Consumer Pain Points: 5 Fears and Concerns Customers Have When Shopping Online

“Think before you click.” This expression is probably something we all have heard since the dawn of the internet. In a time where information can be easily consumed and even a simple errand can be done with a tap on the screen, it is important to be careful on the world wide web.

However, this saying isn’t just applicable to people who are posting or consuming things from the internet—it is also applicable to those who shop online. Contrary to popular belief, not all who purchase things online are impulsive buyers. Most of them think long and hard before clicking that “Add to Cart”, “Buy Now”, or “Order Now” button.

Because of this, customers are extra careful, and sometimes skeptical, when it comes to buying from online stores. So, what’s really stopping them (or making them wary) from buying online?

In this article, we will show you the top fears and concerns customers have when shopping for watersports accessories or boating equipment online, and how genuine online distributors can help solve those problems!

5 E-Commerce Fears and Concerns Customers Have

We all know someone who’s afraid of buying things online. In Australia alone, a lot are still wary of scams and want to feel confident that what they’re buying is authentic and high-quality.

Taking watersports equipment, for example, it is only understandable for them to worry since a kayak's or pedalboat's quality isn’t something that should be overlooked.

Most customers would like to see their equipment of choice with their own eyes before buying them. Some would like to test them to make sure no part is faulty, or that it will serve the purpose of buying them.

Now, those are just a few of their concerns when buying water sports and boating equipment online. In this part, let’s take a look at more consumer pain points, and what you can do as a shopper.

• They’re afraid that the business might not be real. This fear is very common among online shoppers. And most of the time, it stems from prior experience of being conned by a fake online store. If not, then probably a first-hand account from someone who did.

If you are not sure about the legitimacy of the online store, then you can always look for ones that are trusted and recommended. You can search for online watersports accessories distributors’ sites that already have good reviews and ratings about their products and customer service.

If you still need a little more convincing, then you can always get recommendations from friends or family. And if you still need a push, then you can check if they have social media pages. The likes, follows, comments, and posts may give assurance that they are a genuine business.

• They don’t trust online stores that collect personal information. Let’s say that you buy a hydrofoil board from an online water sports store. You checkout, fill in your payment details, and think—is it safe to share this information?

We have heard about identity and bank details theft, and it’s mostly from phishing and other kinds of scams online. We all know that giving information like bank details isn’t always a smart and safe move, but that is when you will decide if you really trust the online store or not.

What can the shopper do?

First thing you should do is to check if they have a privacy policy page. Most genuine online water sports and boating stores like The Boating Emporium are very open with their privacy policies, as well as their terms of services. You can also check if the site has external accreditors upon check-out, and if they carry the logo of these partners.

In Australia, some of the most common accreditors that trusted online distributors partner with are ZipPay and OpenPay.  

• Customers are unsure about the product’s quality. Buying something online is a totally different experience than buying the same item in person. For example, when you buy a kneeboarding rope online, you can’t try it or take it for a test ride. Instead, you have to rely on the seller’s description and the item’s photos.

This is a big difference from buying the kneeboard rope in a physical store, where you can see how the product actually looks like, test its quality, and see if it works just as the product description says.

What can the shopper do?

Prior to buying the product, you must first make sure that you know what you’re looking for. Let’s say that you want to buy a portable power station for your boat, then you should look exactly for that product. You might want to research the product thoroughly and ask questions from the online store itself.

You should also check if the online water sports and boating goods store has a return and refund policy. This is to make sure that you are going to be compensated should you be given the wrong product or a faulty unit.

• They might have to wait a long time before the product is delivered, and the item might get damaged from shipping. Waiting time is definitely one of the things that hinder a consumer from buying products online. This usually depends on what courier the online store uses, and the availability of the product they wanted.

Another fear is that they think the reason why delivery is taking long must be because their product was lost or damaged while in transit. It also wouldn’t help if the courier service doesn’t have any available ways to track their package, and if the online store is unresponsive to queries.

What can the shopper do?

As a customer, it is your right to ask for your order's tracking details. Once your water sports or boating equipment is already shipped, you should ask for the tracking number. Remember that once your order is forwarded to the courier, its time of arrival would be out of the store's hands.

There's really nothing else to do but wait, and get updates on your order from your courier. If the item gets on your doorstep, make sure you check for damages first before signing for delivery. There are online water sporting goods stores like The Boating Emporium that can help you with your insurance claim as long as you email them proof of damage.

• They’re afraid they might not be able to talk to anyone about their orders. One reason why some prefer shopping in physical stores is the readily available assistance from sales staff. Some think that this is impossible when shopping online. The lack of someone to talk to about the products while shopping can be an inconvenience to some who want to purchase exactly what they’re looking for.

