Skip to main content
We're here with practical information for your business. Learn about business planning, running a business and more.

Search

For a successful business, you need a viable business idea, the skills to make it work and the funding. Discover whether your idea has what it takes.

Forming your business correctly is essential to ensure you are protected and you comply with the rules. Learn how to set up your business.

Advice on protecting your wellbeing, self-confidence and mental health from the pressures of starting and running a business.

Learn why business planning is an essential exercise if your business is to start and grow successfully, attract funding or target new markets.

It is likely you will need funding to start your business unless you have your own money. Discover some of the main sources of start up funding.

Businesses and individuals must account for and pay various taxes. Understand your tax obligations and how to file, account and pay any taxes you owe.

Businesses are required to comply with a wide range of business laws. We introduce the main rules and regulations you must comply with.

Marketing matters. It drives sales and helps promote your brand and products. Discover how to market your business and reach your target customers.

Some businesses need a high street location whilst others can be run from home. Understand the key factors from cost to location, size to security.

Your employees can your biggest asset. They can also be your biggest challenge. We explain how to recruitment and manage staff successfully.

It is likely your business could not function without some form of IT. Learn how to specify, buy, maintain and secure your business IT.

Few businesses manage the leap from start up to high-growth business. Learn what it takes to scale up and take your business to the next level.

Only 15% of consumers actually enjoy shopping online

15 December 2020

New research has revealed that shopping online causes frustration, boredom and even anxiety for many people, suggesting that retailers need to raise their game when it comes to customer experience.

Contentsquare surveyed 4,000 consumers and over 500 marketers across the UK, US, France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland to gauge levels of digital happiness.

However, its findings suggest that few consumers (15%) actually enjoy shopping online. The top three causes of customer unhappiness when shopping online are:

  • When a site uses pop-ups and adverts (49%);
  • When a site or app crashes during checkout (48%);
  • When a discount code doesn't work at checkout (45%).

Other elements of online shopping that make people unhappy include when a website or app goes offline (23%), and when a customer can't find what they're looking for (42%). The research shows that for almost a third, online shopping is associated with boredom, frustration and even anxiety.

Jonathan Cherki, ceo at Contentsquare, said: "The end goal of any great digital experience should be to ensure customers leave your app, site or online store happier than when they arrived … Now, as encounters in the physical space become more distanced and remote, brands must endeavour to make more meaningful, emotional connections with their customers."

The need to build positive experiences online is more important than ever, he added, as Google is launching a new ranking algorithm designed to judge web pages based on user experiences. And with 37% of respondents saying they will avoid physical stores in the run-up to Christmas, the report warns that stores can no longer rely on footfall to drive sales.

Meanwhile, a poll of 2,000 UK consumers by LiveArea has found that there are marked regional differences when it comes to attitudes to visiting shops this Christmas. The findings show that shoppers in London are most inclined to visit the high street in December while those in the North East are least likely to visit the shops over the festive season.

The results also show that over a third (38%) of UK shoppers managed to get all or most of their Christmas shopping done online while non-essential stores were shut for the November lockdown. However, well over half (58%) of those who shopped online ran into difficulties. The leading causes of friction while shopping online were delayed deliveries (14%), low stock levels (13%) and difficulties while browsing or thinking of gift ideas (12%).

"It's clear there is still work to be done to ensure retailers' online infrastructure and back-end systems can stand up to surges in online demand," said Elliott Jacobs, EMEA commerce consulting director at LiveArea. "What's more, while those hit hardest with lockdown restrictions are least likely to be visiting the high street this year, many shoppers across the country are still planning to head in-store to finish their Christmas shopping - here, retailers must join the dots between digital and physical to provide seamless and consistent experiences across the entire omnichannel landscape."

Written by Rachel Miller.

Stay up-to-date with business advice and news

Sign up to this lively and colourful newsletter for new and more established small businesses.