While there has always been a natural uptick in how often people shop online, consumers’  digital habits have started to stabilize. Almost 26 percent of online consumers currently shop online at least weekly, according to a survey of more than 4,500 global online shoppers.The plateau effect in digital commerce leaves companies with a clear mandate to improve or get left behind.

The average shopper’s path to purchase is more complex than ever, filled with a wide variety of capabilities and attractions popularized by digital-native brands.  Vying for consumers’ attention and wallet share will only grow more difficult as additional players enter the fray, further congesting an already crowded digital shopping ecosystem.To get ahead, these are the key findings

1. Final purchases require guidance
Just one-in-five online consumers, 20 percent say all of their online purchases are pre-planned.

2. Ineffective content has major consequences
Incorrect or incomplete content on a brand’s website and/or mobile app has stopped 98  percent of online shoppers from completing a purchase.

3. Digital commerce overwhelms consumers
Half of the online shoppers (46 percent) have failed to complete a purchase online because there were too many options to choose from. One-in-10 online shoppers view an item five or more times before making an online purchase, adding to feelings of always-on commerce.

4. Social media drives engagement and purchases
Fifty-two percent of online shoppers who use social media have clicked on an influencer ’s post, and a third of those shoppers (31 percent) have made a direct purchase from the post.

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