What can the shopper do?

The first thing you should do is to read through the product description of the items you want to buy/look at. Most water sports accessories and boating equipment product pages are very detailed, and would include things like charts so you could see if it’s appropriate for you.

Another thing you can do is to check if their website/online store has any way of contact. If they provide a number or, a chat service, an e-mail address, then you could try contacting them first before placing an order. This way, you can check if their customer service is responsive, and how they can assist you with your purchase.

These are just 5 fears customers have, when shopping online. Some might have even more, and that will depend on their personal preferences. While all of these fears are valid, there are still online electric ride distributors that have policies to appease these pain points! Let’s read about them in the next part.

What can The Boating Emporium Do?

The Boating Emporium has been in the business for a while now, and we are proud to say that we have implemented a good set of policies that will ensure our customers’ safety and shopping satisfaction.

If you are a consumer who is interested in buying water sports accessories or boating goods, but still skeptical about it, then these are the ways The Boating Emporium can help in easing your mind.

• We have a detailed Privacy Policy that our customers can access anytime. Our privacy policy describes how your information is used, collected, and shared when you visit or make a purchase from our website theboatingemporium.com.au. Here, we explain what kind of information we collect, and what kind of technologies we use to collect them.

We also show customers how their order information (personal information) is used once they purchase anything from us. For example, we use your order information to check for potential risks or fraud, communicate with you, and send you advertisements when your purchase is in line with our services.

We also share your information with third-party sites like Shopify which powers our online store. On our Privacy Policy page, you can read all about these third-party sites’ own privacy policies, and how you can opt-out of marketing communications.

Visit the page here: theboatingemporium.com.au/pages/privacy-policy 

• We partnered with external accreditors/financing for check-outs. The Boating Emporium has made it easier and safer for our customers to purchase from our online store. You can check-out any water sports accessories or boating equipment for sale and pay using your payment method of choice, including Openpay, ZipPay, Shop Pay (powered by Shopify), and other major credit cards.

These financing partners are proven safe and can be trusted with your information. If you are having doubts, you can visit their own websites and read their privacy policies and terms of service.

• The Boating Emporium has a refund policy that can ensure that you have exactly what you purchase. This refund policy also states the period when you can refund or exchange your order.

This refund policy shows how you will return your product, and how long it will take for the exchanged product to reach your address. It also states our conditions on refunds in different situations, and how we process cancellations for pre-orders.

Visit the page here: https://theboatingemporium.com.au/pages/easy-returns 

• Our Terms of Service is also accessible through our website. To put your mind at ease that you are getting the service you deserve, we have made our terms of service available for you to check. We encourage you to first read and accept these terms before making any kind of purchase, or availing any of our services.

This way, we can make sure that we are providing you with the right service, and at the same time, we as online distributors can continue conducting our business within our own terms. We believe that this kind of transparency is vital for a good customer-seller relationship.

Our terms of service have sections that tackle our terms on accessing our online store, general conditions, accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of information, modifications to the services and prices, and products and services, among others.

Visit the page here: https://theboatingemporium.com.au/pages/terms-of-service

• We have partnered with trusted couriers to ensure the safety of your parcel. We also offer free shipping for select brands for metro areas in Australia. On our Shipping page, you can see in detail how your order is processed starting from its confirmation, to its delivery.

We are also happy to assist you with any damaged item, as long as you can send us proof of damage. We can help you with processing your insurance claim on your behalf.

Visit the page here: https://theboatingemporium.com.au/pages/shipping

• Our customer service is available in various channels, and our representatives are friendly and helpful. The Boating Emporium has social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you have any questions, you can send a direct message to any of these accounts, and our staff will be happy to answer them.

On top of that, you can also reach us via our email address (info@theboatingemporium.com.au) and our business phone number (1300-987-441). Our staff will be happy to assist you should you have any queries about our products and services. You can also schedule a warehouse visit if you want to test our products before buying them.

As online sellers, we are consumers first. This is why we understand customer pain points and want to address them as effectively as possible. As we all know, water sports and boating equipment should be handled with care, and packed very well for transport--and we do more than just that!

With our policies and responsive customer service, you wouldn't have to fear buying online anymore. We are assuring you that you’re in good hands with The Boating Emporium!

We hope that this article has helped put your mind at ease, especially when buying watersports goods and boating equipment online! Are you ready to make that purchase now? Then go ahead and visit our website at www.theboatingemporium.com.au, or contact us today!