"AI, omnichannel strategies and personalization are reshaping online customer service experiences as ecommerce growth and customer demands necessitate improvements."
Diana Smith, Director, Client Advisor - Retail & eCommerce
This Report explores the transformative changes in online customer service, driven primarily by technological advancements and shifting consumer expectations. As of early 2025, ecommerce sales were expected to grow by 2.4% in 2025, reaching $7.5 trillion; businesses are focusing on seamless omnichannel experiences, integrating AI and automation to meet 24/7 consumer demand. Despite high satisfaction rates, consumers remain critical of online services compared to in-store interactions, prompting retailers to refine their digital offerings. The research confirms that personalization and the human element are crucial factors for satisfaction, with 69% of adults emphasizing the necessity of human support alongside AI. The evolving customer service landscape offers brands opportunities to differentiate through proactive engagement and innovative tech solutions.
This Report examines consumer preferences and attitudes toward online customer service in retail. It explores the variety of ways that consumers’ expectations of the brands and retailers they shop are shifting, and how companies are evolving their practices online to meet consumers where they’re shopping and to deepen customer relationships. The Report also looks at the evolving role of retailers’ employees (eg salespeople, customer service) and how they can make or break a customer experience with a given brand or retailer.
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.
We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:
Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.
Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
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