Gremlins mar e-commerce boom

More than three-quarters of British adults have experienced problems with an online transaction in the past year, with almost half (46 per cent) likely to abandon a purchase under such circumstances.

According to research among 2,200 adults from online expert Tealeaf, the downturn is driving consumers to e-commerce sites, with 53 per cent of those surveyed conducting more web-based transactions than in the past.

However, consumers have little tolerance of technical glitches, with 87 per cent saying there should be no reason why a transaction cannot be completed on the first try.

When experiencing problems, 56 per cent of those surveyed share their frustration with friends and family, while 33 per cent will even pick up the phone to complain to people they know.

The proportion of adults experiencing problems with online transactions has fallen to 77 per cent from 89 per cent last year.