Wholesale News & Articles

While more shoppers are buying online and total U.S. sales are up, the average sale per transaction continues to decrease. Customer dissatisfaction is also plaguing online retailers. According to two new reports, ecommerce merchants need to focus on retention and customer service to keep their buyers happy, if they are to have a chance at increasing how much each one buys in a single visit. The factors affecting customer satisfaction include ease of shopping experience and accessible product listings. Ecommerce sites that are too cluttered and full of extraneous information are too hard to navigate.

Sales per transaction dropped 15 percent in the second quarter, compared with the same period last year, according to a Channel Intelligence report. The research firm has access to online sales data from such sources as Sears, JC Penney, Target, and Best Buy. "Our analysis tells us consumer confidence may still be weak, because price seems to be a major consideration right now for online shoppers," says Rob Wight, CEO of Channel Intelligence. "The good news is that consumers are spending. But it is worth noting that they are buying less expensive items." With an easy-to-navigate site and targeted product list, retailers will be more likely to receive some benefit from consumer spending.