Storyblok, the content management system (CMS) category leader for 2022 that empowers both developers and content teams to create better content experiences across all digital channels, today announced research which reveals the huge cost of poor website design to global e-commerce businesses.

6,000 consumers across the US and Europe were asked about their online shopping behavior and views on website functionality. 60% of consumers say they abandon purchases due to poor user experience on websites. E-commerce companies are losing an average of 5 purchases a year per consumer, with 8% of consumers abandoning more than 10 purchases.

When asked their main reasons for leaving an e-commerce website, 37% said limited payment options, followed by poor navigation or layout (37%) and slow loading speeds (33%). 42% of Americans said that on at least one occasion they have been too embarrassed to say where they purchased a product from because the website was so poorly designed - compared to 18% of Europeans.

Features and additional functionality on websites are far less important to consumers than ease of navigation, fast loading speeds, and simple design. In positive news, 60% said that e-commerce sites are getting better, with only 5% saying the experience is worse.

Despite economic uncertainty, 23% of shoppers say they plan to make more Christmas purchases online this year compared to 2021, with 13% intending to make fewer. Of those that said they would make fewer purchases, 19% listed supply chain or delivery issues as their main concern, and 18% said they preferred the in store experience.

Dominik Angerer, CEO and Co-Founder of Storyblok, said: "Consumers want easy to navigate, intuitively designed, and fast loading websites. However, a lot of e-commerce websites are falling short. Five purchases per shopper in missed sales may not seem like a lot, but when you scale this up to the number of potential new customers businesses are missing out on, it becomes a very significant amount of money.

"Additional functionality is still an important factor in attracting customers, but it's critical to get the basics right first. For example, by investing in a headless, composable commerce tech infrastructure, companies can set the foundation for a great, fast-performing user experience." 

Storyblok also asked online shoppers whether virtual or augmented reality experiences would encourage them to make purchases - 42% said yes (rising to 57% for Americans), 37% said no, and 21% were unsure.

56% said recommendations from friends and family are the biggest influence on their purchasing decisions. Social media was cited as much more influential for Americans compared to Europeans. 48% of US online shoppers said seeing a product on social media is an important factor, compared to 35% in Europe. Marketing emails and online ads had the least influence.