According to research carried out in the Baltics by Venipak, an international parcel company, about 36% of Estonians don’t use the returns service of e-shops. The respective indicator in Latvia is 29% and in Lithuania 35%.
On average, 30% of such shoppers said they do not use the returns service because they tend to buy familiar brands. Probably a vast majority of shoppers simply ‘bury’ an unsuitable product in their wardrobes after buying it.
“When starting an e-commerce business, a merchant should think about all the details from the start: not only about the goods and a competitive price, but also about the e-shop’s functionality, communication with the buyer, delivery and return options. Private customers should be aware that unused e-purchases can be returned within 14 days and it is one of the benefits of e-shopping,” said Martten Kaldvee, Head of Sales at Venipak Estonia. He added that the mobile experience should not be overlooked, as more and more people are now shopping on their mobile devices.
Low-quality goods are most common turnoff, but also website navigation is important
A Baltic consumer survey, conducted by Norstat, also indicated that many online shoppers will return to e-shops, even when they find goods of a poor quality. The share of such shoppers is 28% in Latvia, 24% in Estonia and 18% in Lithuania, which means that poor quality goods are expectedly the most common cause to abandon an e-shop.
According to Kaldvee, about a half of shoppers in the Baltics, including 47% in Estonia, said that they would not use an online shop if the goods did not match the average market price. Another 32% of Lithuanians, 27% of Latvians and 36% of Estonians would not return in the case of a poor choice of goods. The delivery experience and choice of delivery methods, as well as an easy-to-navigate website, were of particular importance to around a third of Baltic shoppers.
According to Venipak data, the most common online purchases are electronics, clothing and footwear. Around a third of consumers buy hygiene and beauty products, as well as household items or pharmaceutical products online.