The three impediments to making a purchase decision every shopper runs up against are:
- Analysis paralysis. The inability to decide due to overthinking.
- Decision paralysis. The inability to decide due to an abundance of options.
- Informational void paralysis. The absence of key details prevents decision-making.
For this story, we’ll focus on impediment number three: informational void paralysis.
This affliction is especially common among consumers who care about sustainability.
An ever growing number of environmentally concerned shoppers want to use their wallets as instruments of change. Unfortunately, many don’t have the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions. A recent survey found that 78% of shoppers want retailers to provide clearer sustainability information, yet only 35% feel they have enough details to make environmentally responsible purchases.
If 78% of your online customers aren’t getting the information they need to make a purchase that meets their needs, they’ll find a brand that does.
Retailers can guide their customers toward sustainable choices, whether through better product information, responsible logistics, or improved digital experiences. Filling the sustainability informational void is simple and is as plain as the images and videos on your site’s PDP pages.
A lack of information around product sourcing, materials, and method of production will likely prevent some consumers from selecting your product. Research shows that 66% of shoppers are willing to pay more for sustainable products, but they need clear information to do so confidently.
Retailers that display sustainability certifications from organizations like The Green Business Bureau, Positive Luxury, 1% for the Planet, Global Organic Textile Standard, Rainforest Alliance Certified, and Leaping Bunny to name but a few can provide shoppers with the knowledge they need. Digital solutions like AI-powered product recommendations and virtual try-ons can also help customers make more environmentally informed choices.
Returns are a major contributor to retail waste. Returned products generate 5 billion pounds of landfill waste annually.
One of the primary drivers of product returns is inaccurate product imagery and descriptions, with 64% of shoppers citing mismatched expectations as the reason for returning items.
By optimizing product images and videos and ensuring product information is accurate, retailers can ensure that what customers see online is what they receive. Implementing features such as 360° views, AR try-ons, and detailed size guides can reduce return rates by up to 40%.
Improper disposal of packaging waste is another critical issue in retail, generating over 170 million tons of plastic waste each year, much of which ends up in landfills. Brands that switch to recyclable materials, minimal packaging, and eco-friendly shipping options can significantly reduce their resource footprint.
Encouraging order consolidation (when multiple items are shipped together instead of separately) also lowers emissions. Studies show that consolidating shipments can cut transportation-related emissions by 30%, making logistics more sustainable.
The path to a healthier planet is paved with more than good intentions, action is needed. And actions are what consumers sincerely want. By increasing transparency, reducing returns, and adopting eco-friendly logistics, retailers can provide consumers with the confidence they seek knowing that the brands they support are making sustainable choices.
A single product page with heavy, unoptimized media can generate excessive energy consumption. Taking in aggregate an underperforming website is a significant contributor to a brand’s carbon footprint. Cloudinary optimizes product images and videos. Accurate images and video means fewer returns, which starts a chain reaction of cost and environmental savings. Features like automatic format conversion, adaptive bitrate streaming, and AI-driven enhancements improve site performance, which reduces data loads and energy usage. The potential for good increases the more you use Cloudinary.
Download the Onestock-Cloudinary whitepaper to learn more about innovative strategies for building a more sustainable retail ecosystem, and contact us to learn more today!
