Over 50% of Online Shoppers Experience Regret; 60% Change Behavior Due to 'Mismatched Product Expectations'

Over 50% of Online Shoppers Experience Regret Alulu Mall, a creative marketplace operated by System Research Co., Ltd. (HQ: Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture), conducted a survey on online shopping regrets targeting 400 experienced online shoppers aged 20 to 60 nationwide.

The results show that 57.5% of respondents have experienced regret after an online purchase.

Furthermore, 63.9% of those surveyed indicated that this experience led them to change their shopping habits. Trends toward strengthened pre-purchase verification were observed, with 69.4% saying they now 'thoroughly check reviews' and 59.9% saying they 'read product descriptions more carefully.'

Additionally, the most common reason for regret was 'the product looked different from the actual image,' at 63.0%, highlighting that the gap between pre-purchase expectations and the actual product is a major driver of regret.

Survey Results

### 57.5% Have Experienced Online Shopping Regret When asked if they have experienced regret after an online purchase: - Frequent (3+ times): 9.5% - Occasional (1-2 times): 48.0% In total, 57.5% answered that they have had such an experience.

### 63.9% Changed Behavior Following Regret When asked if their online shopping behavior changed after such an experience: - Changed significantly: 13.0% - Changed slightly: 50.9% In total, 63.9% answered that their behavior 'changed.'

### 'Review Checking' is the Top Behavioral Change at 69.4% When asked how their behavior changed, the top responses included: - Thoroughly checking reviews: 69.4% - Carefully reading product descriptions: 59.9% - Checking the seller before purchase: 38.1% - Verifying the credibility of the shop or brand: 36.7%

Meanwhile, some also reported: - Stopped purchasing after over-comparing: 16.3% - Avoiding high-priced online purchases: 10.2%

### 'Mismatched Image' is the Top Reason for Regret at 63.0% When asked for the reasons behind their regret: - Product looked different from expectations: 63.0% - Size/Specifications did not fit: 52.6% - Quality was below expectations: 52.6%

Conversely, 'Difference from reviews or social media impressions' (7.8%) and 'Impulse buying' (6.5%) were relatively low.

Online Shopping Regrets Lead to 'Strengthened Verification' This survey reveals that more than half of online shoppers have experienced regret. Post-regret, there is a clear trend toward confirming more information before making a purchase. However, since 'product image discrepancy' remains the primary reason, it is evident that the gap between online perception and physical reality remains a critical issue.