Ecommerce continues to grow at a phenomenal rate. As broadband connections in the UK increase and security heightens, shoppers are now more confident than ever in using the medium to purchase goods and services, abandoning the high street in favour of the speed and efficiency of online.

According to the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) £80 billion of consumer spending is either on or influenced by the internet. Within this £80 billion total, £30 billion of retail spending is online (10% of total retail sales), £20 billion of other consumer spending takes place online and a further £30 billion of offline retail sales are impacted by internet information, research or activity. In its May 2006 survey of over 3,900 consumers, IMRG found that 52% of respondents intended to reduce their high street spending in 2006. However, 45% of respondents intend to increase their internet spending this year.

For consumers, their first experience of a brand online could be a ‘state of the art’ home page, which is easy to use and offers a wealth of affordable products and excellent customer service. Or it could be a search result where everyone looks the same, a display ad where you have only a few seconds to grab their attention, a negative comment on a blog or a ranking on an ethical website. First impressions count, and could make the difference between that all-important sale or losing out to one of your more internet-savvy competitors.

The ‘Buzz on the online customer journey’ - available to download below - will investigate the opportunities available for internet retailers, helping you make sense of the ecommerce explosion, as well as the change in consumer behaviour and perception. Through the use of research, best practice tips and case studies, we’ve tried to cover every route and destination.

Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and take the journey with them to get a glimpse of how secure and effective your online presence is.

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• The Buzz on ecommerce and the online customer journey downloadable document (3000k)
  Begin the customer journey