Siteimprove, an award-winning global software-as-a-service company, today announces the release of a new study, Achieving Success in the Age of the Digital Consumer Report, a report aimed at helping manufacturers identify changing customer preferences in order to develop an agile web strategy that responds to ever-evolving customer needs.

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“The digital customer journey looks different. In this new digital ecosystem, manufacturers have a clear opportunity to integrate direct-to-consumer strategies that capitalize on changing online behavior”

“The digital customer journey looks different. In this new digital ecosystem, manufacturers have a clear opportunity to integrate direct-to-consumer strategies that capitalize on changing online behavior,” said Mike Carlson, President, Siteimprove Inc., US. “Understanding and addressing each of these opportunities will be vital to capitalizing on this rapidly evolving ecosystem in the months and years to come.”

As consumers increasingly turn to digital channels throughout the buying journey, business-to-business (B2B) manufacturers have the opportunity to create a positive direct-to-consumer (D2C) experience and reap the benefits. Siteimprove partnered with Adobe and Capgemini to survey 3,025 U.S. consumers to discover what key elements currently distinguish B2B and D2C digital experience and what consumers expect from online experiences and brand relationships. Consumers surveyed represented a wide range of online shopping behaviors and frequencies. All respondents included in the survey reported shopping online at least once per month, with nearly 80% shopping online 2-4 times per month.

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Some key findings in the report include:

• 83% of respondents said their online research experience is somewhat important to very important in the purchase process.
• While 52.69% of respondents indicated they still rely on word-of-mouth, 31.34% also turn to YouTube review videos
• 11.47% take advantage of augmented reality tools, and 9.22% use AI experiences to collect product information and insights.
• Retailer and third-party reviews are both frequently used to garner unbiased product reviews (48.63% and 49.06%, respectively)
• 76.6% indicated they abandon a website with poor user experience design in less than two minutes. As many as 37% of respondents move on after less than one minute
• 79.83% of respondents credited product selection and 78.15% credited product availability as the most important building blocks to a positive web experience

Traditionally many manufacturers rely on the same proven, time-tested approaches to craft their customer journey focusing on driving consumers to customer service reps and retail stores, where they could ask questions, check prices, and in many cases, experience the product for themselves. But in the digital age, these service intangibles are lost, forcing online shoppers to turn to new ways to make confident buying decisions. To overcome these challenges, manufacturers must better utilize the consumer data points they already own and apply best practices to move beyond traditional brick-and-mortar retail stores and accelerate their journey toward digital-first consumer strategies. Those who can move quickly and meet evolving expectations stand to gain considerably, not just at the bottom line, but also in intangible ways such as brand equity and consumer sentiment.

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