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11.8.2010 Wom shapes online retail in UK

Word of mouth is a crucial driver of traffic for e-commerce sites in the UK, according to a new report.

A survey of 2,000 people by eCommera, the online retail services specialist, found that 42.6% of respondents shopped on the web on at least a weekly basis.

The typical participant spent £71 ($112; €85) on goods through this channel per month, with 36% of consumers having boosted their outlay in the last year, and a further 45% maintaining their spending. When asked to select which factors were likely to dissuade them from using a specific ecommerce portal, 42% cited poor design or a lack of information and 32% mentioned a complicated interface.

Concerns relating to the security of payment registered a score of 30%, falling to 26% for products being out of stock and 18% if it was not obvious how to contact the company concerned.

Elsewhere, the qualities perceived as the most important for firms in this sector, offering competitive prices led the way on 64.2%, followed by reliable delivery some way back on 31%. In keeping with this trend, 60.4% of customers said better deals are available in "clicks and mortar" stores, 51% thought the net was highly convenience and 39% believed it provided a wider choice.

In seeking to identify a specific internet property to order items from, 71% of contributors said a personal recommendation from a friend or family member helped them reach a decision.

This fell to 35% for search engines, 21% for advertising on media such as TV, radio, newspapers and magazines, and 13% for web advertising.

During the actual purchase process, 63% of the sample conducted research on multiple sites before obtaining products via the internet, while 29% looked for information on the net and bought in-store. Just over a quarter of individuals featured in the analysis took the opposite route, and assessed the available brands in physical outlets before ordering online.

B.L.11.8.2010