Dive Brief:

• As more shoppers turn to mobile, expectations are rising, with 51% abandoning their shopping cart and 20% never to try the app again when those expectations aren't met, according to a survey by customer-service company Contact Solutions. 

• Disappointed shoppers are willing to loudly complain, too, with 70% telling friends and family about a poor experience, 43% posting reviews on the website or app store, 29% via social media, and 23% on a third-party review site.

• Contact Solutions surveyed 1,000 American consumers nationwide, and found that 52% do more than half of their online shopping with e-commerce-only retailers, and that 30% shop on mobile as often as on their desktops.

Dive Insight:

This survey shows  that there’s little wiggle room for retail on mobile. Shoppers have high expectations, possibly, Contact Solutions says, made higher by high-performing apps from the likes of Amazon. Frustrations and a lack of customer service — like chat opportunities to get help — quickly and easily turn shoppers off and send them away, with very many unlikely to try again. A significant 39% say they’re disappointed when there’s no ability to get help on mobile.

Certainly mobile remains a rapidly growing shopping venue, but as more consumers try mobile apps and sites, retailers also have more opportunities to fail, with apparently potentially disastrous results.