With the most intensive shopping period of the year underway, retailers have a major opportunity to boost revenue during the so-called “golden quarter” from October to December. Yet new research from Dynatrace shows many online merchants are falling short on the digital user experience.
The study finds that only 15 percent of mobile e-commerce sites and 35 percent of desktop sites meet Google’s guidelines for a smooth user experience. In other words, 85 percent of mobile pages and 65 percent of desktop pages fail to deliver a positive customer experience—a significant shortcoming given the fierce competition during peak shopping events like Black Friday and the holiday season.
Bob Wambach, VP of Product Portfolio at Dynatrace, emphasizes the urgency of frictionless digital experiences:
– The numbers in this study are a wake-up call for retailers. During a period when every click and conversion matters, optimizing the user experience is essential. Many sites miss basic performance requirements, which can drive customers away.
Performance gaps drive customer loss
Google’s Core Web Vitals are a key benchmark for measuring user experience, SEO performance, and conversion potential. Dynatrace’s analysis of 61 global retail sites finds many suffer from slow load times and interaction delays, especially on metrics such as Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and Interaction to Next Paint (INP).
– Our research shows only a minority of sites are prepared for increased traffic. But with AI and observability, retailers can gain a comprehensive view of the customer journey, pinpoint problem areas, and proactively deliver a better digital experience, says Bob Wambach.
Sectors falling behind
The travel industry stands out as the weakest performer: only 6 percent of mobile sites and 18 percent of desktop sites meet Google’s recommendations. The technology sector performs best, yet even there only 19 percent of mobile sites and 44 percent of desktop sites meet the standards.
Swedish holiday shopping expected to rise 2 percent
HUI Research expects Swedish holiday retail sales for 2024 to reach roughly SEK 93 billion—an increase of about 2 percent compared with the prior year. This growth is attributed to a gradual improvement in household purchasing power after earlier economic challenges. Grocery retail is forecast to rise by 6 percent, while non-food specialty retail is projected to decline by 1 percent.
About the study
The study analyzed 61 global retail websites using Google’s Chrome User Experience (CrUX) dataset to assess digital performance ahead of high-traffic periods. Each site was evaluated against Google’s Core Web Vitals criteria, with key metrics such as Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Interaction to Next Paint (INP), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measured on both mobile and desktop platforms.
By examining these standardized performance indicators, the researchers determined the share of sites meeting Google’s recommended thresholds and highlighted common performance shortfalls that risk undermining conversions during peak shopping seasons.