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A fresh study conducted by The Pixel surveyed 1,000 UK-based online shoppers to examine the modern expectations that define trust, engagement, and loyalty in e-commerce experiences.
“This survey details how digital expectations have shifted, today’s consumers equate performance with trust. Slow load times, unclear privacy practices or weak security are no longer just technical issues; they’re deal-breakers,” said Aynsley Peet, Head of Growth at The Pixel.
“Retailers must prioritise speed, personalisation, transparency and security if they want to earn and retain customer loyalty in an increasingly competitive online space.”
Speed emerged as a major factor, with more than 80% of participants indicating they would likely leave a website that takes too long to load. Nearly half of those surveyed (47%) said a seven-second delay was the maximum they would tolerate. Moreover, 73.4% of respondents considered page speed to be a critical aspect of their shopping experience.
The perception of speed is now directly linked to trust. The report revealed that 42% of users associate slow-loading sites with a lack of reliability. In addition, 67% admitted to abandoning online shopping baskets in the last 12 months due to poor site performance.
Aynsley Peet added: “Improving site speed isn’t just a technical upgrade, it’s a trust-building, revenue-driving strategy.”
Consumers also expect a degree of customisation in their digital interactions. Just over 44% rated personalised shopping experiences as very or extremely valuable. Meanwhile, loyalty schemes were identified as key drivers of retention, with 71.6% of consumers more likely to return if such incentives were in place.
When asked what features add the most value to their online experience, 67.1% chose targeted discounts and offers, 46.9% favoured personalised product recommendations and 38.7% appreciated recently viewed items.
Aynsley Peet said: “To stay competitive, businesses must prioritise personalisation and loyalty incentives. Businesses ignoring these expectations risk losing customers to brands that make every interaction feel tailored and rewarding.”
The survey discovered that data privacy continues to be a critical issue for consumers. While 28.56% of users admit they rarely or never check cookie banners, a clear majority – 82.89% – believe websites should provide transparent, accessible options to accept or reject cookies. This highlights a growing demand for greater control and visibility into data usage.
In response, Aynsley Peet said: “Consent is no longer optional – it’s an expectation. Retailers that fail to meet it risk losing customer trust.
“Retailers must implement a cookie consent tool to comply with global privacy regulations, foster user trust and ensure transparency in how customer data is collected and used.”
Security concerns remain high across the digital landscape. Nearly 86% of respondents consider online security “very important” or higher and only 2% downplay its significance.
Over 68.76% express concern about how companies use their personal data online and about 1 in 4 have experienced an online security incident firsthand.
Consumers are actively taking steps to protect themselves. 80.68% use secure passwords, 60.96% avoid unknown links and 53.19% enable multi-factor authentication where available.
Aynsley Peet added: “To stay ahead of online security risks, retailers must take a proactive approach including regular threat monitoring, implementing strong authentication protocols, keeping all software and plugins up to date, and conducting ongoing security training for staff.”
Shaun McCran, Head of Product Marketing at Adobe Commerce said: “In today’s digital economy, speed and security aren’t just features – they’re foundations of trust. The Pixel’s latest survey of over 1,000 online shoppers confirms that performance, personalisation, and privacy are now the pillars of loyalty. When every second counts and every click is a decision, brands that lead on these fronts will win not just conversions, but lasting customer confidence.”
Aynsley Peet concluded: “This research highlights a powerful message for online businesses: speed, personalisation, privacy and protection are no longer nice-to-haves – they’re non-negotiables for digital success. As digital competition intensifies, retailers that fail to meet these expectations risk losing not just conversions, but long-term customer trust.”