A study conducted by web helpline company LivePerson has reported that Australian online shoppers want real-time help within 78 seconds, or else they revert to other channels such as phone or email.

According to the global report, Australians shoppers are impatient, wanting someone to help with their online shopping issues within less than two minutes.

Keep them waiting any longer than this and 82% will take to email while 60% will reach for the phone.

The study revealed that customers not only want support at the beginning of the journey, but throughout the entire shopping process – even after the purchase has been made.

The ‘critical moments’ in the shopping journey in which customers required most assistance were:

• When the consumer had a specific question about a product or service,
• the moment they were to purchase the product, and
• after they had received their purchase and had encountered a problem.

The study also reveals that customers value a human touch, with 68% reportedly saying they were more likely to be loyal to a brand if it provided one-on-one assistance such as through live chat (note: of which LivePerson is a vendor).

Australian shoppers want their online experience to be quick and simple – having their problems resolved efficiently ranks highly on what makes a good shopping experience.

73% ranked speed as the number one factor in creating a good experience online and 62% said they would return to the retailer if it had saved them time.

Sites that do this are rewarded with customer loyalty – 84% of the surveyed shoppers said they would return to the site if the process was quick and efficient while 44% said they would move onto another website if their experience was poor.

With Australians doing 50% of their shopping online, the survey shows the importance of online retailers streamlining their web experience.

In a statement from LivePerson, VP and GM of Japan and Asia-Pacific, Dustin Dean, said Australian online retailers faced stiff competition from overseas, and would have to continue improving their services.

“Australian brands need to take the findings in this report as an opportunity to re-think their digital customer engagement strategies more closely, and win over lifetime customers,” he said.

“With more than 82% of Australian respondents claiming they would have a better perception of the brand as a result of a positive online experience, the opportunities for Aussie brands are clear – a positive experience online… dictates whether customers will become ‘repeat visitors’ to a site and ultimately affects a brand’s bottom line.”