Are lengthy web forms driving your customers away?

Too many fields and too complex – poorly designed web forms are delivering a bad experience for customers who are abandoning the log-in process.

According to new research from Ping Identity and OnePoll, nearly three quarters of consumers (71%) have failed to complete a web form with 77% doing so because the process took too long and 58% claiming that the form was too detailed.

Additionally, over half of those surveyed said they quit the form because a company demanded to much information that they didn’t have to hand whilst nearly a fifth were frustrated because they had to re-enter the same information from when they last completed the form.

And poor user experience isn’t the only factor preventing customers from logging-in to ecommerce sites to make a purchase. The survey of over 1,000 UK consumers showed that  80% of consumers admitted to locking themselves out of websites because they couldn’t remember their username and/or password.

The research suggested this is likely the result of consumers having to remember multiple log-in details with a quarter (24%) setting different details for up to five websites whilst a further quarter juggled details for between six and 10 websites and a third having to remember log-ins for between 11 and 20 different sites.  

As a result of struggling to manage so many accounts, nearly half of consumers have had to re-set a password with 21% having to do so on a regular basis, the figures showed.

Andrew Hindle, director at Ping Identity, said: “This login barrier could cost businesses dearly. Loyalty is dead – if e-tailers lose a customer at a critical point in sale, they are unlikely to ever return.

“ In this competitive environment, amidst uncertain economic conditions, e-tailers need to make the registration and payment process as seamless as possible for customers – or risk that they will take their custom elsewhere. By deploying systems that center on a prospective customer’s identity and recognise returning customers to give them quick and easy access, e-tailers can avoid the mass exodus and allow both their businesses and their customers to truly reap the benefits of the web.” 

Poorly designed login forms aren't the only reasons why customers leave websites prematurely. A recent article from Henry Lewington outlined five reasons why your website might suck, including slow loading speeds and annoying adverts.