Consumer frustration with website performance during peak traffic times negatively affects business results: 78% of consumers have switched to a competitor's site due to poor Web performance during peak times, according to a new survey from Gomez.
Of those consumers who abandon low-performing websites:
- 88% are less likely to return to the poor-performing site.
- 47% are left with a negative perception of the company.
- 42% are likely to discuss the problem with friends or online.
Below, other findings from the survey, When More Website Visitors Hurt Your Business: Are You Ready for Peak Traffic?
Consumers do most of their online spending during peak traffic times: 51% spend a significant percentage of their online shopping budget during peak periods, which is also when 35% make online travel bookings.
Meanwhile, expectations are high: 67% of online consumers expect websites to perform well regardless of how busy the sites are.
In 2009, consumers' expectations for quality Web performance were not met: 72% of consumers experienced slower websites more frequently during peak traffic periods than at other times, and over half (51%) had problems completing transactions.
Financial Services Websites
Over half (52%) of financial services consumers experienced poor Web performance during peak times in 2009, and 63% of online stock traders reported the same.
Meanwhile, 42% of financial services customers––and 57% of online stock traders––said they would switch to a competitor if dissatisfied with their financial provider's website.
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Retail Websites
About one-third (33%) of online shoppers experienced poor Web performance on a retail website during the 2009 holiday shopping season.
Meanwhile, 41% of retail consumers said they would abandon a retailer's website after one or two bad experiences, and 10% would abandon a site after just one.
Travel Websites
Nearly one-quarter (24%) of online travel consumers had a negative experience on a travel website during the 2009 peak travel season. Of those consumers, 18% cited slow-loading problems.
Online travel consumers are less tolerant than retail consumers: 53% said they would abandon a travel website after one or two bad experiences, and 17% would book elsewhere after just one.
About the data: The study was conducted by Equation Research, on behalf of Gomez, and consisted of interviews with 1,538 consumers who had purchased a product or service online in the previous nine months, including 500 online-retail shoppers, 500 who used the Web for online travel bookings, and 500 financial service users, including online stock traders. Interviews were conducted December 16-22, 2009.
