Some 57% of online shoppers would be less likely to buy from a brand offline if they experienced problems online, according to research by Harris Interactive and Tealeaf Technology.
The study of more than 2,000 online consumers, conducted in August, found 89% believed online customer service should be the same level or better than shopping in store.
It also revealed that 49% who experience problems with online transactions would abandon or switch the transaction to another site — up from 37% the previous year. Some 87% also believe there's no reason why an online transaction can't be completed on the first try.
Dr Max Blumberg, a psychologist and customer experience expert and consultant for the report, said, "It's interesting how little online brands understand the experiences of users. Bigger brands are starting to improve but mid-tier brands are behind. UK consumers have greater brand loyalty than other European consumers and as a result are harder to persuade back after a bad experience."
He said brands should focus on ensuring their consumers' privacy is secure. Other key areas identified for improvement were efficiency and reliability of user experience and a smooth fulfilment process.
The report also found that 42% of consumers who have experienced bad customer service from a company's call centre stopped doing business with it entirely.
"We're now in a multi-channel society and customer service needs to reflect this," Blumberg added.