A greener way to shop

A recent e-Customer Service Index (eCSI) survey conducted by industry body IMRG and research provider eDigitalResearch revealed that consumers are embracing ecommerce, not just for convenience, but because it is seen as a more environmentally friendly way to shop.

A survey of more than 2,000 UK-based individuals, published in April, found that more than a third (36 percent) preferred to shop online. The top reasons for choosing to shop online were the ability to research products in minutes, cited by 83 percent of respondents, and reduced pollution, cited by 74.6 percent.
As well as reducing their carbon footprint and energy consumption, for 53.5 percent of survey respondents, the beauty of online shopping is that it provides them with a wider choice of environmentally friendly alternatives.

Overall, the survey found that 56 percent of people are concerned with green issues when they shop online—an increase of 12 percent since January.

However, retailers do have some way to go to completely satisfy eco-conscious consumers. Forty-two percent of people surveyed strongly agreed that there is still a need for better visibility and clearer environmental and efficiency information on all products sold, both offline and online.