Emotional e-commerce: To buy or not to buy?

There are many emotional ups and down in the online shopper’s journey. How can retailers design their experience to smooth out the path to purchase?

Klarna’s report, Emotional eCommerce, analyses the differentiating factors that impact consumer decisions, from social and digital influences to emotional drivers such as risk and trust. And explains how small experiential ‘nudges’ at the digital point of sale can boost business and loyalty.

Spontaneous purchases can be beneficial for retailers. The less data the customer is required to input, the more likely they are to complete a purchase – especially on mobile devices.

That’s the beauty of one-click purchase. In fact, 33% of mobile shoppers believe one-click purchasing creates a more positive shopping experience.

Creating online strategies

To help prevent drop-outs and to successfully engage in the full end-to-end consumer experience, retailers must work to improve their website design, strategy, increase motivation and understand emotion at the point of sale.

Payments are also incredibly important when closing a transaction. In the UK, card remains the most popular mode of online payment.

Alternative payment methods, such as PayPal are close behind. When it comes to enthusiasm for mobile payments, this can be dependent on personality and beliefs, with social influence exerting the greatest effect at adoption stage. Deferred payment and consumer finance can encourage purchase, particularly for high-cost items.

In one study, 33% of e-consumers thought that online shopping would be improved with deferred payments.

Let’s keep it personal

Klarna’s report examines how as the online environment is further integrated into our everyday lives, barriers will continue to be removed and virtual behaviour will become more fluent and personal.

Increased competition for mind share and time will drive more people to shop via their smartphones, while on the move or completing other tasks.

Retailers must manage these shifting expectations, providing increasingly more personalised browsing and checkout experiences and finding new services to keep their offerings relevant and fresh.

To find out more, download your complimentary copy of the Klarna report here

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