Amazon.co.uk tops ForeSee Online Retail Satisfaction Index

An annual survey of online shoppers in the run-up to Christmas has revealed Amazon as the top online retailer in terms of customer satisfaction.

The ForeSee Online Retail Satisfaction Index for the top 40 UK online retail websites showed that Amazon.co.uk recorded a score of 86 this year, a one point increase from 2011 and two points ahead of its US counterpart. John Lewis came in third place with a score of 80 followed by Play.com with 79 and Apple with 77.

The most improved retailers were Debenhams, up four points to 76, B&Q’s website DIY.com, up four points to 71, followed by ASDA Direct which increased its score by three points to 77.

The lowest-scoring retailer in this year’s index was ryanair.com with a score of 61 points.

Overall there was a slight increase in aggregate satisfaction from Christmas 2011 to Christmas 2012: from 73 to 74 on the study’s 100-point scale.

The index also revealed that a highly satisfied online shopper in the UK is 62% more likely than a dissatisfied shopper to buy from that retailer online in the future. They are also 58% more likely to buy from the retailer the next time they need similar merchandise and are more likely to return to the site, recommend it, and show commitment to the brand.

Commenting on the results, Foresee’s CEO, Larry Freed, said: “Christmas has always been a critical time of the year for retailers, but the growth in online shopping this year now means that retail websites are more essential than ever. For these sites to be competitive, a laser-like focus on the customer experience is paramount.

“There is a powerful and quantifiable relationship between a positive customer experience online and increased loyalty, sales, and recommendations – online retailers would do well to sit up and pay attention to this research methodology.

“By understanding customers’ needs and expectations, they will be able to survive and thrive in 2013 and beyond.”

This is the sixth year that ForeSee has conducted an analysis of the Christmas shopping experience that customers are having with the UK’s top 40 online retailers. The data is the result of almost 10,000 customer surveys collected during November and December.

Source : The Retail Bulletin
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