Research undertaken by security technology firm McAfee suggests that retailers shouldn’t be too quick to declare shopping carts abandoned, with consumers often picking items, leaving the cart and then returning a day or more later to finalise the purchase.

The research appears to back up last month’s findings from the University of Glasgow, which revealed that 87% of shoppers abandon shopping baskets, but 75% plan to return later.

McAfee’s study found that 65% of all shoppers wait a day or more to complete a purchase, and the average delay is 33 hours and 54 minutes. The firm suggests that, instead of panicking, online retailers should understand the reasons for abandoned shopping carts and implement strategies to combat consumer fears.

“Retailers shouldn’t misinterpret abandoned shopping carts — many of these potential sales return later to finalize the sale,” said Keats. “Understanding this delay is critical for merchant analytics.”

Measures the firm suggests to combat abandoned shopping carts include site optimisation, not panicking and remarketing to consumers too soon after a perceived abandonment and making consumers feel safe with security cues such as McAfee’s Secure trustmark.

Readers can download the report, Digital Window Shopping: The Long Journey To Buy, at McAfee’s website.

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