Offering poor customer shopping experiences, both in stores and online, is one thing retailers want to avoid. However, this aspect of operations is not always easily overseen, and many consumers will avoid doing business with merchants that provide unsatisfactory interactions.

According to recently released report from the Temkin Group, the retail industry is one of the top sectors that has poor consumer experiences, along with TV and internet service providers. Of the customers surveyed, one-third stated they would completely stop doing business with companies they had a bad experiences with. When it comes to unsatisfactory service recovery efforts after poor experiences, nearly three-quarters of respondents would never purchase items from businesses again. On the other hand, the research found that of the industries analyzed, retailers are less likely to permanently lose shoppers due to bad interactions.

To help increase customer satisfaction and experiences, Inside Retailing recommends that businesses offer more personalized interactions as well as focus on having open communications with shoppers. This can be accomplished by being transparent about services and products, and providing deals and discounts based on consumers' needs.