E-commerce report identifies delivery costs and intrusive ads as key shopping barriers

A report by Gemius, in collaboration with IAB Polska and Leon Koźmiński Academy, highlights key barriers to online shopping. While most consumers find e-commerce convenient and time-saving, high delivery costs remain a primary deterrent, cited by 51 percent of respondents. Other significant obstacles include fears of dishonest sellers, the inability to physically inspect products, and difficulties with returns or exchanges.

Consumer irritation is frequently driven by high shipping fees, expensive product prices, long delivery times, and unclear product information. Additionally, approximately 26 percent of shoppers expressed frustration with intrusive pop-ups, excessive promotions, and aggressive marketing offers. Technical issues, such as slow loading speeds and site errors, also contribute to customer dissatisfaction.

To combat shopping cart abandonment—a major source of revenue loss—experts suggest optimizing the user experience by simplifying the checkout process, ensuring transparent pricing, and enhancing mobile optimization. Implementing automated recovery strategies, such as abandoned cart email reminders and dynamic remarketing, can also help convert intended purchases into completed transactions.