Online retailers need to stay sharp. Regardless of what or where they're selling, online retailers and other e-tailers need to focus on the basics, i.e., managing their customers' experiences and delivering value from click to doorstep and beyond. The scope for the Internet to shake up retailing in Europe ought to be huge. In almost every country the existing marketplace is vulnerable. Property prices, planning restrictions, regulations about advertising and rules on opening hours all conspire to make shopping in Europe less efficient than in America.
Customer needs, perceptions, and experiences rule.
Both German and British consumers find the Internet to be integral to their daily lives and plan to increase their online shopping activities. British consumers generally are more comfortable buying online, while Germans are more wary due to deep cultural barriers, e.g., concerns about data security and credit card usage. Although Germans generally were less interested in goods from America, the British liked the idea of getting trend-setting American products before their countrymen at a good price. Global consumers demand nothing less than their American counterparts. Online experiences must be bulletproof, products must be delivered on time and customer experience must be impeccable.