WASHINGTON — Whether it’s buying something, applying for something or registering for something, online forms are the way it is done; and consumers don’t like the process.
D.C.-based web analysis firm The Manifest said more than 80 percent of consumers it surveyed said they abandoned at least one form recently, with 29 percent citing security concerns.
“Something that’s glitchy, or something that just doesn’t look well-maintained or outdated. Most of the time that will tip us off that maybe it’s not the most trustworthy,” The Manifest’s Michelle Delgado told WTOP. “And, that’s especially true when people are handing over their credit card information or other personal details,” she said.
More than a quarter of those surveyed said they gave up on filling out an online form because they were too long.
When it comes to filling out online forms on a phone, forget about it. The Manifest said only 3 percent would prefer to fill out an online form on a mobile device, compared to 84 percent who would prefer a laptop or desktop.
The most common complaint about online forms via mobile is keyboard pop-ups not matching the fields to be filled in, such as an alphabetic keyboard despite the form’s field requiring a numeric Zip code.
The survey found that when someone abandons an online form, they are unlikely to return. Nearly 70 percent chose to abandon the process entirely, compared to 20 percent who follow up later.
Those who try again do so because there is no choice.
“It’s typically because they have to. Maybe they need to renew their driver’s license or apply for a business license, or something they can only do online,” Delgado said.
The Manifest suggests businesses keep online forms short and to-the-point.
“Businesses can improve their online forms by eliminating extraneous questions, improving security and considering online forms an extension of their overall customer service effort,” The Manifest said in its study.
Online forms should ask for no more than what is required for the transaction. A consumer’s age and income level have nothing to do with buying a sofa or registering for a library card.
The Manifest surveyed more than 500 people in the U.S. who filled out an online form within the past month for its report.