying products and interacting with companies the way they did before 2020,” explained Mike Shapaker, CMO of ChannelAdvisor. “Consumers want convenience at each stage of the buying journey — from research to sale. Brands and retailers need to shift their focus to their consumers’ demands. Ahead of peak season, they’ll need to reimagine and reinforce e-commerce strategies to take advantage of these permanent changes, as their competitors will soon begin doing the same.”

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Some of the recent survey’s key findings include:

Consumers Will Continue Shopping Online Post-Pandemic

• 52% of survey respondents in the U.S. predict they will shop online in the future more than before the pandemic
• 41% of survey participants predict they will shop for groceries online in the future more often than before the pandemic

Consumers Will Opt for Contactless Holiday Shopping Options

• 37% of surveyed consumers plan to do more holiday shopping online in 2021 compared to last year
• 44% of survey respondents plan to use “buy online, pick up in-store” (or curbside) options this holiday season
• 6% of survey participants say they plan to do less holiday shopping online in 2021

How the Pandemic has Affected Online Consumer Shopping Behavior

• 34% of survey participants have bought items online that they hadn’t purchased before the pandemic
• 59% of respondents in the U.S. are shopping online more frequently than before the pandemic
• 32% of surveyed consumers have more confidence in buying online than they did before the pandemic, a 60% increase since May of 2020

Consumer Reasons for Abandoning Online Purchases

• Out of stock – 60%
• Suspect it was overpriced – 44%
• Bad reviews – 39%
• Unclear product information – 34%
• Unclear product images – 25%
• Too few reviews – 25%

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Biggest Influences on Consumer Online Buying Decisions

• Price – 73%
• Reviews – 51%
• Availability – 49%
• Delivery speed – 42%
• Brand name – 37%
• Payment options – 24%
• Flexibility of delivery time – 23%

Consumer Behavior When Choosing a Product Online

• When the surveyed respondents go online to buy products, they begin their product search on:
  • Amazon – 54%
  • Search engine – 21%
  • A brand website – 10%
  • Other marketplaces or retailer sites – 10%
  • Social media sites – 5%
• When the surveyed consumers go online to research products, they go primarily to:
  • Amazon – 41%
  • Search engines – 37%
  • A brand website – 10%
  • Other marketplaces or retailer sites – 8%
  • Social media sites – 5%

Younger Consumers Will Use Social Media for Product Research and Discovery

• 53% of 18 to 25-year-olds have researched products on Instagram
• 57% of 26 to 35-year-olds have researched products on Facebook
• 51% of 18 to 25-year-olds have “discovered” products they’ve purchased on social media sites

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