Social media most popular way customers complain about a brand’s services

Social media is fast becoming the most popular way customers complain about a brand’s services, according to Barclay’s latest report examining high-street retailers.

Clients are now five times more likely to use social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook to complain about purchases than three years ago, with one in three (38%) expecting responses from a business within an hour, the report found.

Researchers also discovered that 63% of British shoppers still prefer to physically see products before buying and that 77% are more likely to buy from a local or independent retailer than online, proving that the high street is still an essential part of the shopping experience for Brits.

However, 83% said they are also planning to shop online at an internet specialist in the next 12 months.

Salons that invest in new payment methods could also see a boost in sales with many customers describing contactless (48%) and mobile (37%) payments as “life changing”.

“The British high street is part of what has made the UK great. Being a ‘nation of shopkeepers’ is ingrained in our cultural identity and consumer pride in the sector endures,” said Ian Gilmartin, head of retail and wholesale at Barclays Corporate Banking.

“Our research reveals that the public still see the high street as an essential part of the shopping experience and as a national treasure they want to see protected." 

You can read The New Retail Reality report in full here.