Research carried out by website management services provider Transversal has found that British retailers are neglecting online shoppers by not providing answers to basic customer service questions on the web.

Reportedly, online retail websites could only answer half of the ‘most often asked customer questions’.

The length of time taken by retailers to reply to customer emails was equally disheartening. Grocery and fashion companies were slowest at answering emails — compared to CD, Games, books and electronics retailers — taking nearly 23 hours on average. Even the fastest-replying retail sectors, CD and booksellers, took an average of eight hours — a complete working day.

Three quarters of email replies from electronics, grocery and fashion companies successfully answered questions asked, however, only 60 per cent of email replies from CD retailers and booksellers were able to give a ‘useful answer’.

An estimated ten per cent of total UK retail sales are now made online, totalling around £80 billion. Despite this, only eight per cent of the retailers surveyed had invested in a ‘customer-centric means of searching for information’.

This means that consumers have to trawl through websites or call or email customer service centres, causing major delays and lost sales. It reveals that retailers lack a firm understanding of consumer behaviour and needs at the most significant stage — the point of purchase — thus impacting potential sales.

Davin Yap, CEO of Transversal commented that ‘despite the growth of online sales, retailers are still not providing good customer service on the web, and they simply wouldn't get away with it on the high street.’