A new Eurostat survey reveals a growing issue in online shopping across Europe: one in three customers (33.1%) ran into problems with their purchases in 2023. These difficulties expose weak points in operations that could hurt both consumer trust and business profits. As online shopping expands, experts suggest hiring e-commerce virtual assistants could be a practical way to improve service quality.
Customer Service Struggles in European E-commerce
Eurostat data reveals difficulties online shoppers face across different European countries. Luxembourg recorded the highest complaint rate at 55.5%, followed closely by the Netherlands (55.2%) and Spain (49.7%). Portugal fared best with just 4.3%, while Latvia (13.7%) and Cyprus (14.7%) also maintained relatively low rates.
Slow delivery ranked as the most common frustration, affecting nearly one in five customers (18.7%). Website usability problems (10.8%) and incorrect or damaged goods (8.6%) also frustrated many shoppers. These statistics indicate that despite technological advancement, operational inefficiencies remain substantial obstacles to customer satisfaction.
“The Eurostat data confirms our observations—e-commerce businesses throughout Europe encounter operational bottlenecks directly impacting customer experience. Virtual assistants specializing in customer support and order fulfillment can fix many of these issues at a fraction of in-house team costs,” says Winston Ong, CEO of BruntWork, one of the leading customer service outsourcing companies.
How Poor Service Impacts E-commerce Businesses
Poor customer service creates immediate dissatisfaction plus lasting consequences for e-commerce businesses. Shoppers who experience problems rarely return and often share negative feedback, damaging the retailer’s reputation and revenue.
For businesses operating across multiple countries, complaint rate variations add complexity. While over half of Luxembourg’s online shoppers reported difficulties, fewer than 5% in Portugal experienced issues. This contrast suggests cultural expectations, logistical efficiency, and local infrastructure substantially affect customer satisfaction.
“E-commerce thrives through excellent logistics, smooth order processing, and responsive customer interactions. Our clients using virtual assistants for order tracking and real-time customer communication have cut delivery-related complaints by up to 60%,” says Ong.
Can Virtual Assistants Solve These Problems?
Many businesses now turn to virtual assistants for customer service operations while seeking cost-effective solutions. BruntWork offers dedicated assistants who handle customer inquiries via email and chat, answer shipping policy questions, and process returns and refunds efficiently.
Beyond customer interaction, virtual assistants assist with inventory management, coordinate with shipping vendors, and track orders from confirmation to delivery. This thorough method helps e-commerce retailers prevent bottlenecks that typically cause customer frustration.
The financial benefits stand out clearly. BruntWork estimates companies can reduce labor costs by up to 80% through outsourcing, enabling service capacity expansion without proportional expense increases.
Why Remote Customer Support Makes Sense
Outsourcing offers excellent scalability. E-commerce businesses typically experience seasonal fluctuations and sudden increases in customer inquiries. Remote customer service teams adjust easily to match demand, maintaining consistent service quality without excessive staffing costs during quieter periods.
“Our remote-first outsourcing model eliminates common barriers many e-commerce operations face. Teams distributed across different locations allow businesses to maintain smooth operations even during shopping peaks or unexpected disruptions,” Ong explains.
Round-the-clock customer service is now a powerful advantage for online retailers. Virtual teams operating across multiple time zones help companies solve customer issues faster, addressing a primary concern from the Eurostat survey: slow response times cause dissatisfaction.
What’s Next for E-commerce Customer Support?
Online shopping demand continues to climb, forcing European retailers to fix customer service inefficiencies to stay viable. Eurostat data points to areas needing improvement—delivery logistics, website functionality, and product quality control.
Virtual assistant solutions offer compelling advantages, yet businesses should consider comprehensive strategies, improved supply chain management, better automation, and responsive customer service frameworks. Outsourcing customer support improves service efficiency, but businesses must balance cost savings with quality to preserve consumer trust.
E-commerce brands seeking enhanced customer experience while controlling costs might find optimal results through a strategic combination of outsourcing, automation, and internal improvements.
