Member Article

The customer is always right: New data reveals retailers are failing customers with post-purchase experiences

• Only 18% of retail leaders believe the post-purchase experience could be significantly improved, compared to 83% of consumers

• 79% of consumers admit they wouldn’t purchase from a brand again after a bad post-purchase experience

While only 18% of retail leaders believe the post-purchase process can be significantly improved, a staggering 83% of consumers think there is room for improvement. That’s according to survey results from Delivery Experience Platform Sorted, which has shed light on the disparity between consumer expectations and retail leader perceptions regarding the post-purchase experience.

The survey, consisting of 1,000 consumers and 250 retail leaders across the UK, revealed that 93% of consumers consider the post-purchase experience to be important. However, only 40% of retailers believe that the post-purchase experience is fully optimised, indicating that retailers need to invest more into their delivery experiences to fully meet growing consumer expectations in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Although both consumers and retail leaders agree on the overall importance of the post-purchase experience – with 93% and 74% respectively acknowledging its significance – the existence of a 20% disparity underscores that retailers still have a considerable distance to cover in order to fulfil customer expectations.

Making a difference

Of particular concern is the impact of a poor delivery experience. Seventy nine percent of consumers admit they would be deterred from purchasing from a brand again if they encountered a subpar post-purchase experience. This highlights the critical need for retailers to prioritise and enhance their delivery processes to avoid losing customers.

The survey also reveals that 60% of retail leaders who have invested in improving the post-purchase experience report seeing an increase in sales and revenue.

“The notion that ‘the customer is always right’ is a guiding principle in the retail sector, and this data suggests that our industry could - and should - be doing more,” said Carmen Carey, CEO of Sorted. “It’s becoming increasingly evident that the post-purchase experience shouldn’t be a secondary concern. From preventing potential lost sales and maintaining brand credibility, to delivering a seamless and personalised experience for each customer, focusing on post-purchase experiences is key. Customers see the value in this aspect of the journey, and so should retailers. It makes a big difference.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lucy Jefferson .