Over 20% of consumers will complain on social media if they are not satisfied with their shopping experience, says this survey report by nShift, a leading player in parcel delivery management software. The report adds that better communications can help e-commerce companies deal with customer complaints and minimize negative feedback. 

“An analysis of Trustpilot reviews shows that some 31.9% of shoppers made a complaint about the quality or speed of delivery after shopping online. A similar proportion, 31.24% complained about poor customer service and a lack of communication.^[2]  Of those likely to voice their concerns on social media, 79.6% will complain on Facebook and 37.5% will communicate their displeasure on Twitter,” says the report. 

Sean Sherwin-Smith, Post-purchase Product Director at nShift, said: "When shoppers take their complaints online, there's a real risk to the retailer's reputation. And for many shoppers, what happens after they've hit the buy button is what creates a lasting impression of the vendor. 

"By building a cutting-edge customer communications experience, retailers can deal directly with shoppers. They will gain crucial feedback that will help them iron out any issues. Crucially, they will minimize complaints and keep negativity off social media."

In a recent guide, "The five customer complaints that matter most – and how to avoid them", nShift outlined solutions to improving the customer experience. These include:

• Get ahead of the problem: Delays happen, everyone knows that. Most people are understanding, even forgiving if they know what's going on. Being kept in the dark is what upsets people. So, when problems arise, make sure to keep customers in the loop as much as possible.
• Real-time, tailored updates:  The hours and days that follow the purchase are moments of truth for the consumer. They will discover whether the retailer can deliver on their promise and if they want to buy from them again.
• Choose delivery partners wisely:  by working with multiple carrier companies, retailers can facilitate a range of delivery options and compare performance across carriers. nShift's carrier library contains over 1,000 different carriers.