The report found more than a quarter (27%) of online shoppers would turn to an online or offline competitor if they had an online transaction issue.

“The potential for lost revenue when customers have a negative online shopping experience is amplified by the rising use of social media," said Rebecca Ward, CEO of Tealeaf.

"The ‘echo chamber effect’ caused by frustrated customers who voice their displeasure on social networks can significantly damage an organization’s reputation. Proactively identifying website issues presents an opportunity for businesses to recover some of that $44 billion in potentially lost revenue, especially as we head into the upcoming holiday shopping season."

The report found if online shoppers experienced a problem while trying to conduct an online transaction, they would react in the following ways:

*66 percent contact customer service , including:

*53 percent call customer service

*36 percent email or log a web complaint with customer service

*32 percent abandon the transaction, including :

*27 percent turn to a competitor

Among those who experience an online transaction issue, 41 percent would switch to an online or offline competitor or abandon the transaction completely.  This represents a $57 billion potential impact to revenue on shopping sites.

The survey found that the majority (87%) of users who experienced problems completing online transactions feel frustrated when they experience obstacles. Among those who experienced problems, 41 percent reported feeling angry.

Just under half (47%) of online shoppers have contacted a company’s call center after they had problems using a web site. The majority (64%) did not feel the customer representative was knowledgeable about the Web site, and 38 percent did not have their issue resolved. Twenty- two percent of online shoppers expect even better customer service online than when shopping in-person.

Of shoppers who experienced poor customer service when calling about Web site issues, 72 percent either stopped doing business with the company or decreased the amount of business they do with a company (45%).

The majority (84%) of shoppers who experienced problems conducting transactions online share their experience with others. Fifty-eight percent use online channels to share complaints or reviews and 23 percent send an email to family and friends about their experience.

"The Web has changed business; companies both large and small compete for the same customers. Now, competition is just a click away and customer expectations continue to grow," said Rebecca Ward, CEO of Tealeaf.

"Businesses must take definitive steps to differentiate themselves by understanding and improving their customers’ site experiences, and equipping their contact centers to truly meet the needs of online customers."