More than four in ten UK shoppers (42%) would abandon online purchases if they experienced unexpected delivery costs at the checkout, research from digital consultancy, Sherwen Studios, reveals.

Original research in its Omnichannel Illusion report, which polled 2,000 UK consumers, showed that unexpected delivery costs at checkout (42%) were the top reason shoppers would give up on a purchase, followed by delivery taking too long (31%) or an item being out of stock (29%).

This, the report suggests, presents a significant challenge as retailers head into Peak Trading, with operational and fulfilment issues among the most significant factors influencing customers’ spending decisions.

“Many retailers will be spending the next few months focusing on promotions, advertising and driving traffic to their online platforms, but our research confirms that customers are walking away for surprisingly simple reasons,” Matt Sherwen, MD of Sherwen Studios, commented.

“During peak trading periods, seemingly small gaps in delivery information could have a major impact on sales.”

As Peak Trading puts greater pressure on ecommerce and fulfilment teams, clear and defined delivery costs, timescales, stock visibility and returns information can be the make or break factor in driving conversions, the report says.

Improving transparency at every stage could help retailers reduce cart abandonment rates, build consumer confidence and maximise conversions during the Golden Quarter.

“We recommend that brands review whether delivery costs, timescales and returns policies are visible throughout the customer journey,” Sherwen added. “Small changes to that information could have a greater impact on customer confidence and conversion rates than many retailers realise.”