Dive Brief:

• Free shipping is more important to shoppers than fast shipping and actually drives sales, according to the 2014 United Parcel Service Pulse of the Online Shopper report conduced by analytics firm comScore.

• The survey of 5,800 U.S. web consumers, which asked about their habits when shopping and receiving packages, also found that most retailers are not meeting customer expectations for mobile commerce. Because full websites offer better images, 41% say they prefer them over retailers’ mobile websites (34%) or apps (25%).

• Consumers share positive experiences on social media: 86% on Facebook, 34% on Twitter, 23% on Google+, 21% on Pinterest, and 19% on Instagram. Most (66%) say they consider return policies and 82% say return-to-store or free returns influence their decision.

Dive Insight:

The 2014 UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper delivers a wealth of information to help retailers step up their e-commerce game. While more consumers have smartphones and m-commerce is growing, mobile websites and apps aren’t living up to their expectations. And free shipping and easy returns are key factors in online customer satisfaction.