Communicate with customers, online retailers told

27th June 2008

Success on the web demands that e-retailers listen to the consumer, one industry body has emphasised.

The ease of comparing providers and prices on the internet means that a lacklustre approach to customer service could mean online shops lose out to the competition, IMRG's director of operations has said.

David Brown was speaking after the IMRG Capgemini e-retail sales index revealed that £4.5 billion was spend on the internet in May of this year, representing a 1.6 per cent rise since April.

He highlighted the travel industry as one example of how listening to the consumer can help retailers turn web surfing into web spending.

Sophisticated marketing campaigns - perhaps using paid or organic search techniques - could help with this approach.

Companies need to develop intelligence "in the way that they target their customers in order to get those customers to part with some cash", Mr Brown explained.