New consumer research from Radial Inc. shows preferences for online shopping as well as how marketplaces stack up against one another regarding inconsistent deliveries.
Researchers from Radial, which is becoming Paxon later in the year, surveyed 1,000 consumers in the U.S. The aim was to understand the pain points consumers face throughout the e-commerce shopping journey. The context of the study comes as the shopping journey itself evolves and becomes more complex.
Some of the key findings include that TikTok Shop had the highest rate of slower or less reliable delivery at 16 percent. This is more than double the rate reported for both Walmart Marketplace and Amazon at 7 percent.
The data also showed that 17 percent of consumers polled were most likely to find different price points for the same product on Amazon. And 16 percent of respondents said Walmart Marketplace had the most stockouts.
Meanwhile, 53 percent of consumers polled said they would stop purchasing from a brand after paying for expedited shipping that failed to arrive faster. And 37 percent said they would walk away after a single canceled order and 27 percent after receiving the wrong item.
Seeking consistency
At a high level, the research findings reveal that consumers reward brands and retailers for expanding across several shopping channels. However, they expect the shopping experience to be consistent regardless of where they purchase products.
The findings show that while consumers increasingly reward brands for expanding across multiple shopping channels, they expect the experience to remain consistent regardless of where they buy.
“As retailers add marketplaces, social commerce platforms and other digital touchpoints, the research highlights a distinct tension where brands must scale operations without sacrificing customer trust,” the authors of the report said. It’s a tall order, but for brands to scale successfully, they need to meet these consumer expectations.
Shauna Bowen, chief digital and transformation officer at Radial, said consumers “are telling brands they want choice in where and how they shop, but that flexibility comes with higher expectations for consistency.”
“Marketplaces have become the predominant channel for first-time buyers, but customers don’t lower their expectations once they get there,” Bowen explained. “They still expect accurate inventory, reliable delivery and responsive service. As brands scale, operational excellence becomes a critical driver of customer trust and long-term loyalty. There is often only one or two chances to get it right.”
Marketplaces grow
Other findings from the research showed that online marketplaces are now the first stop in the shopping journey. The data showed that 44 percent of consumers polled “first buy from a new brand on marketplaces like Amazon or Walmart, compared to 10 percent who shop on an online retail website like Target or Macy’s and 3 percent who turn to social shopping channels like TikTok Shop,” the report noted.
Overall, marketplaces are growing over time, with 38 percent of respondents saying they shop there more often year over year.
When asked about retailers and brands encountered across several channels, 39 percent of consumers (and 56 percent of Gen Z) said they trust a brand more when it becomes available across multiple shopping destinations. Five percent said they trust a brand less.
The consequences of disruption
The authors of the report said that while consumers may not see the operational complexities behind omnichannel retail, they bear the brunt of the outcomes. While shoppers are often willing to forgive an occasional delay, repeated operational failures quickly erode brand loyalty.
In fact, more than half of consumers would abandon a brand after paying for expedited shipping that arrived late, while over a third would walk away after a single canceled order. Because consumers blame the brand rather than the specific channel, even minor, repeated disruptions like tracking visibility issues become significant risks that can permanently damage customer relationships.
The damage of these B2B fulfillment failures also extends far beyond immediate lost sales. When disruptions occur, poor customer service is the single largest driver of public complaints, with nearly a third of consumers stating it would prompt them to post a negative review or complain on social media.
Authors of the report said that to protect their reputation and avoid costly disconnects, retailers and brands must implement unified B2B fulfillment strategies that seamlessly connect inventory, transportation and customer communications before operational slip-ups turn into public relations crises.
