Creating a fast and seamless end-to-end digital customer experience in consumer-centric markets is key to gaining and retaining customers.
The pandemic has changed the way we live. In the first six months of 2021, e-commerce increased by 33% in Sweden, 27% in Norway and 24% in Denmark. This rapid rate of growth has forced retailers to adapt to create an attractive end-to-end customer experience.
Five hotspots in the retail industry
- Almost two-thirds (62%) of Scandinavian consumers use social networks daily. This use indicates that social networks must be considered a high priority when it comes to digital marketing.
- Digital reviews are important for retailers to win and retain consumers, as one-third (55%) of Scandinavians read reviews on their phones at least once a month.
- Compared to the previous year, there was a 14-percentage point increase in the use by consumers of retailers' websites when shopping on their smartphones in 2021 (75%).
- Platforms that are user-friendly and available on different devices are vital to retailers, since almost one-third (30%) of Scandinavian consumers prefer to use a mobile phone for online purchases, about one-half (51%) still prefer a laptop or desktop computer, and more than one in ten (12%) prefer tablets.
- Consumers need a fast and smooth online customer service. In our survey, about two-thirds (65%) of respondents use customer service agents on their smartphones.
Deloitte view
The increase in e-commerce is a challenge to retailers and all parts of their value chains. The strong consumer preference for a smooth and simple end-to-end experience poses a huge challenge to retailers but also creates immense opportunities for those that create a seamless digital customer experience.
The number of consumers discovering retailers' products through social media and campaigns is increasing, making such channels highly important and creating an opportunity to target specific customer segments in a more tailored manner. Moreover, retailers need to become more proactive in enabling users to review their products online before purchasing them.
We see examples of product reviews that range from size recommendations to the design of a whole living room, to help customers before they order products. This reduces not only the risks associated with online buying but also the number of product returns.
“It is essential to retailers to shift from reactive to proactive engagement throughout the end-to-end consumer journey to make the customer experience as trouble-free as possible.”
Retailer need to consider more than just having great products and being good at showcasing them online. For a company to be competitive, everything must create a seamless experience, from discovering and browsing retailers’ offerings and reviews to purchase, distribution, customer service, and returns handling.
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