Australians likely to switch brands due to poor digital experience

The Publicis Sapient Digital Commerce Survey 2024 indicates that Australian consumers display a high probability of switching brands if dissatisfied with their digital commerce experience. Lying just behind the UK, and on par with the global average, 53% of Australians are open to changing allegiance based on their digital interactions with a company. This insight is underpinned by a YouGov-led study involving over 7,600 participants from Australia, France, Germany, the UK, and the US, representing a variety of sectors including banking and finance, retail, consumer products, travel and hospitality, insurance, and the healthcare industry.

Unpacking the survey results, Australian consumers revealed a contentedness with digital commerce, particularly within the healthcare sector. The satisfaction level in this industry was reported at 43%, the highest globally, with the UK ranking the lowest at 26%. The banking and finance sector also noted high degrees of satisfaction (64%) surpassing the global mean of 58%, and trailing only slightly behind the UK's satisfaction rate of 68%.

Reacting to these findings, John Costello, the Chief Technology Officer for Australia at Publicis Sapient, opined: "The Publicis Sapient Digital Commerce Survey 2024 reinforces the need for brands to offer personalisation and optimise their customer experience. When Australians are dissatisfied with their digital commerce experience, it affects their loyalty to a brand - with 53% open to switching to another brand. Consumers are vocal about what they want: clearer content, more intuitive interfaces, better recommendations, and more personalised interactions."

Costello further asserted the necessity for businesses and brands to react to these consumer expectations proactively, stressing the need to positively transform digital commerce experiences. By doing so, brands can inspire customer loyalty, attract new consumers, and enhance customer lifetime value.

The survey also observed that negative digital commerce experiences have global repercussions in brand allegiance, with 53% of consumers likely to switch brands, and 19% less inclined to recur their patronage. Any likelihood of brand switching was observed most significantly within older generations, millennials, Gen X and boomers, at a notable rate of 56%.

Beyond this, the survey examined specific consumer expectations across various industries. Across consumer products, banking, insurance, automotive, finance, travel & hospitality, healthcare, and retail sectors, personalisation emerged as a universal expectation. Tactical desires to be informed more thoroughly, be provided with customised user interfaces and coverage control, self-select features and functions, and receive personalised recommendations and real-time interaction were cited as factors of utmost importance to consumers.